CONCORD, N.C. — Is it time to bet on the World of Outlaws?
World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter says it is. Appearing during Wednesday’s Race Industry Week sessions, which aired Live on SPEED SPORT’s YouTube channel, World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter confirmed the World of Outlaws would launch a FAST channel and enter the world of sports betting during the coming season.
While he said official announcements would be forthcoming, Carter provided a general overview for the additions to the organization’s existing digital offerings.
“Our goal is to continue to move the needle in creating new revenue streams. We are rolling out FAST channel distribution for next year, we are doing digital wagering, both with fixed odds and parimutuel pieces,” Carter explained. “We have different partners coming on board for those pieces. From our engagement, it is how do you create revenue streams that will sustain the sport?
“Historically, we were solely relying on the fans and the sponsors and media was an upside-down model for us until we launched DIRTVision,” Carter explained referencing the company’s streaming video platform. “TV was always an expense, but now TV is a revenue source and we can control that through our own platform. Having our own TV network, now allows us to allocate those resources back into the sport where we think it is best served for long-term growth. Now, we can identify the outside revenue streams that we can create. Are those at the race track, or are they away from the race track?”
Carter said new revenue streams only sweetens the pot for all of the sport’s stakeholders.
“There are so many opportunities for us digitally through DIRTVision, our FAST channel, our partnership with CBS Sports in creating those revenue streams, so there is a piece of the pie for us all to share in,” Carter continued. “That is a difficult balance and it gets tighter. As everything gets bigger, it gets more complicated.
“The pace at which things are changing is remarkably fast. COVID accelerated all those pieces and brought them to the forefront of what we needed to be to make sure we were bringing all the revenue streams that we can. And, it is not all going to be at the race track. The goal is to have the grandstands full, but revenue sources will come from other places as well.”
The NHRA and USAC are among racing organizations that entered the gambling arena in 2024. The World of Outlaws will follow in 2025, with the primary goal being fan engagement.
“Our goal is engagement. It is to figure out another way to involve the fan,” Carter said. “Our pit areas are open. You can come into the pit area and get really close to the race cars and get to know the guys. There are so many great people in our pit area, so many guys that work really hard to make the cars go really fast.
“That level of engagement at the track is remarkable, but what we want is to create the pipeline of people that you have to get them interested in order to get them to the track,” he continued. “You are not going to come to the dirt track without having any knowledge whatsoever in advance. Our goal with the gambling is to create another avenue with which to be engaged with our race fans.
“Our idea is if you are going to watch, you will be more engaged if you have $5 of fun on the side. But also, if you are going to gamble, you are going to watch.
“Hopefully, if you are watching we have you at the race track, and now if you are at the race track enjoying a night of races at the track and you are all playing $5 and you have a good time,” Carter noted. “It is about expanding the engagement with the race fan and at the same time generating some revenue.”
