How Racing.com is leading the way with personalized experiences

Racing Victoria’s impact is significant, contributing $3.4 billion to the Victorian economy annually. Racing Victoria’s media business, Racing.com produces content from racetracks to digital platforms and distributes it through partnerships with free-to-air TV, cable networks, and digital channels. Additionally, Racing.com oversees over 65 websites dedicated to racing clubs, ticketing, memberships, and more. These sites serve a diverse audience, from racing fans who visit regularly to casual spectators engaging only during specific events. However, the organization faced critical challenges. Its aging Sitecore 8.2 platform was no longer supported, limiting the ability to innovate, personalize content, or scale efficiently. Racing Victoria’s technology ecosystem was complex, with over 500 templates spread across its websites, and the customer experience remained one-size-fits-all despite varying audience needs. The average user was over 50 years old and predominantly male, highlighting a need to attract younger and more diverse demographics.

Recognizing these limitations, Racing Victoria partnered with Deloitte Digital to unlock personalized digital experiences for a range of customer segments, empowering marketing teams and content creators to build these experiences with ease. Central to this goal was the adoption of Sitecore’s SaaS suite of advanced tools, including Content Hub, OrderCloud, CDP, and DAM.

The project’s goals extended beyond merely replacing outdated technology. Racing Victoria aimed to:

• Simplify its tech ecosystem to enhance maintainability and scalability.
• Personalize experiences for both core and emerging audience segments.
• Reduce time-to-market for digital content and campaigns.

To achieve these goals, Deloitte and Racing Victoria conducted an analysis of current capabilities and future needs, considering composable approaches and vendor solutions. The decision to implement the Sitecore SaaS DXP was driven by its scalability, flexibility, and alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives.

The migration process was a monumental effort, involving consolidation from 500 templates to 50 reusable components across more than 65 websites. This simplification allowed Racing Victoria’s marketing teams to create custom pages efficiently, reducing content authoring time by 30%. Other key achievements included:

• Launching 65+ websites, including 60 in a single day.
• Automating the creation of over 500 race-day and non-race events via third-party integrations.
• Improving time-to-market for digital experiences, fostering year-on-year sales growth in general admission and hospitality packages.
• Achieving significant uplift across key technology metrics.

A rich theming system was implemented to ensure each club site retained its unique branding while leveraging shared components. The transition also fostered operational efficiency, with marketers empowered to create personalized pages without relying on developers.

The project’s success was underpinned by a clear strategy, strong stakeholder alignment, and close collaboration with Sitecore and Deloitte. Lessons learned during the process included:

• Engaging all stakeholders early to ensure alignment and buy-in.
• Leveraging new tools and technologies effectively while understanding their nuances, such as pricing structures and hosting implications.
• Building internal knowledge and ownership of the platform during the implementation phase to reduce reliance on external partners.

Thanks to Sitecore’s flexible, agile solutions, Racing Victoria has positioned itself for long-term growth, delivering personalized experiences that engage core fans while attracting new audiences to the sport. Their journey highlights the potential of digital innovation to modernize even the most traditional industries, ensuring their relevance and sustainability in an ever-evolving world.

Discover more about the benefits of SaaS solutions for your organization.