CBE from HRM Betting
Corbett Sports’ new front man Ronnie Corbett has been awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours. The 81- year-old comedian, who already has an OBE, has only recently signed up to promote the independent bookmak- ers which shares his name. The comedian said at the time: “The opportunity to partner with an independent family owned sports betting company like Corbett Sports in a dynamic fast growing industry is of great appeal.”
A CORBETT SPORTS
BETTING SHOP FEATURING RONNIE CORBETT
Big plans in 2012 as Corbett Sports hits 65
Michael Corbett is the managing director of independent bookmaker Corbett Sports, which is celebrating its 65th year in business in 2012 with some big plans, both in retail and remote.
INTERVIEW H
ow are things faring for the independent book- maker at the moment? Has there been any improvement?
It would be easy to say that things are wonderful at the moment. We have had to keep a very careful eye on the numbers, but we run a tight ship so we can ride through leaner periods with costs always kept to a minimum. We have been steadily opening new shops with top quality shop fittings which have helped us gen- erate new business in areas that we have not previously had a pres- ence with more attractive units becoming available. We are not looking at consolida- tion on the high street or online. We know that customers want provenance and a backstory from the punter-bookie relationship and we have that in spades. Her- itage is something that money can’t buy no matter how big the budget; and we aim to take full advantage.
You’ve recently signed up Ronnie Corbett to front the brand - how did that come about?
It was not an overnight exercise that’s for sure. Geraint Evans of G2 Sports Management and I had spoken at length about how we can give our marketing in shops and online some real traction without blowing the budget. We thought about the values of the company, the important birthday this year, and obviously making
20 BettingBusinessInteractive • JANUARY 2012
strangers who take a share in the pride of a company that is still operating from the very same office that we started in 1947. We are going to be opening more new shops in 2012 as awareness grows of the brand, we have just launched a new online casino, and Ronnie Corbett will play a big part in our celebrations and he will be visiting many of our shops to meet customers.
2012 will be a year like no other for us.
MICHAEL CORBETT: ‘CUSTOMERS WANT PROVENANCE AND A BACKSTORY FROM THE PUNTER-BOOKIE RELATIONSHIP’
the name stick. Ronnie’s name was mentioned amongst others, and we don’t believe we could ask for a more perfect ambassador for the company over the next few years. He’s very well known, hugely liked and is really a national treasure in the eyes of the British public. Ronnie’s agent was open to the idea, and we agreed the partner- ship to go ahead in 2012 to coin- cide with the new products, new shops and the companies’ birth- day and we are naturally delighted to be working with Ronnie.
It’s Corbett’s 65th year - what are you doing to celebrate?
2012 is a going to be a big year for the firm, and we are obviously very proud to have 65 years of history behind us. I can’t tell you how often I am stopped by customers and
Is there demand for in-running betting in shop? We have some customers who seem very keen, but on the whole we have yet to see huge demand for in-running in the shops. In- running is dependent on pictures, and we don’t have Sky Sports in the shops but that may change in the future should customers demand so. We have seen steady growth on live betting for the online sportsbook, and we have high hopes for the mobile product in the first quarter of this year.
Could a betting shop survive without gaming machines? What about horseracing?
Gaming machines have provided a very useful source of revenue but I tend to look at it on a shop by shop basis. Stronger performing shops are not as reliant as a percentage, but the key point is that the next generation of LBO customer now expect them in their betting shop. Whereas the previous genera-
tions still tend to see them as a new product, it would raise a few eyebrows for many punters in walking into a LBO tomorrow with no machines - it will be interesting to see how the Coral and Lad- brokes new mini-shops trade in London.
As for racing, the simple fact is that many of our younger punters have not taken too much interest in the sport. For many it can be a daunting prospect to place an informed bet, and I do believe there is room for more creativity in allowing the new punters to enter the sport but that could fill every page of this issue of the magazine.
Perhaps, we as betting firms could offer more direction as to what we need from racing.
Is there any point in small book- makers getting internet and mobile sites given the competition already out there? Yes, absolutely. We are arriving fashionably late but we really believe that with a strong message and a decent product we can reach new customers who are not based near our shops. There is no ques- tion that we are limited by budgets to become a national brand overnight, but with Ronnie Corbett our message will go further than ever before.
How easy is it for small brands to market themselves online? Very easy if you are prepared to offer huge free bet offers, but
more difficult if you want cus- tomers to game with you over an extended period.
As far as the betting customer is concerned provided they can get a decent bet at a fair price, and are paid out they are in the most part completely happy with that rela- tionship. Therefore it is much more difficult for firms to differ- entiate themselves because the product is considered the same by most punters, so you end up in a price war but that is not a route we are prepared to go down. We want customers to see a good fair market and make a conscious deci- sion to have a relationship with Corbett Sports. It is easy to get custom at any price, but much more difficult to keep them. I must admit that I do wonder how many offers are dreamt up by firms with only the next corporate quarterly customer acquisition report in mind, and not the long term prospects of keeping those cus- tomers.
What aspect of the gambling laws would you like to see changed most?
The biggest issue for us is trying to ensure a level playing field online. As a GB-based operator with British customers we have to compete with other firms who are not contributing to the levy. We take the same racing bet from the same customer, and the operators should have the same responsibil- ities no matter where they happen or choose to be based.
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