There has been much commentary and debate regarding the Racing Victoria media rights issue over the past few months and in particular since June 6 when RVL announced Seven West Media as their preferred media partner.
Roughly speaking there are three groups, the doomsayers, the acceptors and those who would have preferred a hybrid model. But why waste your time and social media efforts on any one of them as a punter, the answer is simply you shouldn’t.
As a punter and racing fan you have no say, there are higher bodies making the decisions and all punters and fans should simply cross their respective fingers and hope all works out for the best.
Simply on that basis you have to be an acceptor.
An acceptor on the basis that the respective racing clubs are willing to take a punt and seem to have taken a long-term view that a free-to-air provider is the way to go. An acceptor that a decision has been made that embraces ‘a road less travelled’. An acceptor that it will bring and engage newcomers to the sport and in turn increase wagering.
Of course there are counter arguments and some of them are clearly valid but to what end? It is counter productive and creates an atmosphere that the industry is on a wayward and risky path, with the possible negative affect that the people the industry wants to attract will only pick up on. Made worse at a time when the clouds of cobalt are upon the industry.
This is not either a glass half full or half empty debate, it is simply about acceptance and wishing all will sail on the Channel Seven ship well.
Of course it may fall short of the mark and result in neither an increase in viewers or wagering but it needs to be given clear air to have a go with the support of all participants.
It is time to be a change acceptor not doubter.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
They have the rights, haven't been using them too well.
Jim
Guest
I raised this point on another article on here recently Cudoit. I think its a huge risk of this approach to get a FTA channel. There is enough anger in the community about the betting during sporting telecasts (I think that will blow up sooner rather than later), and a FTA channel for racing, crammed with gambling advertising, might be the straw that breaks the camel's back on this issue.
Cudoit
Guest
All projections based on the revenue from advertising. Anyone ever thought of what happens when the saturation bam bam bam of the corporates urging people on to lose their shirts draws the inevitable response from the anti gambling lobbies ? A 24 hour a day TV station with non stop betting ads, mark my words, it will draw a savage response to ban advertising and they'd be a fair bet to get their way. Smoking, pokies, both got axed so don't think it couldn't happen, what then when you're locked into a 30 year deal with no revenue ?
Dave Richardson
Roar Guru
I think they are only doing the last 3 days of Ascot
Bondy
Guest
Tristan I'll just mention I'd seen recently on Ch 7 promos for both the horse racing live form England " I assume the Ascot Carnival " and the Tennis form Wimbledon being broadcast on the 7 network with F Cumani doing the voice overs for the promo, though I checked all of Ch7's stations last night and couldnt find any racing form Ascot on any of them ? ...
OMFG
Guest
Free to air in your living room is a smart move, punters happy, sponsors get wider coverage, racing clubs get a bigger cut That's a win win win.
prawnmachine
Guest
Hard to disagree with the concerns in this article, http://goo.gl/XV904T, though Tabcorp's media mouthpiece will always focus on the negatives. But really? 15-30 mins of live racing per day and then what? Anybody who thinks punters will sit 35 minutes between betting opportunities has never punted, and certainly never spent time in a TAB - which maybe explains the logic of the "key" decision makers. More telling for me, in terms of risk and any hope, is the VRC's demand an extra $8M before they'll support the move, again demonstrating how fragmented and self-interested racing really is. If the crew are reading from the same charts I'm not sure wishing them happy sailing is going to help much.
Dave Richardson
Roar Guru
Many thanks Tristan
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Nice to see some opinion from you on this Dave!
Mike from Tari
Guest
I'm sick of this whole thing, it's been going on for years, no one has taken any responsibility for the huge losses TVN incurred due to lack of checks & balances, they lost millions, God knows they will wind up paying 7 to broadcast their content like they have been for the last 10 years.
Bondy
Guest
I'd suggest the industry be very careful hardened punters are astute gamblers if there are 2 ,3 or even 4 platforms to view and only restricted " small fry " content on each platform racing could go to the wall . Punters in a modern world want top draw content but not shoved down their throats if that doesn't occur the market will be flooded by more content providers than punters .