ARE.L Regulatory News (ARE)

7 Dec 2006 07:01

Arena Leisure PLC07 December 2006 ARENA LEISURE PLC New Contractual Arrangements With UK Bookmakers Arena Leisure Plc, the UK's largest operator of horseracing fixtures, announcesthat it has simultaneously entered into a new five year agreement withBookmakers' Afternoon Greyhound Service ("BAGS") for the supply of its livehorseracing pictures to Britain's licensed betting shops and into newsponsorship arrangements with various individual bookmakers. These new contracts all commence on 1 January 2007. The new BAGS contractterminates and replaces the existing five year contract with BAGS that commencedin 2004. The combined value of these contracts over the five year period is estimated ataround £55 million. For comparison purposes, Arena received £7.6 million fromthe same sources in 2005 and expects to receive around £9.0 million in 2006,based on a considerable increase in the number of fixtures staged. There are noadditional costs to Arena associated with the operation of these new contracts. Mark Elliott, Chief Executive of Arena Leisure Plc, said; "The UK bookmaking industry is an extremely important customer for our racingproduct. We are therefore delighted that we have been able to able to enter intothese new long term agreements, which we believe reflect the strategic value ofthe racing product that Arena delivers. "These contracts will have a significant positive impact on Arena's earnings." For further information please contact: Mark Elliott, Chief ExecutiveArena Leisure Plc Tel: 020-7495-2277 e-mail: contact@arenaleisureplc.com David Rydell/Geoff CallowBell Pottinger Corporate & Financial Tel: 020-7861-3232 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange