Victorian racing’s metropolitan meeting at Moonee Valley tomorrow won’t be shown on free-to-air nor Sky Racing, with Racing Victoria unable to bridge the gap with the VRC.
The Roar understands Racing Victoria (RV) presented a revised proposal to the VRC, with the board meeting well into Friday evening to consider the fresh offer.
The VRC remain the last Victorian club to sign over their media rights to RV’s proposed five-year deal with Seven West Media (SWM).
The Melbourne Racing Club signed over their rights for five years earlier in the week. The Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) signed over their media rights to Racing Victoria for 30 years, allowing Racing Victoria to negotiate on their behalf with SWM, while Country Racing Victoria already signed over rights.
“We’re more interested in a longer-term security arrangement in terms of club funding than perhaps the other two clubs and for that reason we’ve given them 30 years as opposed to five,” MVRC Chairman Bob Scarborough told RSN.
The Roar understands that for Moonee Valley’s Saturday meeting to be broadcast via an interim solution, the VRC would have needed to sign before midday to allow SWM to cobble together a showing on Channel 78, which would have been a simulcast of Racing Victoria’s broadcast.
Even if the VRC sign late on Friday night – which is increasingly unlikely – Moonee Valley won’t be seen.
The pressure on the VRC to sign hasn’t fazed one of Australia’s most powerful clubs, but it is certain to have placed the MVRC off-side, given the expected downturn in wagering and interest on the race meet.
It is Moonee Valley’s last Saturday race meet before the end of the season, and features a nine-race card with most races worth $80,000. The club has thrown open the door, with punters able to attend free of charge.
“The club appreciates the frustration that racing participants and fans are experiencing as a result of the black out of Victorian thoroughbred racing,” said MVRC CEO Mr Michael Browell.
Browell couldn’t hide his frustration at the lack of progress with the VRC.
“Whilst it’s disappointing that an agreement has not yet been reached between RV and the VRC, the MVRC wants to make sure that punters have an opportunity to attend the race meeting at The Valley on Saturday free of charge.”
It is likely the MVRC will be further chagrined should the VRC sign up after Saturday’s racing.
The next Saturday meeting, on June 27, is at Flemington. Will the VRC sign-up before this meeting? Most would consider it a given, and perhaps the VRC are looking to give Moonee Valley a black-eye on the way.
Of course, the entire industry loses out while this happens.
Tracking Tabcorp’s revenue in Victoria has been hard to follow, given the abandoned Seymour meeting on Wednesday, and the NSW Gosford meet was called off due to the state of the track, with punters short an outlet.
One beneficiary of Victoria’s problems and NSW weather was embattled Queensland racing, which happened to be bathed in Friday sun.
Race 6 at Ipswich saw a win pool in NSW of $52,246.20. The equivalent race in 2014 attracted a win pool of just $28,511. Race 7 saw a win pool of $60,102, compared to 2014’s win pool of just $43,105.
The quaddie pool in 2015 was $49,283.30; 2014 had little more than 20 per cent of that figure with $11,509 in the pool.
At least one state is making hay.
As has been the case since Monday, punters can only watch Victorian racing either though the digital stream on Racing.com, via online bookmakers Sportsbet.com.au or Crownbet, or in one of the state’s TAB retail agencies.
It is understood that Randwick will broadcast Victorian races at the track tomorrow, courtesy of RV.
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