TVG Race Coverage

[Al Gobbi]

Its been discussed in here before but want to bring it up again because it seems like TVG is not showing a lot of races now than they did in the past. Today they are only showing the first four races from Woodbine and the feature. This is odd because they have nothing else on besides Aqueduct and Keeneland (and a few HAW races) and they have always show a full card daily unless thing got too busy late in the day (ie: during the summer,).

I know many here don't care for WO, but they hyped it up to start, and now they don't even bother promoting it.

They also only show 1-2 tracks a night on the early week lineups now, and have lost a slew of tracks to screen. Even Charles Town isn't being show anymore. Instead they are focusing on tracks like Prairie, Evangeline, Emerald. They had Matt at Prairie yesterday for opening day, very small pools (one pick 4 was $10k, another race had a win pool of just over $12k).

I ask why is this happening, is it because they want to cheapen the on air product or is it to save costs?

[usedtolovetvg]

Everything has to do with the way the deal is structured, i.e. they have to show so many live races a year from that track. Prairie would have most certainly paid Matt's way or TVG would get to return a lot less to the track. Some tracks have paid a premium to have their races on live or within a few minutes of post. Like Meryl Streep & Alec Baldwin, it's complicated. My experience has been that little or no thought is given to the fan.

[Canarsie]

Could it possibly be because Andy Serling is there this weekend? I wouldn't put it past them to pull an act like that.

Seriously how are they going to match his talent with almost any of their own. The last thing they would want is a comparison just my two cents.

They do post Maggie's tweets on screen but of course never a one from Andy. One analyst called a horse that Andy picked and won a "head scratcher".

[Tom]

I would have thought the way to get people to make bets was to show races and get them interested.

Obviously, that is wrong and the only thing that gets money through the web is Matt's childhood being re-lived on air. :rolleyes:

[usedtolovetvg]

I would have thought the way to get people to make bets was to show races and get them interested.

The executive team has their own ideas of what is best; i.e The Late DDouble. It must work or management must be happy. They have been there since the beginning of TVG.

[ronsmac]

Its been discussed in here before but want to bring it up again because it seems like TVG is not showing a lot of races now than they did in the past. Today they are only showing the first four races from Woodbine and the feature. This is odd because they have nothing else on besides Aqueduct and Keeneland (and a few HAW races) and they have always show a full card daily unless thing got too busy late in the day (ie: during the summer,).

I know many here don't care for WO, but they hyped it up to start, and now they don't even bother promoting it.

They also only show 1-2 tracks a night on the early week lineups now, and have lost a slew of tracks to screen. Even Charles Town isn't being show anymore. Instead they are focusing on tracks like Prairie, Evangeline, Emerald. They had Matt at Prairie yesterday for opening day, very small pools (one pick 4 was $10k, another race had a win pool of just over $12k).

I ask why is this happening, is it because they want to cheapen the on air product or is it to save costs?I agree with you, I find it odd that they stopped showing Woodbine to talk for 15 minutes about upcoming races at Keeneland. It seems they could break for 2 minutes , show the race at Woodbine and still have plenty of time to get back to keeneland.

[Tom]

I think the hosts get paid by the word.
Obviously, not the content, just the count. :lol:

[Al Gobbi]

http://www.ontariothoroughbred.com/article/woodbine-races-be-shown-nyra-network

[NJ Stinks]

I agree with you, I find it odd that they stopped showing Woodbine to talk for 15 minutes about upcoming races at Keeneland. It seems they could break for 2 minutes , show the race at Woodbine and still have plenty of time to get back to keeneland.

On the one hand I can understand TVG making Keeneland a big big deal. After all, it's only a 15 day meet and Woodbine will be running for the next 7 months.

But then we've got to listen to Todd tell us that a 7 horse starter allowance is God's gift to horseplayers. Or some such rubbish. And then there are the endless plugs that "you just have to come to Lexington and experience Keeneland for at least a full weekend."

These guys just can't help themselves. They have to sell something constantly. :rolleyes:

[ronsmac]

On the one hand I can understand TVG making Keeneland a big big deal. After all, it's only a 15 day meet and Woodbine will be running for the next 7 months.

But then we've got to listen to Todd tell us that a 7 horse starter allowance is God's gift to horseplayers. Or some such rubbish. And then there are the endless plugs that "you just have to come to Lexington and experience Keeneland for at least a full weekend."

These guys just can't help themselves. They have to sell something constantly. :rolleyes:
They're not even showing the Woodbine races on tape delay from race 6 on the last 2days , with the exception of yesterdays feature.

[duncan04]

They're not even showing the Woodbine races on tape delay from race 6 on the last 2days , with the exception of yesterdays feature.

That's the beauty of streaming video online!

[olddaddy]

That's the beauty of streaming video online!


Which was on 5 minute delay today on TS.

[Al Gobbi]

Which was on 5 minute delay today on TS.
I didn't notice any delays here with TS this weekend.

[Edward DeVere]

. My experience has been that little or no thought is given to the fan.

TVG and, increasingly, HRTV have embraced a very interesting business model: Piss off your customers at every opportunity.

We're all used to this with government, but it's really bizarre to see from private enterprise.

[redshift1]

TVG and, increasingly, HRTV have embraced a very interesting business model: Piss off your customers at every opportunity.

We're all used to this with government, but it's really bizarre to see from private enterprise.

Just a microcosm of content right battles being played out all across the broadcasting spectrum. The threat of withholding signals to force negotiation is practiced commonly by ESPN, Fox Sports and Time Warner. Still you have to wonder about a policy that bites the hand that feeds it.

.

[lamboguy]

the problems with television is just like the rest of racing. football would have the very same problems if not for the NFL.

i am sure that TVG and HRTV are trying to do the best they can for business's that lose lots of money every single day.

[Marshall Bennett]

I'm just glad we have a racing network. I've never bet through either of them, only watch the races. I find myself complaining occasionally, but if you're not losing anything there's not a lot of sense in it, really. They're small networks with obvious issues. If they ceased to exist it would be a sad day in my home.