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Aintree Racecourse is in
the process of seeking a new title sponsor for the Grand National from 2014
after ale brand John Smith's confirmed that they will not be renewing the
sponsorship beyond next year.
The 2013 meeting will
see the HEINEKEN-owned John Smith's brand backing the Grand National for the
ninth consecutive year, after announcing a three-year sponsorship deal in
2004 and three-year extensions to the agreement in both 2006 and 2009.
During the term of the
sponsorship, John Smith's developed a close working partnership with the
Aintree management team which saw the brand leverage the sponsorship to
deliver a number of ground-breaking initiatives, which included the
innovative John Smith's People's Race, a charity race for members of the
public on Grand National day, Grand National legends, Smithy the People's
Racehorse and, more recently, the brand has worked closely with the Bob
Champion Cancer Trust to stage a successful charity race on Grand National
day featuring former Grand National jockeys.
HEINEKEN have already
expressed a wish to explore other ways in which they can continue to be
involved in the race weekend, outside headline sponsorship and talks between
the two parties will continue over the coming months.
Speaking on behalf of
John Smith's, brand manager Karen Crowley said: "The Grand National has
been one of the jewels in our UK sponsorship crown and the decision to end
the title sponsorship was difficult to make.
"Working closely
with the Aintree team, we've developed a number of innovative concepts which
have helped return the race to the hearts and minds of the British public. We
end our long association in the knowledge we have created a successful and
significant sponsorship model that will serve Aintree and its new sponsors
well in the future.
"We've enjoyed nine
exciting years as the title sponsor of jump racing's flagship event, during
which time we have seen the John Smith's Grand National achieve record TV
viewing figures and attendances.
"We've also enjoyed
fantastic opportunities to deliver our 'No Nonsense' brand experience to
Aintree racegoers and John Smith's drinkers across the UK. However, we felt
that now was the right time to move on, reflecting changes in the ale market
and the development of the John Smith's brand.
"We will continue
to be involved in racing through events such as the John Smith's Cup at York
and the Northumberland Plate, both televised on Channel 4, and hope that we
can find ways to continue being involved in the Grand National meeting in
some capacity after 2013."
John Baker, Regional
Director for Jockey Club Racecourses North responsible for running Aintree,
paid tribute to John Smith's for their part in the event's current
popularity: "The team at Aintree and indeed the whole of racing are
indebted for the fantastic support we've received from HEINEKEN and the John
Smith's team.
"They have been
instrumental in delivering exciting marketing initiatives and bringing the
narrative of the Grand National to life. Throughout their time, through their
invaluable contributions to the race meeting, we've seen prize money,
attendances and viewing figures grow.
"We are in the
process of finalising our sponsorship strategy to ensure the event remains
one of the 'Crown Jewels' in the worldwide sporting calendar but our focus
now is to ensure that in 2013 John Smith's are given a fitting farewell to
the sponsorship of the Grand National."
The 2013 John Smith's
Grand National meeting takes place at Aintree Racecourse on Thursday, Friday
and Saturday, April 4, 5 & 6.
For further information,
please contact:
Aintree:
Emma Owen, Marketing
& PR Manager Tel: 07917 266511 or email: emma.owen@thejockeyclub.co.uk
Heineken:
David Jones, UK Press
& PR Manager, Heineken UK Limited Tel: 07831 141094 or email: david.jones@heineken.co.uk
Notes to editors
The first John Smith's
sponsored Grand National in 2005 was won by Hedgehunter, owned by Trevor
Hemmings, then the single biggest shareholder in Scottish & Newcastle
plc, which owned the brand John Smith's. Prior to John Smith's, the race
meeting was sponsored by Martell Cognac, who enjoyed a 13-year association with
one of racing's biggest events.
In November, 2006, the
sponsorship was extended by three years (2007-2010) and again in October,
2010 to encompass the years 2011-2013 inclusive.
John Smith's became
synonymous with racing through its continuing support for the John Smith's
Cup at York and still boasts the record for the country's longest-running
Flat race sponsorships.
154,242 attended the
three-day John Smith's Grand National meeting in 2012, which took place at
Aintree from Thursday to Saturday, April 12 to 14.
30,340 people attended
Liverpool Day, the opening day of the meeting, with 53,461 attending Ladies'
Day and 70,441 were present for the 165th running of the Grand National on
April 14. John Smith's Grand National day sold out six weeks prior to the
event, while Ladies' Day sold out 10 days beforehand.
This year's race saw the
closest-ever finish and a first Grand National win for champion trainer Paul
Nicholls. The nose success by Neptune Collonges over Sunnyhillboy was also
the first victory for a grey since Nicolaus Silver's win in the 1961 race,
just over 50 years previously.
The Grand National
itself achieved a peak audience of 11.1 million on the BBC, which was the
final year the event was shown on the BBC. In March 2012, Channel 4 Racing
signed a five-year deal to broadcast racing, including the three days of the
Grand National on Channel 4.
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