Tony Allevato out at TVG

[Al Gobbi]

Marc Doche via twitter (https://twitter.com/MDoche/status/303982496167628801) reporting he was fired today.

[usedtolovetvg]

I will wait to make sure there is some kind of confirmation but, if true, a lot of us have waited a very long time for this to happen. IMO, he ruined many people's lives and did nothing to help the sport. He has another agenda.

[JustRalph]

5 yrs too late

[Vinman]

Matt Hegarty has confirmed it on DRF.com

[Al Gobbi]

http://www.drf.com/news/tvg-dismisses-allevato-executive-vice-president

have to think more changes are on the way.

[usedtolovetvg]

The company never made money. 13 years was way too long. Everyone who lost their jobs under his tenure has every right to be bitter. What were the owners thinking all these years?

[lamboguy]

with all the bashing of TVG, if not for them the racing game would less than nowhere right now

[usedtolovetvg]

with all the bashing of TVG, if not for them the racing game would less than nowhere right now

Yes, that's true. But, it all should have been so much better.

[PaceAdvantage]

I will wait to make sure there is some kind of confirmation but, if true, a lot of us have waited a very long time for this to happen. IMO, he ruined many people's lives and did nothing to help the sport. He has another agenda.Holy Cow...this must be like the Super Bowl, Christmas and/or Hanukkah, all wrapped up into one for you today...

I mean seriously, you must be like this right now --> :jump: :jump:

Now what are you going to do? :lol:

[Vinman]

The company never made money. 13 years was way too long. Everyone who lost their jobs under his tenure has every right to be bitter. What were the owners thinking all these years?

Really not asking this to be a wise guy....but what could they have done to make it profitable? What changes should have been made over those 13 years? Is it simply that "the masses" are not interested enough in a horse racing channel to make it work?

Vinman

[Stillriledup]

Really not asking this to be a wise guy....but what could they have done to make it profitable? What changes should have been made over those 13 years? Is it simply that "the masses" are not interested enough in a horse racing channel to make it work?

Vinman

You need to skip races in order to win. This could have been a change they could have made, it was right here in black and white, crystal clear.



http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71604

[lamboguy]

Yes, that's true. But, it all should have been so much better.agreed!

depending upon how serious Churchill Downs is about racing, and if Betfair wants out, they are a prime candidate to takeover TVG. its just about a natural fit for them now with online poker soon to become a reality. they could televise horse racing and promote online poker at the same time. just my opinion. under those circumstances they might ante up to get TVG.

[usedtolovetvg]

Really not asking this to be a wise guy....but what could they have done to make it profitable? What changes should have been made over those 13 years? Is it simply that "the masses" are not interested enough in a horse racing channel to make it work?

Vinman

Sorry but that was the job. All TVG did was make it easier for the gamblers to bet from the comfort of their own homes. It was always racing's greatest fear. It's called cannibalization. Tvg did nothing to bring new fans to the sport. That was their mandate, not to make it easier for the degenerates not to go to the track. TV has made many sports popular and brought new fans to those sports. Allevato, with his $126 pick 6 tickets did nothing to even try to reach a new audience. The Quarters was the only show that actually accomplished this but TA got rid of all of those that were driving forces behind that show and now Los Al is suffering as well.

[usedtolovetvg]

Holy Cow...this must be like the Super Bowl, Christmas and/or Hanukkah, all wrapped up into one for you today...

I mean seriously, you must be like this right now --> :jump: :jump:

Now what are you going to do? :lol:

Yes, we are having a major celebration. As far as I'm concerned TA was the reason for all the negativity surrounding TVG. While I know there are probably quite a few nervous people walking the halls at TVG headquarters, I am hopeful that TVG can do what it was always supposed to do; bring new fans to the great sport/games of horse racing. Time will tell.

[Vinman]

Right now TVG is showing CT and YR with no announcer....just music playing in the background. Almost makes me pine for those not so long ago days of Michelle Yu in the handcapsule on Monday & Tuesday nights, telling the audience that she's really not all that into Harness Racing. Gotta admit she was a straight shooter when answering viewer email....including email criticizing her. If nothing else, her warm presence made it fun to tune in.

It was a lot better than what we have now. Not even any more "Bonkers for Yonkers" picks from Gino...an act that I actually grew to like over time.

Oh well.....

Vinman

[Tom]

To do list:


Shut up
Show races
Show more races.
Show even more races.

[lamboguy]

tom when they first started they were pretty good. i used to love the interview's from the paddock's at Keeneland and the Southern California tracks that they carried.

the rest of the gabbing is worthless. no one really cares about their pick 4 tickets and pick 6's.

they always had a problem, they broadcast the races and didn't get that much of the handle going through their adw, and race tracks don't like paying TVG to carry their product.

[Al Gobbi]

When we first got TVG in 2003, there was a heavy emphasis on live racing and often there were days when 5-6 tracks on a weekend afternoon were the normal. Also no hosts were around when the bigger tracks weren't running.

However, the timing of the Allevato firing is odd, considering exchange wagering is a topic at Thursday's CHRB meeting.

[usedtolovetvg]

tom when they first started they were pretty good.

Allevato was not the guy in charge at the outset. He got more and more power as the years wore on; just why is anybody's guess. And the product got worse and worse. There was a direct relationship.

[usedtolovetvg]

the timing of the Allevato firing is odd, considering exchange wagering is a topic at Thursday's CHRB meeting.

I doubt that one would be wrong if they speculated that Allevato was not well liked within the industry.

[thespaah]

To do list:


Shut up
Show races
Show more races.
Show even more races.

I cannot agree more. I hate it when I see post time for a track getting close, then after a few more minutes of useless banter, the word "off" appears where MTP was. SHOW THE DAMNED RACE! Then BS.
If I were the TVG Boss for a day I would....Mandate that all races will be shown as close to live as possible. Mandate that on camera talent pay close attention to post times and consider post time to be a "hard break"...In other words, shut it and show the race on time.
Stop this obsession with ramming multiple race bets down the throats of the viewers.
Mandate having fun but keep the goofy stuff in check.
Oh..One more thing....Use the track graphics. The TVG graphics SUCK.

[Vinman]

To do list:


Shut up
Show races
Show more races.
Show even more races.


This is even more crucial on Mondays & Tuesdays. Where is the daytime product? Why can't they get an agreement to show the races from Parx like they have in the past? No races being broadcast means they're taking far fewer if any bets on Parx. They shouldn't just wait around for Turf Paradise on those days. It looks bad. Even showing Monticello would be an improvement.

Vinman

[Tom]

I'll give them credit where it is due - at least at night, they show a few actual horse races - HRTV - what the HELL does their evening schedule have to do with horse racing??? Might as well sell the time to infomercial and sell some Ginsu knives. Might be tad more interesting than the crap they show now.

But at least Zoe is not on at night! :rolleyes:

[usedtolovetvg]

The bottom line is, don't let horse racing people run a horse racing network. TV is a different animal.

[Stillriledup]

To do list:


Shut up
Show races
Show more races.
Show even more races.


I dont mind them talking if they are interviewing trainers asking them "whats your strategy here, are you going to take back or go for the lead...any specific instructions to the rider"

That stuff i can handle, the other stuff like twitter wars...not too interested in that part of it.

It became a show to see who can acquire more 'followers' as opposed to who can pick more winners.

[PaceAdvantage]

The bottom line is, don't let horse racing people run a horse racing network. TV is a different animal.Not letting horse racing people run things is what got certain racetracks into trouble...thinking they are entertainment venues instead of gambling venues...

[usedtolovetvg]

Not letting horse racing people run things is what got certain racetracks into trouble...thinking they are entertainment venues instead of gambling venues...

You need TV people who have an understanding of the game and can translate it to the screen; not people? who think that viewers are dying for a host's ticket that costs $126. It's a TV Show about racing/gamble. Your job is to build the audience. Anything less is abject failure.

[duncan04]

I'll give them credit where it is due - at least at night, they show a few actual horse races - HRTV - what the HELL does their evening schedule have to do with horse racing??? Might as well sell the time to infomercial and sell some Ginsu knives. Might be tad more interesting than the crap they show now.

But at least Zoe is not on at night! :rolleyes:


HRTV is the horse sports channel. racing during the day and other horse sports during the night. :rolleyes: or whatever horse show they show

[phattty]

bring back exactorman and mr lucky.....

most entertaining racing show ever

[SandyW]

Could Todd be next ?????????????:jump::jump:

[duncan04]

Could Todd be next ?????????????:jump::jump:


doubt it. I heard he actually gets good ratings

[usedtolovetvg]

doubt it. I heard he actually gets good ratings

But, his buddy, Tony, rewarded him with a pretty fat paycheck.

[PaceAdvantage]

But, his buddy, Tony, rewarded him with a pretty fat paycheck.Why shouldn't the on-air "talent" get the big paychecks?

Isn't that the case at every TV station in existence?

[usedtolovetvg]

Why shouldn't the on-air "talent" get the big paychecks?

Isn't that the case at every TV station in existence?

I think they should if deserved. I was responding to a question about Todd's future. He is/was a great pal of Allevato and is making big bucks. If BF is in cost-cutting mode, his relationship and hefty salary might be viewed negatively by the home office.

[SandyW]

I think they should if deserved. I was responding to a question about Todd's future. He is/was a great pal of Allevato and is making big bucks. If BF is in cost-cutting mode, his relationship and hefty salary might be viewed negatively by the home office.

That is why I ask the question.

[usedtolovetvg]

And, that's why I answered the way I did. I do think Burn is a Todd fan, though. How much input Burn still has however, may be something that could be discussed, as well.

[JustRalph]

Not letting horse racing people run things is what got certain racetracks into trouble...thinking they are entertainment venues instead of gambling venues...

Forgive me, but on that note

Read: " it's not the stray cats fault"


http://pullthepocket.blogspot.com/

[JustRalph]

You need TV people who have an understanding of the game and can translate it to the screen; not people? who think that viewers are dying for a host's ticket that costs $126. It's a TV Show about racing/gamble. Your job is to build the audience. Anything less is abject failure.

I haven't watched TVG for a few years now but not many seemed interested in doing that.

Robin Burns and Gary Seidel maybe, early on. Seidel was the most professional on air talent they had. Look where it got him

[usedtolovetvg]

It was Allevato that got rid of Burns and Seibel. Maybe it was the wrong decision. One would have to believe the new owners were not thrilled with him given the terse dismissal response.

[racingfan378]

This is even more crucial on Mondays & Tuesdays. Where is the daytime product? Why can't they get an agreement to show the races from Parx like they have in the past? No races being broadcast means they're taking far fewer if any bets on Parx. They shouldn't just wait around for Turf Paradise on those days. It looks bad. Even showing Monticello would be an improvement.

Vinman

TVG charges anywhere from $200-$400 for a track to show the race LIVE. So let's say Parx racing wants to show all 9 races on TVG then at $300 a race that's $2,700 plus Parx is probably only getting 2-3% of the handle bet from TVG into their pockets so do the math if it's even worth a track doing that.

This is one of the major problems with this game, simulcast might have saved the sport in a way, but it sure as hell created drama between racetracks and their signals in terms of % of the pot

[Stillriledup]

TVG charges anywhere from $200-$400 for a track to show the race LIVE. So let's say Parx racing wants to show all 9 races on TVG then at $300 a race that's $2,700 plus Parx is probably only getting 2-3% of the handle bet from TVG into their pockets so do the math if it's even worth a track doing that.

This is one of the major problems with this game, simulcast might have saved the sport in a way, but it sure as hell created drama between racetracks and their signals in terms of % of the pot

Seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face. If you dont show Parx at all on a sleepy Monday or Tuesday, your fans arent going to bet Parx....so, you lose out on that handle while trying to squeeze Parx out of 2700.

This stuff is why people think TVG doesnt care about the fans or the game and just about themselves. Fans and bettors want to see what's running...if Parx is the best signal running on a Tuesday, show Parx.

There must be some newbie horse people who actually think Los Al is the 'poo' and that they are a major signal. The way these TVG hosts talk about Los Al you would think its a premier track in the nation.....TVG will show a post parade of a 2k claimer at Los Al instead of a 1 million dollar live harness race from the Meadowlands (for example)

They'll show that Los Al post parade instead of a big race elsewhere and that shows you that do something that's not in the best interest of what most of their own customers want to see just because someone is paying you.

[redshift1]

Seidel was the most professional on air talent they had. Look where it got him

He was the best and he knew harness racing.

[JustRalph]

Gary "Seibel" not Seidel........

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/gary-seibel/5a/3b3/b89?_mSplash=1

[pandy]

TVG charges anywhere from $200-$400 for a track to show the race LIVE. So let's say Parx racing wants to show all 9 races on TVG then at $300 a race that's $2,700 plus Parx is probably only getting 2-3% of the handle bet from TVG into their pockets so do the math if it's even worth a track doing that.

This is one of the major problems with this game, simulcast might have saved the sport in a way, but it sure as hell created drama between racetracks and their signals in terms of % of the pot

You've hit the nail on the head. All this TVG bashing is meaningless because plenty of people like the on air talent, who happen to be very good. They also pick some quite a few longshot winners. I've been a TV analyst and when I picked winners that weren't the obvious favorites people loved it.

And as I've said before, no matter what the on air hosts do or say,there will always be people on the internet that bash them. I just watched the new Bond film, SKYFALL, and I thought it was great entertainment and one of the top 3 or 4 Bond films ever made but on Amazon quite a few people gave it bad reviews, they didn't like it. You can't please everyone. There are people who don't like ice cream.

And not showing pick 6 tickets won't raise ratings. The key is showing more races and that comes down to money, period. This is a problem for TVG and HRTV and that's why HRTV isn't showing races at night. They can't get the signal because the tracks don't want to pay. This is the main problem.

[usedtolovetvg]

The key is being able to attract new viewers who would become new players while not pissing off the fans you already have. At this TVG through Allevato failed miserably.

[JustRalph]

The key is being able to attract new viewers who would become new players while not pissing off the fans you already have. At this TVG through Allevato failed miserably.

Impossible task all things being equal. The tracks can't do it, TVG & HRTV can't do it......it speaks to the product

[usedtolovetvg]

Do you think, tennis, golf, nascar, wrestling, even baseball are more interesting? Nothing is impossible to market to the American people. The key is the presentation. That's why these guys make the big bucks. A good salesman can sell just about anything. In the hands of a good marketer the product is almost irrelevant.

[lamboguy]

racing has plenty of other things to straighten out before than can even think of marketing their product. they could have the greatest marketing program that god has ever created and they will still scare people away from the game if they don't make major changes first.

[usedtolovetvg]

That is true. I consider all those changes part of the marketing effort. From TVG's perspective, their job is easier than the industry's. All they have to do is create an environment on their shows that gets people to want to watch and play. That is much simpler than what the tracks have to do to get fans to the track. With $126 tickets and juvenile production, TVG has no chance to grow the audience. Realistically, the presentation has changed very little since its inception. Apart from :58 flat and The Quarters, the shows are all the same, two or three guys on a bad set yakking. The Quarters, at one time, was growing quite a decent audience but Allevato got rid of the people responsible and that,too, has deteriorated over the last few years.

[castaway01]

Do you think, tennis, golf, nascar, wrestling, even baseball are more interesting? Nothing is impossible to market to the American people. The key is the presentation. That's why these guys make the big bucks. A good salesman can sell just about anything. In the hands of a good marketer the product is almost irrelevant.

Do you honestly believe the Golf Channel or the Tennis Channel created more fans of those sports? What have they ever "marketed to the American people" and what big bucks are they making? They're places that true hardcore fans of those sports can go to watch early rounds of obscure events, instructional shows, historical pieces, or player profiles. They cater to the hardest of the hardcore and have never created a new fan.

So in other words, you're asking TVG and HRTV to do the impossible, and somehow create this new fanbase. Put another way, you're asking a network that only the most dedicated horse racing bettors even watch to suddenly create all of these new casual fans---fans that likely don't even know the network exists.

[usedtolovetvg]

I believe that those networks create an environment that makes it easy for a new fan who may be mildly interested, to enjoy the sport. If someone who is mildly interested in racing turns on TVG, they will immediately turn away. While a lofty idea, the Late DDouble demonstrated their total lack of understanding and use of the medium.

[SandyW]

He was the best and he knew harness racing.

Gary Seibel has been doing harness racing since the Roosevelt Raceway days,
he is the most knowledgeable color commentator ever in the history of the sport.

[usedtolovetvg]

More than that, he was a consummate on-air pro.

[lamboguy]

Gary Seibel has been doing harness racing since the Roosevelt Raceway days,
he is the most knowledgeable color commentator ever in the history of the sport.he was AWESOME and i got interested in harness because of the coverage on TVG.

[usedtolovetvg]

You have reinforced my point. TV can produce new interest in a sport. It is the way it is presented that is the key.

[SandyW]

What a team Gary Seibel & Stan Bergstein were(pre TVG).
Stan passed away in 2011 at the age of 87 writing articles for the DRF right till the end.

[BombsAway Bob]

he was AWESOME and i got interested in harness because of the coverage on TVG.
if i could ever get Rockingham Park running a short ALL-Turf Meet,
Gary Seibel would be the 1st guy i would hire for in-house/simulcast
host/analyst. Great Personality, true Pro! Anyone wanting to hire him,
(Remember Rock'N Bowl?), his phone # is at the end of this clip.

sChgMu7rO3o

[BlueShoe]

To do list:

Shut up
Show races
Show more races.
Show even more races.

5. Show races live as they are run, not tape delay.

[lamboguy]

if i could ever get Rockingham Park running a short ALL-Turf Meet,
Gary Seibel would be the 1st guy i would hire for in-house/simulcast
host/analyst. Great Personality, true Pro! Anyone wanting to hire him,
(Remember Rock'N Bowl?), his phone # is at the end of this clip.


i was shocked when TVG was able to get Gary to sign a contract with them, and doubly shocked when they got rid of their best host.

[Wickel]

I totally disagree that The Quarters has deteriorated in quality. Don't know anything about the network getting rid of the behind-the-scenes crew, but the program is setting handle records on its Pick 4s, is entertaining and, IMHO, has the best threesome going for it (Joyce, Weaver and Onaka).

Also, I believe horseplayers do care about airing Pick 4 tickets, especially from stalwart handicappers like Onaka, who knows Los Al inside out, and Rich Perloff, who was a master at Parx when it was aired. It doesn't mean that viewers are going to bet the tickets as they are presented, but it gives all another opinion, maybe gives us an opportunity to look at a horse we left out. I do agree that the $126 tickets are ridiculous. And, of course, the one thing that turned me off the most was the unecessary horseplay from an on-air talent who's already left, and another who unfortunately is still there.

[usedtolovetvg]

The Pick 4s may still be doing well at Los Al but overall handle has dropped precipitously. Many nights the handle is now less than $1 Million, sometimes much less than that. They have also cut the number of racing days from 4 to 3 per week and the number of races from 10 a day to 9 a day. They are getting drilled in every aspect but those ridiculous Pick 4s which are only serving to drain the accounts of the players they do have.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEE COLD!

[Wickel]

The Pick 4s may still be doing well at Los Al but overall handle has dropped precipitously. Many nights the handle is now less than $1 Million, sometimes much less than that. They have also cut the number of racing days from 4 to 3 per week and the number of races from 10 a day to 9 a day. They are getting drilled in every aspect but those ridiculous Pick 4s which are only serving to drain the accounts of the players they do have.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEE COLD!


Ridiculous Pick 4s? Are you kidding me. The concept is the staple of their program, and a successful one at that. Do I detect sour grapes from an ex-employee here. I think the big problem has been Betfair. Not a good fit for American racing. I hope Churchill Downs gets a foot in the door soon.

[duncan04]

Ridiculous Pick 4s? Are you kidding me. The concept is the staple of their program, and a successful one at that. Do I detect sour grapes from an ex-employee here. I think the big problem has been Betfair. Not a good fit for American racing. I hope Churchill Downs gets a foot in the door soon.


I agree with you that Betfair hasn't been good for TVG and whenever Usedtolovetvg talks about TVG he is biased quite a bit.

[Wickel]

Could Usedtolovetvg be posting from Sacramento?

[usedtolovetvg]

You didn't respond to my other points. Losing a pick 4, which most people do, takes a greater amount of your $$$$$ out of play and more quickly. The more important point was Los Al's plumeting handle which can not be disputed.

What's a Sacramento?

[Wickel]

If you're wagering $126 on your Pick 4 tickets, then it will drain your account. Most players, myself included, are going to top out at $24 or so. Plus some of those Pick 4s are easy pickins', although you're only going to double or triple your $24. Never mind the Sacramento reference; just thought you were a former employee who was piling on TVG.

[usedtolovetvg]

I haven't disputed the success of the Pick 4 bet. But, you still don't want to address the rapidly diminishing handle. That's all that matters.

[Wickel]

I wasn't aware that the handle was falling. If you say it is, then it is. Make you happy. I was commenting on the popularity of The Quarters, its hosts and the Pick 4.

[Al Gobbi]

25% takeout on the pick 4's and the other exotic wagers don't help either.

[lamboguy]

in some harness tracks the handles have been going up. i am told that the harness game has had a slight influx of small owners lately. that tends to be good for business historically.

[thespaah]

Seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face. If you dont show Parx at all on a sleepy Monday or Tuesday, your fans arent going to bet Parx....so, you lose out on that handle while trying to squeeze Parx out of 2700.

This stuff is why people think TVG doesnt care about the fans or the game and just about themselves. Fans and bettors want to see what's running...if Parx is the best signal running on a Tuesday, show Parx.

There must be some newbie horse people who actually think Los Al is the 'poo' and that they are a major signal. The way these TVG hosts talk about Los Al you would think its a premier track in the nation.....TVG will show a post parade of a 2k claimer at Los Al instead of a 1 million dollar live harness race from the Meadowlands (for example)

They'll show that Los Al post parade instead of a big race elsewhere and that shows you that do something that's not in the best interest of what most of their own customers want to see just because someone is paying you.They present LOs Al as though it were the only track in the world worth showing once the sun sets.
Quite frankly I don't watch TVG after 10 or 10.30 pm EST because Quarterhorse racing bores the hell out of me. And betting wise, I'd rather pass.

[Stillriledup]

Ridiculous Pick 4s? Are you kidding me. The concept is the staple of their program, and a successful one at that. Do I detect sour grapes from an ex-employee here. I think the big problem has been Betfair. Not a good fit for American racing. I hope Churchill Downs gets a foot in the door soon.

Betfair isnt a good 'fit'? What IS a good fit for Americans, the inability to have a Betfair account of their very own?

[Lasix67]

Hey at least their playing better music. Only slightly better :lol:

[ArlJim78]

I don't watch TVG but on occasion I've tuned in late at night only because they were showing some big race from Japan, The Japan Cup, The Tenno Sho, etc, and just as the horses pass the wire, and before they have a chance to show the replay, rehash the race, have any interviews or show prices for the Japan race, they quickly cut away because, "They're at the gate at Los Al, 10 $2,500 claimers now in line"
are you kidding me? would it kill them to show one freakin Los Al race on tape delay so that we could see a bit more from Japan?
I could never understand the status they place on the Los Al card.

[thespaah]

racing has plenty of other things to straighten out before than can even think of marketing their product. they could have the greatest marketing program that god has ever created and they will still scare people away from the game if they don't make major changes first.
I disagree. I think horse racing is poorly marketed. The people in the front offices still have this attitude that "if we build it, they will come".
That's not going to fly.
The sport is dying because the average age of the person attending races or going to betting parlors/betting from home is well over the age of 50. New fans/bettors are not being created.
So from that standpoint, if an activity runs out participants, guess what? DONE.
The "poker" excuse is used up. The poker craze is over. The novelty of poker has worn off.
Now, I know there are those who have stated the problems with horse racing begin with the problems with doping of horses and other forms of cheating. Well I don't know how widespread that stuff is. I would like to think the majority of horsemen are doing things the right way. Insiders on here would know better. And if they would be willing to come here and be 100% honest and tell what they know, perhaps such openness can get the conversation moving toward a solution to ending the cheating and the other junk. If the reputation is that cheating and drugs are rampant is just perception and not fact, then that is a marketing problem. If the cheating is rampant, then that's a problem for enforcement.
One thing I would like to see is for those who do cheat and get caught, the penalties should be draconian. If the game needs to be cleaned up, then clean it up. Make examples out of the cheaters. And no kowtowing to big name trainers or owners. Treat everyone equally and dispense with any "star system". Nail the cheaters to the wall.
The only way to get people to come to the track or just contribute to the mutuel pools is to make the game attractive.

[thespaah]

I don't watch TVG but on occasion I've tuned in late at night only because they were showing some big race from Japan, The Japan Cup, The Tenno Sho, etc, and just as the horses pass the wire, and before they have a chance to show the replay, rehash the race, have any interviews or show prices for the Japan race, they quickly cut away because, "They're at the gate at Los Al, 10 $2,500 claimers now in line"
are you kidding me? would it kill them to show one freakin Los Al race on tape delay so that we could see a bit more from Japan?
I could never understand the status they place on the Los Al card.
I was tuned in late night last week. I saw the same thing. Post time for Japan race was up, but here they were analyzing the next Los Al race instead of showing the race from Japan live. They finally did show the Japan race AFTER a commercial break. Sheesh!.

[usedtolovetvg]

I could never understand the status they place on the Los Al card.

It's all about the deal$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[Stillriledup]

I don't watch TVG but on occasion I've tuned in late at night only because they were showing some big race from Japan, The Japan Cup, The Tenno Sho, etc, and just as the horses pass the wire, and before they have a chance to show the replay, rehash the race, have any interviews or show prices for the Japan race, they quickly cut away because, "They're at the gate at Los Al, 10 $2,500 claimers now in line"
are you kidding me? would it kill them to show one freakin Los Al race on tape delay so that we could see a bit more from Japan?
I could never understand the status they place on the Los Al card.

They place the status on Los Al because they're being paid for it.

When you show an inferior product just because someone is 'buying you' than you can't come out and say "we're all about horse racing". No, you're all about yourself and who pays you and you can care less about what the fans actually want to see.

[Stillriledup]

Spaah brought up marketing and i think the difficulty in 'marketing' horse racing is this. You have to find a way to make your product attractive and sexy and still, at the same time, keep 99% of your customers coming back for more even though they're losing money at the windows. If a track handles 2 million on track and has a 20 percent blended take, they're taking 400k out of the pockets of their 'customers' on a daily basis. (example)

Daily and collectively, the fans on track are losing 400k and that's not even counting the money the average patron loses to the sharp/pro bettors.

[ArlJim78]

I don't know if there is any format change that world bring in new fans, but I have always thought that they should have a format like golf does on a big day.
You've got your main host and color guy, plus you've got 6-8 guys throughout the course covering various holes. In golf they switch from hole to hole back and forth where ever the action is, seamlessly and quickly so you stay mentally in the flow of the game and cut down on the various boring spiels from the hosts.

[edmond1]

Can someone explain problems with TVG lately ? Less viewers ? Less betting handle ?

Do they give healthy rebates like other ADW's ?
If not, why deal with them ? Other ways to receive video feeds (ie. RTN/ ADW internet feeds/ etc..)....

Why did Betfair buy them in the first place ? Only thing I can think of right now is so that they could obtain access to the fastest feeds available to run their exchange (US Horse Racing)...

[usedtolovetvg]

They wanted to become a legitimate U.S. business to launch their Exchange in America. TVG has never made money, They do not own any tracks, so the only money they get is through the betting, customer fees and the fees they charge the tracks to be on tv. They have also invested lots of money in anticipation of EW. The Betfair CEO in England did mention how much money the U.S. operation was negatively affecting their bottom line in their recent earnings report.

[mannyberrios]

They wanted to become a legitimate U.S. business to launch their Exchange in America. TVG has never made money, They do not own any tracks, so the only money they get is through the betting, customer fees and the fees they charge the tracks to be on tv. They have also invested lots of money in anticipation of EW. The Betfair CEO in England did mention how much money the U.S. operation was negatively affecting their bottom line in their recent earnings report.
OK, but aren't they the biggest ADW in this country. And from what I understand the handle is pretty big. How are they losing money?

[usedtolovetvg]

I believe TwinSpires has passed them. They also pay a ton to be on all those cable and satellite outfits. The last I heard, it cost more than $20 Million a year to be on TV. They have also sunk a lot of money in trying to get EW going in the States, a lot of that has been in lobbying politicians. They have also spent a great deal building up the Exchange Platform to handle the U.S. market. None of that has come cheap.

[Stillriledup]

Can someone explain problems with TVG lately ? Less viewers ? Less betting handle ?

Do they give healthy rebates like other ADW's ?
If not, why deal with them ? Other ways to receive video feeds (ie. RTN/ ADW internet feeds/ etc..)....

Why did Betfair buy them in the first place ? Only thing I can think of right now is so that they could obtain access to the fastest feeds available to run their exchange (US Horse Racing)...

You can win Todd Schrupp's Japan Racing Jacket (used) if you're his 3333th twitter follower....or, something like that.

[lamboguy]

You can win Todd Schrupp's Japan Racing Jacket (used) if you're his 3333th twitter follower....or, something like that.that's going to be tougher than cashing THE RAINBOW