Horse racing has always been steeped in history and tradition. However, for the sport to grow, its stakeholders acknowledge that it must connect with younger, digital-first audiences who increasingly expect interactive experiences.

Of course, the quality of the product is a crucial starting point in the battle to win and retain attention.

Through its Crown Jewels Racing (CJR) series, HBA Media, the horse racing media agency, has created a premium international broadcast product that packages the world’s most prestigious races – from the Pegasus World Cup to the Saudi Cup, Royal Ascot, Melbourne Cup and beyond – into a single premium calendar. Its 90-minute broadcast format, CJR90, offers broadcasters consistent branding, graphics and storytelling.

In 2025, CJR90 has reached more than 180 territories through 30 broadcasters, highlighting the appetite for a consistent premium racing product.

“Ten years ago we created a premium ‘Golden Hour’ format around the iconic race meetings that we represented the rights to, so the one-hour show would be around the Breeders’ Cup Classic for example rather than the full card,” HBA Media chief executive Frank Sale says.

“Through CJR, that evolved into CJR90, an international show, that is still focused around the headline race but is presented in a more relaxed style for the casual fan. The CJR90 shows run through the year around our premium rights package of 20 race festivals, offering broadcasters a clear narrative and consistency of programming.  For the first time, a sport that was quite fractured from an international side of things has been aggregated into a one-stop shop.”

Engaging new fans through fantasy

HBA Media’s strategy extends beyond the traditional link between racing and betting though. The focus is on reaching casual sports fans who may only tune in for the Grand National or the Breeders’ Cup, but do not follow racing consistently.

To achieve this, HBA Media brought in sports technology and data provider Genius Sports to develop Crown Jewels Racing Fantasy (CJRFantasy) – the sport’s first non-betting, free-to-play game. The concept is deliberately simple: pick three horses and win aspirational and racing-related prizes such as luxury experiences or trips. The game is mobile-first, quick to understand, and designed so anyone can take part without the complexity of betting terminology.

The game’s development was simplified by HBA Media’s clear vision of what it wanted to achieve, according to Ed Versen, director of client strategy at Genius Sports.

“Each sport poses different engagement challenges,” Versen says. “With HBA the goal was clear: reach younger, digitally native audiences with something interactive, easy to understand and fun.”

Promotion is built into the broadcast itself, with presenters such as Nick Luck and influencer Frankie Foster – who have over 515,000 digital followers – sharing their selections on air and through social media. Live broadcasts remain the strongest driver of sign-ups, supported by influencer content, digital campaigns and federation partners.

“We operate outside the wagering space,” adds Sale. “Our aim is to grow among casual and general sports fans. Any initiative that lowers barriers to entry and opens up racing to new audiences is key to our strategy.”

Data that matters

Early results show that the strategy is working. Players have joined from more than 50 territories around the world, while 89 per cent of users would recommend CJRFantasy to others. Importantly, the game is attracting an almost equal gender split – 51.31 per cent male and 48.69 per cent female.

During Royal Ascot, 57 per cent of sign-ups came from the US, where two paid digital campaigns delivered 86 per cent of all leads at the most efficient cost per lead.

“Two things have surprised us,” Sale says. “First, reach – we have hit more than 50 territories on what is essentially a niche sport to globalise. Second, sentiment – we undertook an extensive survey and almost 90% of players would recommend the game. That told us we were getting beyond the core racing fan.”

Why rights-holders benefit

For racing’s federations, the game offers more than just fan entertainment. It provides actionable first-party data and a platform to build stronger fan relationships. An ever-growing international database is being shared with CJR partners, which currently exceeds 12,000.

Digital experiences like CJRFantasy naturally collect analytics on onboarding funnels, session behaviour, player picks and social sharing. This data allows partners to tailor communications, refine products and deliver higher-quality audiences.

The benefits are clear: rights-holders gain first-party data, media partners attract more engaged viewers, and fans enjoy a more personalised journey. In a crowded sports media market, such assets can be critical to driving rights fees and creating new commercial models beyond wagering.

“The strength of digital is the value exchange,” Versen says. “You play, register, and in return we can personalise experiences and deliver more value to partners.”

For Genius Sports, CJRFantasy is ultimately about scale. Versen explains: “We have streamlined sign-up to reduce friction, but the concept remains the same – focus on the 20 events and scale the user base. Commercialisation follows scale, and we are exploring non-betting brand partnerships.”

Photo : Florian Léger / Share & Dare

The bigger picture

The fantasy game is one part of HBA Media’s broader mission: to elevate racing as a global premium sports product.

Over the last decade, HBA Media has shifted racing’s broadcast footprint from niche racing channels to mainstream sports platforms. ESPN (Latin America and the Caribbean), Virgin Media (Ireland), FanCode (India), Sportsnet (Canada) and SuperSport (Africa) are among those now carrying racing alongside football, basketball and tennis.

That shift is paying off. HBA Media partners have seen average non-MENA rights fees double since 2019, while broadcasters report audience growth of 20 per cent across five years. By combining world-class live production, curated broadcast formats and now interactive fan products, HBA Media is positioning racing for continued growth.

Looking ahead

Momentum is building as every CJR broadcast brings greater visibility to the fantasy game and more data for federations. Influencers extend reach, and broadcasters benefit from higher engagement. For racing, the long-term prize is simple: relevance to a new generation of sports fans.

While HBA Media has welcomed the success of CJRFantasy, it is eagerly looking at other digital tools and interactive formats that could similarly deepen engagement and attract new audiences.

For rights-holders, Crown Jewels Racing Fantasy provides a clear example of how tradition-rich sports can use digital innovation to stay competitive – and win over the fans of the future.

To find out more information, head to the Crown Jewels Racing website.