RMG appoints first Chief Content Officer to boost horse racing’s visibility

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has appointed its first-ever Chief Content Officer amid concerns around the future of horse racing. Andrew Demaria will join the global media rights management organisation tomorrow, overseeing content strategy, audience development, digital growth, data and insights, marketing integration and content partnerships. Based in London, he will be looking to drive subscriber growth, audience engagement and commercial performance as horse racing looks to mirror the recent growth of sports including Formula One, golf and darts. Demaria brings over 16 years of experience, including in leadership positions, at media conglomerate CNN. In his most recent role, he led NBCUniversal’s in-house creative and content studio. “Racing possesses all the ingredients of a great media property: elite sporting competition, compelling personalities, passionate fans and a year-round calendar of major events,” he said. “The opportunity is to tell those stories in more ways, across more platforms and to more audiences than ever before. “Racing TV and RMG already occupy a key position at the heart of the sport, and I look forward to working with racecourses, broadcasters, partners and colleagues to build a truly integrated content operation that drives audience growth, subscriber engagement and long-term value for racing.” Andrew Demaria. Credit: Racecourse Media Group Demaria’s appointment may be a turning point for horse racing The appointment follows concentrated efforts from horse racing to make the sport more digitalised and appealing for a younger audience. With much doom and gloom in the horse racing industry due to regulations and burdens, particularly in RMG’s home of the UK, many are now seeking ways to improve visibility of what is still a vital part of the sporting ecosystem – particularly on these shores. Appointing a designated CCO with experience at some of the biggest media organisations on the planet seems a surefire way for RMG, and in turn horse racing, to boost its chances of further expanding its reach. Russell Ferris, Managing Director of RMG, added: “”his appointment reflects our ambition to further strengthen our wider content offering. Andrew combines world-class editorial expertise with an exceptional track record in audience growth, digital innovation and commercial content. Throughout his career he has built and transformed media brands that engage audiences at scale while delivering measurable commercial success. “Andrew will play a pivotal role in bringing together our broadcast, digital, marketing and data capabilities to help us reach new audiences, deepen engagement with existing fans and create even greater value for our racecourse shareholders.”