Exclusivity

[Alc]

Would appear that exclusivity as supported by TVG, CDSN, et al. is a very bad deal for the average horseplayer. If one organization(TVG) controls which tracks I can watch and which tracks I can wager on--it certainly limits my options. Would also appear to be a bad deal for the smaller tracks like TDN,PENN, MTNR. etc. who would have to compete with the larger tracks to get their races televised. Not healthy. Anyone else have similar thoughts.

[FortuneHunter]

I aslo strongly disagree exclusive rights that link TV coverage with wagering services.

I also disagree with the exclusive rights to all data by DRF / Equibase.

[smf]

I disgree w/ exclusive telecast rights also. It seems to be dragging racing's feet when they need to be running at full speed. TVG/ CDSN just wants to corner the market and damn everything else.

There was a good thread about this on the derby list. A poster named Equitation (I believe ) made good points against exclusive rights.

Some one emailed me about TRN coming back. Here's the article below. Unfortunately it looks like we get the talkingheads back and no direct feed but it beats the alternative.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=7286

[takeout]

Originally posted by FortuneHunter
I also disagree with the exclusive rights to all data by DRF / Equibase.
I do too - I think.

That's something I've been confused about for a long time and straight answers don't seem easy to come by. Are DRF & Equibase actually partners of some sort? If so, what is DRF's role in the partnership? I can understand the company that collects the data having exclusive rights to it, but what continues to be DRF's foothold in all of this? I'll apologize in advance if we're not talking about the same thing. :confused:

[FortuneHunter]

Here is my version of the story. It is an outsider’s version.

Morning Telegraph and then the DRF have owned the PP data from the beginning for TBred Racing industry. They had their own people on track and they collected the data. Tracks were not involved. Can you imagine that database operation, before computers? The Tracks produced the Official Program, no PP's

Anyway, the SBred Racing industry had a different model. The Official Track program contains the PP's under the direction of the USTA. Tracks/USTA ran the dB.

Sports Eye also got in the Harness game. I think they got their data from the USTA. I think I remember Sports Eye doing some abbreviated version of Tbred PP’s, not associated with DRF.

I remember in the late 80’s early 90’s a form came out called the Figs Form in NY. This was the best Form I have ever seen. They stopped after a couple years. I don’t know what happened. It was a graphical representation of a PP line. I would love to revive that paper. If anyone has an old copy, I would love to get my hands on it.

The Tbred Tracks decided to get in on the PP business and began to publish PPs in the Official Track Programs, and Equibase came forward as the database source.

In the beginning DRF and Equibase were separate, with separate databases and there was rampant inconsistency. It was horrible. Mean while BRIS was developing database technology for breeding side of the business.

The Tbred industry looked down and said 2 databases is no good, so a DRF/Equibase database merger took place. Now there is more consistency in the data.

However, DRF/Equibase own the database and pay their employees to collect and store the data. Therefore, they feel they are entitled to sole rights of the PP data. BRISnet was granted a license and built a database of “value added” info (Speed Pace Figs etc.) and sold electronic PP data files and other handicapping products. ITS is another PP data source. BRISnet bought out TrackMaster.

My observation is 99% of people at the track use the DRF or Track Program PP’s. I hate the Track PP Program. I am one of the few that download print Brisnet PP’s on 11 x 17 inch paper and bring them to the track. It is expensive to print your own PP’s, but it is still cheaper than the DRF.

I speculate that the growing Tbred Desktop Racing Industry has many more people using electronic PP’s. I think it is a growing industry and the current copyright laws protecting the Tbred database need to be reviewed. It may take a Napster scene to make it happen.

Happy New Year, FH

[takeout]

Thanks for the enlightenment. A DRF/Equibase database merger would explain many things including why BRIS and TSN are looking more the same than ever. Evidently I've been under some wrong notions for years. I had just assumed that whoever was collecting the data was running the show. I always thought it was weird that when Equibase took over the data collecting chores that they didn't sell their own PPs - or at least PPs as we know them.

I don't know how many times DRF has changed hands but I remember hearing talk of ultimatums years ago (before Equibase) in that if a track didn't take a certain amount of Forms a day, (500 maybe?) then they wouldn't bring them any. This is when I think some of the smaller tracks were taken out. Because of that, I was under the impression that some of the tracks started printing their own programs from a defensive posture or out of necessity. At that time it looked like whoever owned the Form was trying to gut it.

I still see some hardcopy DRFs around the track but not that many these days. Most of the people I see are using a track program (and I'm not too fond of those either) or printing their own PPs from any of the resellers. It bugs me now and then that I can't buy PPs in some piecemeal fashion because when I compare them I see some things in all of them that I like but I can't find it all at one place.

11x17 paper must be great. These things have gotten so small that I almost need a microscope. I'm still on standard paper but that's one thing about BRIS/TSN - they use that slightly larger font that makes all the difference.

I think online PPs (and results charts) are going to slowly take over. I'm seeing more and more people that are printing their own. I used to buy a DRF paper everyday but haven't bought (chased) one in about a decade now. That part of it is really nice. I've burnt up a lot of gasoline looking for a Form only to ultimately return empty-handed.

Thanks again for the rundown. The resellers seem to all be doing the same thing. That is, taking the same basic PP data and adding their own "salt & pepper" to it. If the current copyright laws were changed, what differences do you think would come of it?

PS: A minor correction. Trackmaster was bought by Equibase. Thank goodness there's SOMEWHERE a computer illiterate like me can still get a text chart. :D

Happy New Year!