Author: Mintel Group Ltd.
Last saved by: HTTP server

Dog and Horse Racing - UK - November 2009

ISSUES IN THE MARKET
Main issues
Definition
Abbreviations
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Racing ripe for success through small screens
Mintel Inspire
Opportunity
Price promotions can draw smart shoppers upmarket
Mintel Inspire
Opportunity
Men return to stats in sport
Mintel Inspire
Opportunity
MARKET IN BRIEF
Horse power drives market to £300 million mark
Secondary expenditure takes on primary role
Some light amidst attendance gloom
Recession could put permanent emphasis on value...
... as concerns over costs outlive the downturn
Betting to continue its losing streak...
... making funding shortfalls sharpen focus on racecourse revenues
TV to remain a valuable shop window
Greyhound racing ready for new welfare legislation
Does horse racing know what women really want?
Dog tracks make converts – but not on a regular enough basis
INTERNAL MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Access to racing: Location to determine promotion?
Horse racing: Big lessons from Great Leighs
Figure 1: UK racecourse numbers, 2007-09
Greyhound racing: Traps start to shut once more
Figure 2: UK greyhound racecourse numbers, 2002-09
Horse racing fixtures: Quality v quantity
Figure 3: UK horse racing fixtures and races, 2004-08
Greyhound racing fixtures: Spectators v bettors, spectators v trainers
Figure 4: Licensed greyhound meetings and races, 2004-08
Racecourse facilities: Recession to threaten diversification?
Figure 5: Capital expenditure, by British racecourses, 2004-08
Figure 6: BGRF grants for racecourse improvements, 2004-08
Media coverage in decline
Horseracing on TV: BBC abandons quantity for quality
Figure 7: Television coverage of horse racing, by channel, 2004-08
Greyhound racing on TV: Better for betting than attendance
Figure 8: Television coverage of greyhound racing, by channel, 2004-08
Newspapers: Declining or substituted?
Figure 9: Racing Post circulation trends, 2006-08
Raw materials: More horses, fewer dogs
Figure 10: Horses in training, 2004-08
Figure 11: Registered greyhound numbers, 2004-08
Horse racing funding: Bookmakers refuse to blink
Figure 12: Horserace Levy receipts, by source 2004-09
Figure 13: Bookmakers’ voluntary contributions to British Greyhound Racing Fund, 2005-09
BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
The recession: Value for money keeping volumes afloat
Figure 14: GDP, PDI, consumer expenditure and savings, at current prices, 2004-14
Demographic trends align with new and core markets
Figure 15: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, by gender, 2004-14
Web pulls punters away from the track
Figure 16: British internet penetration at home/work/place of study or elsewhere, by gender, age, socio-economic group, region and working status, Apr 2002-Jul 2009
Figure 17: Growth in UK mobile internet users 2008-09
The weather: Predictability takes a rain check
Figure 18: UK horse racing fixture abandonments, 2004-08
COMPETITIVE CONTEXT
Key points
Figure 19: Interest in named sports/pastimes, 2005-09
Figure 20: Sports/pastimes paid to watch at a venue, 2005-09
Figure 21: Selected sports’ annual attendances, 2005 and 2008
TV mix allows horse racing to offer something for everyone
Figure 22: Sport on television, 2004-08
Figure 23: Sports/pastimes watch on TV, 2005-09
Figure 24: Trends in sports bet on, 2005-09
Figure 25: Consumer expenditure on selected leisure activities, 2003-08
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE MARKET
Strengths
Weaknesses
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Key points
Racing as team sport
Sovereigns or Champions?
Free admission = freer spending
Widening betting pools off-course
A concerted effort
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Key points
Pace of spending growth starts to slow
Figure 26: Consumer expenditure on dog and horse racing, on-course only, 2004-14
Attendances still on the slide
Horse racing: Evening fixtures cast long shadow
Figure 27: Horse racing attendance, by type of fixture, 2004-08
Greyhound racing: Optimists get ready for the upturn
Figure 28: Licensed greyhound racing meeting attendances, 2004-08
SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Key points
Horse racing tucks in to secondary expenditure
Figure 29: Horse racing spectators’ on-course raceday expenditure, by segment, 2004-08
Greyhound racing: Catering for a new crowd pays off
Figure 30: Greyhound racing spectators’ on-course raceday expenditure, by segment, 2004-08
BRAND COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
Key points
Marketing moves up the agenda
Lowering spectators’ starting price
An improving web presence
Man v horse
A schooling in racing
COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS
Key points
Company developments: Consolidation still the talking horse
 HORSE RACING
Governing body
British Horseracing Authority (BHA)
Horserace Betting Levy Board
Major racecourse operators
Jockey Club Racecourses
Figure 31: Jockey Club Racecourses, financial performance, 2004-08
Arena Leisure plc
Figure 32: Arena Leisure, financial performance, 2004-08
Northern Racing Ltd
Figure 33: Financial performance of Northern Racing Ltd subsidiary companies, 2008
 GREYHOUND RACING
Governing body
Greyhound Board of Great Britain
British Greyhound Racing Fund
Major greyhound stadia operators
GRA Ltd
Figure 34: GRA Ltd, financial performance, 2006-07
Other operators
WHO GOES RACING?
Key points
A potential audience of 20 million – but not for both sports
Figure 35: Watching horse and dog racing at a track, September 2009
‘Try it, like it’ message should focus on women
Retiring racegoers leave gaps in the crowds
ATTITUDES TOWARDS HORSE RACING
Key points
Women respond to more than glamour and a hat
Figure 36: Attitudes towards horse racing, September 2009
The cost of racing: It’s not the economy, stupid
Britons back away from betting – especially at the track...
... but the spectacle matters more when there’s money on it
Spectators fear cruelty, gamblers fear corruption
ATTITUDES TOWARDS GREYHOUND RACING
Key points
War on welfare still far from being won
Figure 37: Attitudes towards dog racing, September 2009
Dogs attracting social animals...
... whose interest now needs exercising regularly...
... but racing and betting fans tend not to linger
Downmarket becomes good value in recession
TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES
Key points
Figure 38: Dog and horse racing target groups, September 2009
Refusers
Horse prospects
Disinterested
Socialisers
Horsemen
APPENDIX – BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Figure 39: GDP quarterly percentage change, 2004-09
Figure 40: Employment and unemployment, by gender, 2004-14
Figure 41: Forecast adult population trends, by lifestage, 2004-14
APPENDIX – WHO GOES RACING?
Figure 42: Watching horse and dog racing at a track, by demographics, September 2009
Figure 43: Watching horse and dog racing at a track (groups), by demographics, September 2009
Figure 44: Watching horse and dog racing at a track, by watching horse and dog racing at a track, September 2009
Figure 45: Watching horse and dog racing at a track, by watching horse and dog racing at a track (groups), September 2009
APPENDIX – ATTITUDES TOWARDS HORSE RACING
Figure 46: Most popular attitudes towards horse racing, by demographics, September 2009
Figure 47: Next most popular attitudes towards horse racing, by demographics, September 2009
Figure 48: Attitudes towards horse racing, by watching horse and dog racing at a track, September 2009
Figure 49: Attitudes towards horse racing, by watching horse and dog racing at a track (groups), September 2009
Figure 50: Most popular attitudes towards horse racing, by attitudes towards horse racing, September 2009
Figure 51: Next most popular attitudes towards horse racing, by attitudes towards horse racing, September 2009
APPENDIX – ATTITUDES TOWARDS GREYHOUND RACING
Figure 52: Most popular attitudes towards dog racing, by demographics, September 2009
Figure 53: Next most popular attitudes towards dog racing, by demographics, September 2009
Figure 54: Attitudes towards dog racing, by watching horse and dog racing at a track, September 2009
Figure 55: Attitudes towards dog racing, by watching horse and dog racing at a track (groups), September 2009
Figure 56: Most popular attitudes towards dog racing, by attitudes towards dog racing, September 2009
Figure 57: Next most popular attitudes towards dog racing, by attitudes towards dog racing, September 2009
Figure 58: Most popular attitudes towards dog racing, by attitudes towards horse racing, September 2009
Figure 59: Next most popular attitudes towards dog racing, by attitudes towards horse racing, September 2009
APPENDIX –TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES
Figure 60: Target groups, by demographics, September 2009
Figure 61: Target groups, by watching horse and dog racing at a track, September 2009
Figure 62: Target groups, by watching horse and dog racing at a track (groups), September 2009
Figure 63: Attitudes towards horse racing, by target groups, September 2009
Figure 64: Attitudes towards dog racing, by target groups, September 2009

This report is supplied in accordance with Mintel's terms and conditions.  
© Mintel Group Ltd.