
ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AND CHURCHILL DOWNS
JOIN FORCES TO CREATE WORLD’S FIRST
KENTUCKY DERBY THEMED SLOT MACHINE
New RFX™ Stepper Slot Machine Will Premiere at Global Gaming Expo in November
LOUISVILLE (November 12, 2009) – And they’re off! Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. and Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) have entered into a licensing agreement to create the world’s first Kentucky Derby
themed slot machine. The pairing brings together two of the strongest
brands in entertainment to create a product that will have slot players
racing toward casinos to try their luck at a “Run for the Roses.”
The Kentucky Derby, annually staged on the first Saturday in May at legendary Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., is the world’s premier horse race and America’s
original, extravagant and glamorous springtime sports party. Now, the
excitement and tradition of “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” will be
captured in Aristocrat’s new Kentucky Derby™ RFX™ stepper slot game.
Aristocrat
President Nick Khin said, “We are thrilled to be the first company in
the gaming industry to license the iconic Kentucky Derby brand. This
has been a collaborative development effort with both our US and Australian R&D teams working on creating an exciting game and product concept around this worldwide recognized brand.”
“The
Kentucky Derby is one of the few sporting events in the world that
appeals to millions of people from every walk of life,” said Casey Cook,
Churchill Downs Incorporated Vice President, Brand Development &
Marketing. “While the ‘Run for the Roses’ remains rich in tradition, the
Derby brand continues to
evolve. This thrilling new partnership with Aristocrat Technologies,
Inc. is a unique and exciting platform to extend the Derby
brand and communicate our modern-day relevance to a broader,
entertainment-seeking audience with similar interests to those of our
sport’s core and casual customers.”
The new game will make its world premiere at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), which takes place November 17-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The game will be launched just prior to the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 1, 2010.
The 5-reel RFX stepper product will deliver 135 years of brand recognition to the game and bring the heart of Louisville to the heart of casinos. The new game will premiere with a choice of two unique, themed launch base games: Oaks Day™ and Run for the Roses™. Players will race for a four-level interactive jackpot with a Hyperlink™ trigger.
Jackpot Partners represented Churchill Downs in the deal, leveraging the Kentucky Derby brand into a new compelling entertainment product.
About Aristocrat Technologies
Aristocrat Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Aristocrat Leisure
Limited (ASX: ALL), a leading global provider of gaming solutions that
consistently outperform the competition. The Company is licensed by over
two hundred regulators and its products and services are available in
over ninety countries around the world. Aristocrat offers a diverse
range of products and services including electronic gaming machines,
interactive video terminal systems, electronic tables, and casino
management systems. For further information visit the company’s website
at www.aristocratgaming.com.
About Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”), headquartered in Louisville, Ky., owns and operates world-renowned horse racing venues throughout the United States. CDI’s four racetracks in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana host many of North America’s most prestigious races, including the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, Arlington Million, Princess Rooney Handicap and Louisiana Derby. CDI’s racetracks have hosted seven Breeders’ Cup
World Championships. CDI also owns off-track betting facilities and has
interests in various advance-deposit wagering, television production,
telecommunications and racing services companies including a 50-percent
interest in the national cable and satellite network HorseRacing TV,
that support the Company’s network of simulcasting and racing
operations. CDI trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the
symbol CHDN and can be found on the Internet: www.ChurchillDownsIncorporated.com
New York Post HBO CANT WHACK THE SOPRANOS By BRIAN GARRITY
November 4, 2007 -- HBO has a message for Sopranos fans: This thing of ours ain't over 'til we say it's over.
The
wildly popular series may have aired its final episode 147 days ago,
but the network is acting like Tony and the gang are in full swing. The
Midtown HBO store window is all Sopranos all the time, a DVD collection
coming next year and a book just hitting store shelves.
Yes, it's hard to say goodbye to the most-profitable and popular series in your company's history.
The network is still reaping big bucks from subscriber-luring reruns on its
own channels; sales of DVDs, which have reportedly grossed over $300
million in sales to date; and syndication rights, which it sold to
A&E for $195 million.
HBO Video just released the final nine episodes - "The Sopranos: Season 6, Part II" - on DVD Oct. 23, and a complete DVD box set of the entire series is set for release next year.
Meanwhile A&E is scheduled to begin airing edited reruns of Season 3 in January as part of its multi-year syndication deal with HBO.
In
connection with those efforts, HBO and its partners are introducing a
slew of new Sopranos-branded products. "The Sopranos: The Complete Book," a tell-all guide from Time Inc. Home Entertainment, hit store shelves Oct. 30.
A new line of Sopranos wine, from a white-label producer of Italian vintages, is expected to hit major distributors and select restaurants and bars by March.
Next month, HBO is expected to unveil an alliance with Aristocrat Technologies on a line of Sopranos-branded slot machines, which it hopes to have in Las Vegas casinos by early 2008.
"We are in a unique position: our shows have a lot of life to them," said James Costos, VP Licensing and Retail for HBO, who notes that the company has had similar success keeping the "Sex and the City" franchise alive and profitable.
"Through our product extension we are satisfying both those consumers who are already fans of the show, and those who are seeing it for the very first time."
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