1/ST CONTENT renews exclusive long-term Breeders’ Cup global distribution deal

1/ST CONTENT, the leading provider of premium content for North American horse racing, has reached exclusive new deal terms for its ongoing three-year contract option with Breeders’ Cup Limited, strengthening both parties’ progressive partnership around content rights, data, fixed-odds, and signals for the ultimate festival of global Thoroughbred racing.

This milestone agreement encompasses worldwide broadcast and video-streaming distribution relating to fixed-odds wagering on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for 1/ST CONTENT’s array of international sportsbook partners outside of North America.

The forthcoming edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 Championship races worth $33 million in purses and awards, will be staged later this year (November 1-2) at beautiful Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Southern California, providing a flagship finale to the flat and dirt racing calendar, including the season-defining $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

These championship contests combine to bolster 1/ST CONTENT’s market-leading position for distribution, mapping over 80% of all North American racing and opening the door to many of the world’s most prestigious races – from the Triple Crown to the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park on January 25 and the inaugural California Crown (G1) at Santa Anita on September 28, now a natural stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup itself.

Once again, all races will be available for broadcast via 1/ST CONTENT’s partner at Sky Sports Racing in the UK and Ireland, as well as across a host of other international media partners’ digital channels. This timetable of engaging United States action, whose chronology naturally complements international racing coverage across varied time zones from Europe to Australia, provides 1/ST CONTENT’s global partners with another high-quality source of fast-settling betting content at both primetime and off-peak viewing slots.

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will feature best-in-class safety, integrity and equine welfare protocols implemented in collaboration with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), its Horse Racing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) and the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB). Further, through its ground-breaking alliance with Total Performance Data (TPD) – the definitive source of live GPS-tracking data for racing – 1/ST CONTENT is also deepening in-play fan engagement at Del Mar this year, delivering in-running betting for all races.

“The Breeders’ Cup is happy to renew and grow our close collaboration with 1/ST CONTENT in order to widen the reach of our global championship event,” said Justin McDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Breeders’ Cup Limited.

“As a result, sports fans and bettors around the world can look forward to more in-depth coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships from the most revered racetracks in the United States over the coming years, including the next two renewals at Del Mar. We look forward to seeing our elite portfolio of races showcased to more and more fans across both mature and emerging markets.”

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at 1/ST CONTENT, added: “It’s an honour to continue working in stride with the Breeders’ Cup team and some of our nation’s finest racetracks to promote a world-class festival that continues to operate at the zenith of its powers for prize funds and international participation. And our growing global audience of fixed-odds bettors outside of the States bear fitting tribute to that fact.

“Our continued commitment is to support the Breeders’ Cup’s efforts to deliver its horse racing content and wagering to a worldwide stage. We know our natural synergies will reliably benefit horse racing’s consumer economy, both at home and abroad. And speaking more broadly, this deal represents another significant step in ensuring that North American racing’s stakeholders secure their warranted status as the primary beneficiaries of revenues generated through international wagering.”