'We can do more' - Rewards4Racing looks to save racegoers money as cost of living rises

Members of Rewards4Racing (R4R) were responsible for purchasing 780,000 raceday tickets in 2022, British racing's loyalty programme has revealed. And as attention has focused again on falling attendance figures in British racing, R4R co-founder and director Josh Apiafi said the programme could help save racegoers' money as the cost of living continues to rise.

In his introduction to R4R's annual report, Apiafi said that attendance figures and feedback from members "clearly demonstrates that the cost of living crisis is starting to bite".

He added that research from R4R's membership, which numbered 328,000 active members in 2022, had "shown that enabling racing fans to save money is the most important aspect of the programme and is also a key factor in incentivising them to spend their hard-earned disposable income in racing as opposed to other leisure activities".

Apiafi told the Racing Post that premium products had continued to do well across the leisure and travel sectors against the current economic backdrop and that racing was no exception, but he added the sport needed to make more of its day-to-day "value" events.

"It's a fantastic day out," he added. "As much as a lot of people criticise how much it costs to go horseracing, there are things like Rewards4Racing that assist you with affording to keep up your passion for the sport. That's where we think we can do more and we will continue to do more with our partners."

Following the return of crowds after Covid-19, R4R members were responsible for purchasing more than 1.6 million tickets to the races between mid-2021 and the end of 2022.

Last year was a record one for R4R in terms of points collection by members with their network of betting, retail, and racing-specific partners reaching a total of 867 million points.

Combined betting turnover with R4R's exclusive bookmaker partners bet365, Betfair, Betfred and Paddy Power reached £949m.

Apiafi said R4R had been surveying its membership to find out what they wanted from the programme.

He added: "They are very good at telling us what they could possibly need or want to gain more points or even to spend those points. Do they want to spend them on a ticket, on an upgrade, on the added extras you can have on a raceday?

"Those are the type of things that we as a sport need to do more to understand what the customers' wants and needs are, which have changed no end, especially through the cost of living crisis which we find ourselves in.

"You see now other industries – especially supermarkets and travel industries – are all turning to their rewards and loyalty programmes to give more back to the customer for their loyalty to the brand, product or sport."

Racecourses under the Jockey Club and Arena Racing Company banners, along with York and Plumpton, are part of R4R, while the scheme launched in Ireland in December 2021 and now numbers eight courses there.

R4R's first year in Ireland has been a successCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Apiafi described the first year operating in Ireland had been "decent" and that more courses would launch imminently.

R4R has also been involved in the opening stages of British racing's industry strategy work, and Apiafi said one of his aims was to see what insight it could give to assist that work.

He added: "What do they know about the voice of the customer? I think that's what we will be doing more of.

"We'll be asking our membership a lot more about their opinion so it can drive the sport in a certain way and design the sport for the customer. To become the voice of the customer would be an aim."

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