Sandown racecourse will be renamed Sportingbet Park with Sportingbet Australia to become the exclusive corporate bookmaking sponsor of the Melbourne Racing Club.
Sportingbet was an existing sponsor of the Club but a new enhanced deal will also see them have additional race sponsorships including the Sportingbet Sandown Cup and increased signage and race sponsorships at Caulfield.
Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said the new deal built on Sportingbet’s already significant contributions to the Victorian racing industry and he was excited about the opportunities it would provide.
“Sportingbet Australia has had a tremendous relationship with the Melbourne Racing Club for two years now and this further establishes Sportingbet as the leading corporate bookmaker supporting racing in Victoria,” Sullivan said.
“Sportingbet has enjoyed really strong growth in recent years and we are sure this sponsorship will put back put valuable money back into racing as well as seeing our brand continue to grow.
“We already pay a product fee to bet on racing in Victoria and contribute through various other sponsorships and next year Sportingbet will contribute over $5m to the Victorian Racing industry alone in product fees and sponsorship.”
Melbourne Racing Club Chief Executive, Alasdair Robertson, praised Sportingbet and the new, enhanced relationship between the two organisations.
“The relationship with Sportingbet has been outstanding and the Club is delighted to be able to grow that relationship further through this enhanced sponsorship,” Mr Robertson said.
“Sportingbet has always been a leading innovator in racing and approached the Club with a bold vision to support and grow the industry.”
The new agreement struck by the Melbourne Racing Club and Sportingbet Australia is effective as of 1 January 2012.
