SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Premier Greyhound Racing (PGR) has announced its schedule of fixtures to be offered to its digital, retail and international subscribers.
The new schedule will see the organisation stage 59 meetings per week across its portfolio of tracks, and pledges to put fans of the dogs ‘at the heart of the action’. Races are scheduled throughout the day and night.
Fans at the track can also watch Friday and Saturday evening fixtures across the PGR aligned stadia.
Lord David Lipsey, Premier Greyhound Racing Chair, stated: “This schedule is Premier Greyhound Racing’s plan for the future. For bookmakers, it will offer a race every few minutes for their retail and online customers.
“For fans it will bring the very best greyhound racing action direct across a range of platforms, not to mention top quality entertainment to their local track. We will be delivering a bigger, bolder and sustainable vision for our sport.”
Speaking to SBC News In February, Lord Lipsey discussed the group’s media strategies at a time of heightened scrutiny of the betting sector and its links with sports.
Looking into the changing commercial landscape in greyhound racing, the Chair offered a unique perspective on where the sport and gambling industry stand ahead of unprecedented regulatory changes.
He explained: “Greyhound racing should look to enhance its visibility beyond the betting space. We won’t be content until it does. And it can be done: look at what has happened in darts. My own company, PGR, is holding a special session in March on promoting the sport.”
Following its recent deal, the group also outlined its ambition to provide ‘long-term confidence and security to owners, bookmakers, and racegoers’ more than six months ahead of the service go-live date of 1 January 2024.
PGR is a joint venture between Arena Racing Company (ARC), which also operates racecourses, and Entain.
“We are pleased to announce this schedule which meets the needs of the sport’s stakeholders,” added Mark Kingston, Director of Media and Technology at Arena Racing Company.
“This includes retail bookmakers, all of which are contracted to take PGR from 1 January 2024, alongside additional fixtures to support our digital and international partners. We look forward to continuing working closely with Entain, given our mutual commitment to maintaining high standards of welfare across our venues.”
Earlier this year, PGR announced partnerships to supply the respective retail operations of Entain (Ladbrokes and Coral), William Hill, Paddy Power, Betfred and independent bookmakers with pictures from its British tracks to the operators’ shops from the beginning of 2024.
