Sky Racing secures NSW thoroughbred racing but Victorian rights still in negotiation
Tabcorp has tied up a long term deal with the racing authorities in NSW with its subsidiary Sky Racing for a 10-year broadcast contract, although it is currently unclear when the contract will actually start.
The betting firm had been in dispute with the authorities in NSW and Victoria since December, and lost rights to show racing from the states, currently held by a joint-venture company called TVN, taking races from the states off air in pubs and TABs across the country until an interim agreement in late December.
Racing NSW has since walked away from the TVN joint venture allowing for today’s deal to go ahead, although the new contract cannot start until TVN has been officially disbanded. Tabcorp says it is also separately in negotiations with Racing Victoria, which also has to agree to disband the TVN venture.
TVN was a disaster from its very inception. Distribution trumps content every time, and Sky Racing and the TAB were unbeatable in that respect. Good outcome for punters.
At last. What a circus this has been. We must be the only country in the world that has 4 x pay TV racing channels as well as big events on FTA. TVN coverage was very thorough but in the end unneccesary.
Sky Racing is going to fail giving great coverage. They don’t have a clue about Horse Racing and should just stick to the B meets QLD & SA.
Good afternoon,
I have TVN on T BOX. When it goes off air am I able to get Sky Racing on Foxtel on T BOX. It is not part of the current package at the moment.iTVN were still advertising the virtues of TBOX only last week and to buy now. What does this all mean ?
RIP TVN
Let’s hope Sky Racing can deliver a product just as good as TVN on at least one of their channels. TVN provided the best race, trial and trackwork coverage to punters by the most possionate presenters.
Can Brizn Eyland give me a reason why he says TVN in the end was unessesery .
By saying that he is not a real horse racing punter who likes to see the horses parade around and interviews with jocks & trainers before the race .??