Sportsbet and Melbourne Racing Club Forge Groundbreaking Five-Year Partnership
Sportsbet, owned by Flutter, has entered into a groundbreaking five-year partnership with Melbourne Racing Club (MRC), commencing on January 1st, 2024.
This significant collaboration marks a new era for both entities, with Sportsbet obtaining naming rights for the Caulfield Cup Carnival and the prestigious Caulfield Cup, underlining its commitment to the sport.
A Partnership of Shared Values and Vision
The Melbourne Racing Club, a non-profit entity with over 12,000 members, organizes more than 80 race meetings annually across Victoria’s three premier racetracks: Caulfield, Mornington, and Sandown.
This new agreement covers all three venues, with a focus on redefining the sport’s appeal to both new and existing racing fans. The partnership aims to leverage digital, marketing, customer engagement, on-course activations, and experiences, especially during key Carnival periods.
Sportsbet’s Commitment to Community and Industry
A pivotal element of the partnership is Sportsbet’s commitment to make an annual $AU 125,000 cash contribution to the MRC Foundation, the charitable arm of MRC.
This gesture aligns with Flutter Group’s ‘Do More’ initiative, which aims to impact 10 million lives by 2030 as part of its Positive Impact Plan. This plan underlines Flutter’s dedication to community enrichment and industry sustainability.
The partnership will also see Sportsbet offering a $AU 1 million prize for any horse winning both the Sportsbet Mornington Cup and Sportsbet Caulfield Cup in the same year.
Furthermore, Sportsbet will invest an additional $AU 125,000 in racing growth initiatives at Mornington racetrack and introduce world-first LED technology for barriers in early 2024. There will also be investments in the growth of MRC Membership and enhancements to the general admission customer experience.
Leadership Perspectives
Barni Evans, CEO of Sportsbet, stated: “Sportsbet is excited to partner with the MRC, an incredibly successful and progressive Club, and we look forward to bringing to life our shared ambition of attracting new audiences to racing. We’re always looking to do more for the community and we’re particularly proud to be contributing $AU 125,000 each year of the partnership to the MRC Foundation, supporting local communities and helping racing industry participants.”
Josh Blanksby, CEO of Melbourne Racing Club, expressed: “This is the most significant partnership in the Club’s history, and we’re thrilled to be working with Sportsbet, Australia’s largest wagering provider, to open up the sport to more audiences and futureproof racing on the sporting stage. We’re excited by the opportunities that partnering with a such an iconic brand in the sport and racing spaces presents, and we look forward to introducing a greater sporting audience to our racing product through Sportsbet’s impressive market share”.
Our Comment on the Article
This partnership between Sportsbet and Melbourne Racing Club is a landmark in the world of racing and wagering. It’s a bold step that not only signifies the growth of the sport but also a shared commitment to community engagement and sustainable industry practices.
The innovative strategies and significant investments planned as part of this partnership are poised to revolutionize how racing is perceived and experienced by fans, potentially setting a new standard for partnerships in the industry. With such strategic alignment and shared values, this collaboration could well be the blueprint for future partnerships in the sports and gaming sectors.
