Attheraces: TV Rights Deadline Unlikely to Be Met
With the current media rights deal due to terminate at midnight on Monday 29th March, attheraces wishes to explain its plans for the immediate future.
Although discussions are still ongoing with all parties, attheraces believes there is little chance of achieving a successful outcome before Monday's deadline. Although negotiations with the 49 tracks continue, without new
contracts in place on 30th March, attheraces will cease the broadcast of live UK horseracing. In this event attheraces hopes to continue with its evening broadcast of the popular US racing programme, albeit a cut-down
version. attheraces intends to remain in negotiations with all parties to try and secure a new agreement even if the broadcast of UK racing ceases.
In the meantime, attheraces hopes to be able to continue to license UK Racing for broadcast in betting offices and other overseas customers and has today written to the courses requesting a one-month contract relating to
overseas rights. attheraces is fully aware of the value that these rights bring the racing industry in this country and does not wish the ongoing media rights discussions to jeopardise UK Racing's standing in the
international market.
attheraces also intends to continue to operate its betting business, which has grown rapidly over the last year and recently achieved record turnover during the three days of the Cheltenham Festival. All account holders with
BET attheraces will continue to be able to bet as normal on the phone and via the internet after the 29th March and will be unaffected by the protracted media rights negotiations. All customer account balances are
protected.
Ian Hogg, Managing Director of attheraces said: 'We have been working hard to ensure that the channel does not go off air but, as it stands, we will have no choice but to shut down the broadcast of the UK racing product. The
attheraces channel has been of considerable benefit to the racing industry in this country and over 850,000 people watched our coverage of the Cheltenham week. attheraces remains the industry's only viable option looking forwards.'
For more details contact:
Tom Earl, attheraces 0207 291 1674 or 07973 150 036
Although discussions are still ongoing with all parties, attheraces believes there is little chance of achieving a successful outcome before Monday's deadline. Although negotiations with the 49 tracks continue, without new
contracts in place on 30th March, attheraces will cease the broadcast of live UK horseracing. In this event attheraces hopes to continue with its evening broadcast of the popular US racing programme, albeit a cut-down
version. attheraces intends to remain in negotiations with all parties to try and secure a new agreement even if the broadcast of UK racing ceases.
In the meantime, attheraces hopes to be able to continue to license UK Racing for broadcast in betting offices and other overseas customers and has today written to the courses requesting a one-month contract relating to
overseas rights. attheraces is fully aware of the value that these rights bring the racing industry in this country and does not wish the ongoing media rights discussions to jeopardise UK Racing's standing in the
international market.
attheraces also intends to continue to operate its betting business, which has grown rapidly over the last year and recently achieved record turnover during the three days of the Cheltenham Festival. All account holders with
BET attheraces will continue to be able to bet as normal on the phone and via the internet after the 29th March and will be unaffected by the protracted media rights negotiations. All customer account balances are
protected.
Ian Hogg, Managing Director of attheraces said: 'We have been working hard to ensure that the channel does not go off air but, as it stands, we will have no choice but to shut down the broadcast of the UK racing product. The
attheraces channel has been of considerable benefit to the racing industry in this country and over 850,000 people watched our coverage of the Cheltenham week. attheraces remains the industry's only viable option looking forwards.'
For more details contact:
Tom Earl, attheraces 0207 291 1674 or 07973 150 036