Partnerships between the New York Racing Association and FOX Sports, along with NYRA's relationship with Caesars Entertainment, continue to pay significant dividends.
The latest evidence of those returns are strong ratings for the Saratoga Saturday broadcasts on FOX.
The New York Times reported Aug. 30 that the Saratoga Live broadcasts that have appeared on the FOX flagship channel have averaged 501,000 viewers, which it noted is more than the National Hockey League's regular season average on TNT (281,000) or college basketball on the FOX platforms (358,000).
Those ratings have followed a commitment that only has increased since FOX Sports platforms began broadcasting Saratoga race coverage in 2016. Coverage of NYRA racing on the FOX Sports platforms would eclipse 700 hours in 2020 and is expected to reach about 900 hours this year.
In 2022, NYRA and FOX announced an eight-year deal that would see the channel broadcast the Belmont Stakes (G1) beginning in 2023. As part of that agreement, the advance deposit wagering platform NYRA Bets would be the race sponsor for those years. That sponsorship brought even more synergy as FOX Sports in 2021 announced it would acquire a 25% interest in NYRA Bets. At the time of the agreement, FOX Sports noted that the acquisition gave the company bet-taking interests in horse racing, sports betting, poker, and casino gaming.
"We both have skin in the game, which allows us to try different things and put money back into delivering a first-rate viewing experience," NYRA CEO and president David O'Rourke told the New York Times.
Just as televised sports are embracing gambling, and, in turn, horse racing—seeing the benefits of the massive amount of content provided—sports betting platforms continue to provide as much access to pari-mutuel racing as they can.
Similar to the TV deal, a NYRA partnership with Caesars Entertainment helps put its racing at center stage with sports bettors on that platform.
While the pari-mutuel style of betting is not offered side-by-side with the fixed-odds style of wagering, sports betting platforms are working to bring the two together as much as possible. FanDuel was the first to offer a "shared wallet" experience and Caesars Entertainment joined that club this year.
"Integrating pari-mutuel horse racing into the Caesars Sportsbook app is a significant milestone for both our digital business and the sport of horse racing," said Caesars senior vice president and chief development officer Dan Shapiro in a release earlier this year. "Our customers will be able to bet on horse racing, whether it's the sport's biggest events or daily races from tracks around the world. Now, our product seamlessly puts the action directly in front of an expanded audience and reinforces Caesars' commitment to horse racing.
"We look forward to continuing our work with the New York Racing Association and NYRA Bets to expand the availability across more states as we gain regulatory approvals."
It's a powerful synergy for marketing NYRA races. While racing events are not side by side with NFL games or the like (which this column has advocated), at least sports bettors are just a click away from a pari-mutuel wager on a horse race.
"Horse racing plays an important role in the betting marketplace, and we appreciate Caesars' longstanding commitment to elevating the sport and growing fan engagement," said NYRA Bets president Tony Allevato. "Launching the shared wallet functionality allows Caesars Sportsbook to provide its large customer base with premier racing content through a comprehensive and easy-to-access wagering menu. We congratulate Caesars on their successful expansion."
