Victoria Racing Club (VRC), Tabcorp and Nine Entertainment have entered into a five-year deal for the Melbourne Cup Carnival encompassing broadcast, content, partnership rights, and race naming rights.
Under the agreement, VRC and Tabcorp will hold year-round sponsorship, and domestic and international media rights for the carnival, which will be broadcast on all Sky platforms and the TAB app.
VRC will also take the reins on managing the production for racing coverage through VRC Media.
Meanwhile, Nine will be the new free-to-air partner of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, including audio-visual rights for broadcast, streaming, mobile, digital and social platforms. Prior to this, the Melbourne Cup Carnival broadcast partner was Network 10.
Tabcorp will also be the exclusive wagering integration partner for Nine’s broadcast of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. It will also have the right to on-sell the coverage to wagering providers.
VRC said the partnership will allow the club to invest in key areas of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, member engagement, the year-round racing program, Flemington Racecourse tracks and facilities, and the broader community.
“The partnership with Tabcorp and the arrangements with Nine have been developed by our close strategic alignment and a desire to grow and innovate in our industry,” VRC CEO Steve Rosich said.
VRC chairman Neil Wilson added the partnership is not only beneficial for Melbourne and Victorian racing, but it will support and fund initiatives on and off the track, create new jobs, and further enhance equine welfare initiatives.
“The partnership will enhance the community engagement and economic contribution that followed the 2023 Melbourne Cup Carnival, which saw more than $500,000 raised for different charity groups, an estimated 16,000 jobs generated and the delivery of thousands of visitors to Victoria from interstate and international locations, highlighting the broader impact of the event,” he said.
For Tabcorp, the partnership builds on the company winning the 20-year Victorian exclusive wagering licence.
“Together with our brand and customer transformation, this partnership gives us a terrific platform to grow in Victoria, throughout Australia and around the world as we beam the Cup to more than 60 different countries through Sky Racing,” Tabcorp CEO Adam Rytenskild said.