Cutbacks at TVG? - Page 9 - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

redshift1 · 03-31-2011, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustRalph

From a Twitter post/Tweet whatever the hell you call it......

Gary Seibel has been let go after returning from vacation today.

Gary came to TVG at its inception as one of the sport’s acknowledged authorities. With his deep knowledge of Thoroughbred and harness racing, his long experience calling races and his varied communication skills, he is one of TVG’s key on-air personalities.

Are you sure he's still on the host page? I believe TVG is removing any name specific posts regarding personnel changes so Its hard to tell.

Gary was the only knowledgeable standardbred guy on TVG. wow

judd · 03-31-2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward DeVere

That . . . cannot . . . possibly . . . be . . . true.

Can it???

yea, i doubt that very much--$250,000 per year --no way

PIC6SIX · 03-31-2011, 06:57 AM

Since we are talking DARTS, how many times have you been hit in the head by them????????????????????????????//

MartyZee · 03-31-2011, 09:14 AM

I agree with Just Ralph that Gary Sibel was very knowledgeable(especially with harness racing-which I don't bet); He's probably better off getting off a sinking ship;I actually like Matt C/ Frank M/ and find Todd S and Ken R to be the worst; I had the misfortune of watching Todd and Simon for about 10 minutes this past Tuesday-hopefully the show is done FOREVER; I was very excited when my cable provider got TVG a few years ago -now I very rarely watch it and will watch it even less as I find Todd S to be the most annoying ; just an opinion

wisconsin · 03-31-2011, 10:31 AM

In my opinion, Gary Seibel's talents were wasted. He was made a "host", mostly for thoroughbreds, when he should have been an "analyst" for harness racing.

Todd Schrupp, pretty smart sometimes, always seems to be yelling, or at least, hyper. Annoying schill mostly.

Ken Rudolph, brings nothing to the table, always yelping out some goofy bomb right before the off. Sure, he had Giacamo. That was years ago.

The entire set-up is flawed. You know there is a race going off, and they cut away to show, get this, one of their own commercials.

In the beginning, they had very entertaining banter (can't recall with whom) off camera during night racing, and why that ended is beyond me.

Forego · 03-31-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usedtolovetvg

you guys couldn't be more off. few make 6 figures and those that do, except the hilarious ts barely that. this is not nbc or espn. this is a network in name only. while in over 30 million homes, you can come close to counting the number of viewers by taking off your shoes. look at the ads they run and the promos of which some are almost a decade old. this is not big time tv, not by a long shot. feel for those that lost their jobs. they will suffer greatly and very quickly.

Your post is spot-on. Every word of it. For TVG to call itself a "network" is absurd. CBS is a network. TVG is a satellite tv channel, also available on some cable systems. Same for HRTV. Ratings and sponsorship for both are non-existent. Each one is, and will always be, a money pit. Frankly, I'm shocked that either one still exists.

As for the hosts, they're making about what a sports anchor might make in a market like Jacksonville or Wichita. As you so accurately put it, "this is not big time tv, not by a long shot."

Stillriledup · 03-31-2011, 06:01 PM

TVGs biggest problem over the years has been their inability to do what's right for the players. In other words, they're not catering to the players wants and needs, they're catering to their own wants and needs at the expense of their customers. They'll carry and promote tracks with high takeouts and they'll 'egg you on' to wager by having hosts release plays and tickets even if those hosts might not have any clue about the track their recommending. (example: Les Onaka releasing Meadowlands harness racing picks or Nick Hines releasing pick 3's from Turfway)

Now, if Les recommended a play at Los AL or Nick recommended a play at Hollywood, that's ok, but to be giving out plays from tracks they have no clue about, well, that just reeks of a business trying to fleece and dupe their customers. This is what TVG has done wrong over the years and probably the main reason they'll be out of the showing-races-on-tv business pretty soon.

teddy · 03-31-2011, 08:18 PM

I REMEMBER WHEN Todd gave Gary Stevens hell for jumping ship.. like he was a traitor, I thought that was rediculous and I am pretty sure Todd has the worst Roi of them all. Even the women that he has 20 years handicapping experience on. If any of them show up on HRTV I will be surprised. I dont think Bob B. had much connection to the fans, he was the son of some tip sheet guy and thought that was big do do. I thought he just made himself look like a joke. Chriss is a nice guy and hes probably one of the more intelligent ones there. Frank if he is gone will be back. He was too good at picking horses.

usedtolovetvg · 03-31-2011, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forego

Your post is spot-on. Every word of it. For TVG to call itself a "network" is absurd. CBS is a network. TVG is a satellite tv channel, also available on some cable systems. Same for HRTV. Ratings and sponsorship for both are non-existent. Each one is, and will always be, a money pit. Frankly, I'm shocked that either one still exists.

As for the hosts, they're making about what a sports anchor might make in a market like Jacksonville or Wichita. As you so accurately put it, "this is not big time tv, not by a long shot."

Thank you for that. I'm hoping I sounded like someone who worked there for, oh, nearly 12 years. Look for Betfair to close up the tv side when and if the Exchange takes hold.

kingfin66 · 03-31-2011, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usedtolovetvg

Thank you for that. I'm hoping I sounded like someone who worked there for, oh, nearly 12 years. Look for Betfair to close up the tv side when and if the Exchange takes hold.

I am very sorry to hear about you and the others being laid off. Twelve years is a long time. Your user ID indicates that it is where you wanted to be. I hope you land on your feet soon and find another job that you enjoy as much as the one you just left.

Forego · 03-31-2011, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usedtolovetvg

Thank you for that. I'm hoping I sounded like someone who worked there for, oh, nearly 12 years. Look for Betfair to close up the tv side when and if the Exchange takes hold.

I've worked in sports television my whole adult life. From reading your original post, I could tell you knew what you were talking about.

I won't get too deep into my opinions on TVG or HRTV. Let's just say I've always wondered what would happen if there were a real horse racing channel.

I'm sorry about what happened to you. I know how tough it is to find a staff job in this industry. I wish you the best.

JustRalph · 04-02-2011, 01:26 AM

Seibel confirms it

http://www.harnessracing.com/news/ga...soutattvg.html

Stillriledup · 04-02-2011, 01:33 AM

Interestingly enough, they canned the men who were voices of reason with calm demeanor. I guess Gary, Chris and Bob didnt yell ICE COLD often enough.

Mineshaft · 04-02-2011, 08:40 AM

Frank Lyons was on TVG last week so was he laid off or not?

JimG · 04-02-2011, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mineshaft

Frank Lyons was on TVG last week so was he laid off or not?

Good question. Possibly he was taken off salary and agreed to be used on an as needed basis?