Arena Racing Company (“ARC”) and leading promotional and experience company INVADES are delighted to confirm a deal that will see ARC take a 50% equity share of the business.
ARC and INVADES have worked together since 2019, developing the increasingly popular raceday events promoted to students and young people at racecourses around the country.
INVADES is a sports media and events company whose aim is to reduce unsold ticket capacity and bring a new energy and audience into horse and greyhound racing as well as darts, cricket, rugby, polo, women’s football and rowing.
Started in 2019, INVADES has sold over 450,000 tickets for fixtures and matches across the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. In 2024, INVADES hosted a total of 45 events, including 33 racedays which brought over 126,000 people to racecourses around Britain.
In 2021, INVADES launched GIVE ME DOUGH PLEASE, a platform designed to give young people flexible income and temporary employment opportunities. DOUGH has 6,500 staff on its payroll and works with Stadiums, Racecourses, Festivals, Bars and Hotels across the UK.
INVADES & DOUGH Founder and Director, Dominic Matcham said, “We firmly believe that the best way to experience horseracing is to be there, on the racecourse. Our partnership with ARC, one of the world's leading racecourse owners and operators, gives us the opportunity to bring more young people into the sport than ever before, with the long-term goal of creating lifelong fans.
“The entrepreneurial DNA of ARC, and their shareholders, was a huge attraction to us, and this new partnership provides us the best possible launch pad to take both brands to a larger global audience.”
ARC Chief Executive Martin Cruddace said, “Dom and his team have done an excellent job over the last six years in building a thriving business and brand that has become well known throughout British horseracing. It is incredibly important for the sport to engage with the next generation, and our aim is to continue to do that both in the UK and using our relationships internationally.
“Dom is an incredibly talented entrepreneur and has shown the way in how to market the sport to a different generation. We are very excited to work with him and his team to continue this momentum. Equally, Dough has proven increasingly valuable in terms of staffing across our, and other, events.”
