New Alliance of Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, New York Racing Association And ABC Regional Sports Sales Raises Advertising/Marketing Stakes At Belmont Park, Aqueduct, and Saratoga Race Course.

Opening Day at Belmont Park this Wednesday (April 30) marks the launch of a multifaceted advertising and marketing partnership as Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh -- a leading financial institution highly regarded for its community service in the greater New York area – becomes the “Official Bank” at all three New York Racing Association (NYRA) tracks.

Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh’s promotional prominence at Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratoga Race Course now includes state-of-the-art branded ATM machines; TV advertising spots during NYRA simulcasts reaching millions of viewers; infield, grandstand, clubhouse and other signage; print advertising; and a range of other sponsorship elements. ABC Regional Sports Sales is the exclusive advertising sales agent for the New York Racing Association, which recently renewed its contract with the ABC sales representation firm for an additional five years.

To celebrate their new advertising and marketing partnership, NYRA and Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh also announced their charitable support for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and for the Disabled Jockeys Fund. NYRA and Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh together will donate 10-cents per ATM transaction at Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga for about 12 months.

At an Opening Day news conference held at Belmont Park, Christopher Maher, Executive Vice President, Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, commented: “Our multi-year sponsorship commitment to the New York Racing Association offers Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh a valuable opportunity to provide and promote our banking services at Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga, and, at the same time, to support three of New York State’s most important venues.”

Gavin Landry, NYRA Senior Vice President, Sales and Market Development, commented: “It’s especially appropriate that Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, with its long tradition of active involvement in the communities it serves, should be the New York Racing Association’s ‘official bank.’ We’re proud that Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga have been selected as high-profile focal points for Dime.”

John Watkins, President of ABC National Television Sales, which includes the ABC Regional Sports Sales unit, added: “This trifecta alliance among Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, the New York Racing Association and ABC Regional Sports Sales offers Dime an extensive package of highly attractive sponsorship opportunities as it extends its reach to a large base of racing fans.”

Other scheduled speakers at Belmont Park’s Opening Day news conference include Bishop Joseph Sullivan, President of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens; Jockeys Channing Hill and Alan Garcia, representing the Disabled Jockeys Fund; and sports broadcaster Jody McDonald, along with Max Kellerman and Brian Kenny whose ESPN Radio show is being broadcast live today (Wednesday, April 30) from Belmont.

The Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, founded in 1864 is a community-oriented financial institution providing financial services and loans for housing within its market areas. The Bank maintains its headquarters in the Williamsburgh section of the borough of Brooklyn, and twenty-two additional offices in the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and in Nassau County.

Founded in 1955, and franchised to run Thoroughbred racing at New York’s three major tracks though 2033, the New York Racing Association boasts a lineage that actually stretches back almost 150 years. The NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of the state’s Thoroughbred businesses which contributes more than $2 billion annually to New York State’s urban, suburban and rural economy. In 2007, 1,826,228 people attended the live races at NYRA tracks. Factoring nationwide off track wagering, the average daily betting handle on NYRA races alone totals more than $10.9 million every race day.

ABC Regional Sports Sales rapidly is making its mark as a leading sales representative in the regional sports marketplace. It currently represents numerous regional sports and entertainment properties including Altitude Sports Network, MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network), The Tampa Bay Rays, the Houston Texans, and The ABC SuperSign, among others. ABC Regional Sports Sales is a unit of ABC National Television Sales (NTVS).

A check was presented to The Disabled Jockey Fund and Catholic Charities of Brooklyn Queens and Albany.  The check represents ten cents of every transaction over the next year on the new Dime ATM machines at the NYRA tracks that Dime and NYRA have pledged to give to these charities.   

Left to right:

Larry Kinitsky, Dime Savings Bank, Managing Director

Bishop Joseph Sullivan, Catholic Charities Brooklyn Queens

Betsy O’Haire, Catholic Charities Albany

Channing Hill, NYRA Jockey

John Watkins, President of ABC National Television Sales

Alan Garcia, NYRA jockey

Gavin Landry, NYRA Senior Vice President, Sales and Market Development