Britain’s jumps racecourses are set for a multimillion-pound "windfall" after permission was granted for LED advertising displays, similar to those used on the perimeters at football grounds, "to be situated at the back of fences," according to Mark Souster of the LONDON TIMES. The company behind the initiative said that a fence at the Grand National could be worth £5,000-£10,000 ($6,350-$12,700) for a 10-second advertising slot. The four-day Cheltenham Festival "would be even more lucrative." Priority Sports Marketing Managing Dir Jamie Mitchell said, "This brings British racing into the 21st century and will be worth millions over time." Priority Sports Marketing has been developing the project for the past eight months. The display units "will be secured to the fence." They are powered by a 12-volt internal battery to ensure there is "no possibility of electric shocks and can be moved from course to course." Mitchell: "It opens up huge possibilities. Football advertising revenue went up 300 times when they were introduced at grounds" (LONDON TIMES, 8/16).
