Global InformationSports Information Services information
 | This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. (July 2007) |
| This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2023) |
 SIS logo as of 2019[update] | |
| Formerly | Satellite Information Services Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Broadcasting, Racing Services |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Milton Keynes , United Kingdom |
| Products | Picture, Data, Virtual Betting |
| Revenue | £202.5 million [1] |
Net income | £16.3 million (2017) [1] |
Number of employees | 392 (2017) [1] |
| Subsidiaries | SIS LIVE Limited (2015–2018) |
| Website | www.sis.tv |
Sports Information Services[2] (SIS) is a company which provides content and production services to the betting industry; such as horse racing and greyhound racing, to betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland and other worldwide destinations. Previously, they provided news gathering services and specialised broadcast solutions to clients beyond betting industry.
It was formed in 1986 as Satellite Information Service, when bookmakers took the opportunity to broadcast live racing in their shops for the first time – previously only live audio commentary was broadcast to licensed betting offices (LBOs) and a 'whiteboard' man transcribed the shows and results in the LBOs. The service was launched initially in Bristol on 5 May 1987 and subsequently rolled out to approximately 10,400 bookmakers in the UK and Ireland.
SIS is owned by Ladbrokes 23%, Caledonia Investments 22.5%, Alternateport Limited 20.5%, William Hill Organisation 19.5%, Fred Done (co-owner of Betfred bookmakers) 7.5% and The Tote 6%. Minor shareholdings are also held by Leicester Racecourse Holdings Limited, The Bibury Club Limited (Salisbury), Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse Co. Ltd., Thirsk Racecourse Ltd., Catterick Racecourse Company Ltd. and Frontrelay Ltd.
Shareholder bookmakers account for approximately 5,800 LBOs receiving the SIS service. Each of the bookmaker shareholders have board members representing them on the SIS (Holdings) board in the form of Nick Rust (Ladbrokes), Fred Done (Betfred), David Steele (William Hill) and Joe Scanlon (Tote).[3]
In 2008 Amalgamated Racing Limited (trading as TurfTV) entered the marketplace and was SIS's only competitor for the distribution of horse racing and virtual racing products to LBOs in the UK and Ireland. TurfTV does not distribute to any of the worldwide locations serviced by SIS.
On 1 September 2016, seven independent racecourses (Fakenham, Ffos Las, Hexham, Newton Abbot, Plumpton, Ripon and Towcester) led by ARC (Arena Racing Company) started an alternative service known as The Racing Partnership ("TRP"). Racing from the six Arena courses including Doncaster, Southwell, Lingfield Park and Wolverhampton became available on TRP from 1 January 2017 with all other ARC and independent racecourses being added to the schedule over the following year. TRP's media technology and production and head of production are both ex-SIS employees.
In 2015 the SNG and connectivity part of the business was spun off as SIS Live Limited. On 9 October 2018, it was announced that NEP Group was to take over SIS Live, rebranding the firm to NEP Connect after a transition period.[4]
- ^ a b c 31 March 2017 P&L account
- ^ "SIS rebrand goes live - SiS". SiS. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ^ Report and Financial statement to 31 March 2008
- ^ "NEP Group acquires SIS Live". Broadcast. Broadcast Now.