NYRA partners with 1/ST to market racing signals internationally

The New York Racing Association has purchased an equity stake in the international simulcast marketing company owned by 1/ST, the two companies announced on Monday.

The acquisition will formalize a relationship between the two companies for the next 10 years. NYRA and 1/ST have cooperated on international simulcast marketing efforts in the past, but NYRA will begin sharing in the returns from the efforts as an equity partner beginning in 2023, running through the end of 2032.

NYRA operates Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga, which combined had $2.37 billion in handle in 2021, nearly 20 percent of the total U.S. market that year. 1/ST, which was previously known as The Stronach Group, owns Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields in California; Gulfstream Park in Florida; and Laurel Park and Pimlico in Maryland.

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In addition, NYRA’s simulcast-marketing company, NYRA Content Management Solutions, controls the rights to Tampa Bay Downs, while 1/ST Content controls Keeneland, Del Mar, and Woodbine in Canada.

North American signals are marketed by 1/ST Content throughout Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Racetracks are increasingly looking to expand into foreign markets for growth, at a time when overall handle in the U.S. remains stagnant.

In a release, the companies said that the combined content covered by the agreement totals “more than 3,000 days” of live racing from North American racetracks each year.

“By joining 1/ST Content and NCMS, two of the powerhouses in North American horse racing content, we are reinforcing to international operators that the continued investment and support for North American racing is the smart bet,” said Gregg Colvin, the chief executive officer of 1/ST Content, in a release.