Jockey Club Gains New Official Partner Thomson Sport

November 28, 2011

Leading travel provider Thompson Sport has stepped up its commercial activity with a sponsorship agreement with the Jockey Club the largest commercial group in British horseracing, in a three year deal.

The new partnership will see Thomson Sport develop travel packages for some of the most popular racing fixtures staged at The Jockey Club’s 14-strong portfolio of racecourses, including the John Smith’s Grand National Meeting at Aintree, the Cheltenham Festival, the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs, the William Hill Winter Festival at Kempton Park and the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket.

Packages will include race tickets and transport, as well as optional extras such as meals, hospitality, hotel accommodation and other bespoke elements. They will also be developed around The Jockey Club’s popular music nights, which welcomed more than 500,000 people to its venues in the last two years.

Simon Bazalgette, Group Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, said: “As a best-in-class travel brand with a strong track record in sport, we’re delighted to partner with Thomson Sport. Together we can offer fans of racing, sport and live events a host of special experiences to remember.

“This year, British racing has enjoyed increased attendances and TV audiences. We stage some of the best events in the world at our venues and working with the right partners can help us to broaden our sport’s appeal and keep growing.”

Tom Forshaw, Managing Director of Thomson Sport, added: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with The Jockey Club and for the opportunity to help racegoers see and live the full track experience. Fully inclusive packages will mean enjoying a day at the races couldn’t be easier. Our experience and knowledge across a wide range of sports, as well as travel logistics, allows us to offer exceptional service to racegoers, as well as The Jockey Club itself.”

The agreement also provides Thomson Sport with a package of other rights including the use of The Jockey Club brandmarks; the category designation ‘Official Travel Partner of The Jockey Club’; branding slots to promote Thomson Sport, online links via websites throughout The Jockey Club group, including the new website and promotion in The Jockey Club’s marketing and communications materials.

Thomson Sport was recently appointed Licensed Tour Operator for UEFA Euro 2012. The company is also Official Travel Partner of the NFL in the UK, Official European Fan Travel Partner of the NBA, Official Overseas Travel Provider for englandfans and Official Travel Partner of the Scottish Football Association and Scotland Supporters’ Club.

Thomson Sport joins Jaguar as an Official Partner of The Jockey Club.