GRNSW Add New 8 Greyhound Meetings To Accomodate Sky Racing2

Greyhound Racing New South Wales () today confirmed that it would increase the number of TAB meetings conducted in NSW by eight meetings per week over the next year. The new meetings will predominately feature on Sky Racing2 which Tabcorp announced yesterday would go live on Tuesday 30 March.

GRNSW Chairman Professor Percy Allan AM explained that the Board's decision to expand the TAB product offering reflected the changing nature of the racing and wagering industry whilst positioning GRNSW well for future changes to the funding model of racing.

“The environment has changed dramatically since the last major overhaul of the TAB racing schedule and the opportunity now exists for the sport's non-TAB meetings to be put to work and make a commercial return to the sport,” Allan said.

“The introduction of Race Fields Legislation in 2008 means that all Australian wagering operators pay GRNSW a fee for using NSW greyhound race field information. This fee is payable directly to GRNSW and as such there is a direct correlation between the performance of NSW greyhound racing and the race fields revenue GRNSW receives from Australian wagering operators.”

An additional $1.3 million in prizemoney will be offered at the new second tier TAB meetings following the decision to convert up to 400 non-TAB meetings to TAB status. The second tier meetings will attract half the prizemoney levels of the current TAB meetings.

Professor Allan said that the $1.3 million prizemoney hike meant that GRNSW will have delivered prizemoney increases in excess of $6.3 million in the last 18 months representing a 42% increase.

“The Board of GRNSW continues to remain focused on the long-term sustainable growth of our sport and views the decision to expand our TAB product offering as pivotal to this,” Allan said.

“The prizemoney growth achieved over the last 18 months is a compelling testament to the strategies put in place by GRNSW and our focus on driving wagering returns in markets where there is a direct correlation between our performance and the fees we receive.”

GRNSW recently called for expressions of interest from clubs conducting non-TAB racing to convert these meetings to TAB meetings. These submissions have been objectively assessed against criteria that included brand, venue readiness, nomination demand, track facility condition, location and ability to ensure continuity of product.

In stage one of the expansion, non-TAB meetings at , , Bathurst, , and will be converted to TAB meetings. Tweed Heads and Grafton will be given high consideration in stage two.

GRNSW is continuing discussions with other clubs who have expressed interest in conducting TAB racing with a view to achieving its goal of supplying up to eight additional meetings per week.

GRNSW also today released a revamped schedule of TAB racing for consultation with race clubs and other stakeholders. The draft schedule includes stage one of the product expansion.

Chief Executive said that the proposed schedule was aimed at maximising wagering returns to the sport and capitalising on the opportunity to expand the core customer base of greyhound racing presented by scheduling changes occurring in other codes. Central to this, is the placement of the second metropolitan meeting at Wentworth Park on a Friday night.

GRNSW will engage in a process of consultation with race clubs and other stakeholders in March with a view to finalising next year's schedule by the end of March.

New South Wales Draft 2010/11 Schedule of TAB Meetings

    • Monday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm –
    • 3:30pm – 7pm – Bathurst (52 Meetings)
    • 7pm – 10:30pm – (52 Meetings)
    • Tuesday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm –
    • 3:30pm – 7pm –
    • 7pm – 10:30pm – Gosford (52 Meetings), Lismore (52 Meetings)
    • Wednesday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm –
    • 3:30pm – 7pm – The Gardens (26 Meetings), Nowra (26 Meetings)
    • 7pm – 10:30pm – Richmond (52 Meetings)
    • Thursday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm – Dubbo (26 Meetings)
    • 3:30pm – 7pm – (52 Meetings)
    • 7pm – 10:30pm – Dapto (52 Meetings)
    • Friday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm – (48 Meetings)
    • 3:30pm – 7pm – The Gardens (51 Meetings)
    • 7pm – 10:30pm – Wentworth Park (51 Meetings)
    • Saturday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm –
    • 3:30pm – 7pm – Richmond (26 Meetings), Dapto (26 Meetings)
    • 7pm – 10:30pm – Wentworth Park (52 Meetings), The Gardens (52 Meetings)
    • Sunday
    • 12pm – 3:30pm – Wagga (26 Meetings), Nowra (26 Meetings)
    • 3:30pm – 7pm –
    • 7pm – 10:30pm –
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