Sky Racing

[cmo]

@JohnsonTV

The Australian is today reporting Tabcorp and the Victoria Racing Club have now agreed to a six-year contract – including sponsorship and other wagering rights – that could be worth more than $100m to the VRC

Also reporting that Tabcorp will produce the coverage.

[Sully]

Wonder what involvement, if any, Racing .com will now have in the Melbourne Cup carnival?

Also wonder how much input Nine will have, you’d think they will walk away if TABCorp don’t allow them to have at least a significant amount of ‘Nine’ to it (personalities, colour segments, tie-in with WWOS and network, promos, etc)? Which VRC clearly want and we know are chasing younger viewers, many of whom might be more interested in the off-field stuff, such as women. But obviously TAB are offering the bulk of money and will probably have the final say, despite VRC being in charge of the carnival.

[JohnsonTV]

Tabcorp’s Melbourne Cup Carnival broadcast deal confirmed.

@OnAir

The landmark agreement will see the VRC and Tabcorp enter a game changing partnership combining enhanced year-round sponsorship, and domestic and international media rights for the Carnival.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival will be broadcast on all SKY platforms and the TAB app, with Tabcorp having the right to on-sell the coverage to wagering providers.

@cmo

(The Australian is) reporting that Tabcorp will produce the coverage.

The VRC will produce the coverage.

[JohnsonTV]

Nine and Foxtel in battle for Tabcorp’s Sky Racing channels

[bacco007]

Odds on them ending up in both services?

[JohnsonTV]

Sky Racing is already available on Foxtel, so it’s inevitable it will extend to Kayo.

Stan however is a different scenario. It may or may not involve extra subscription cost.

[bacco007]

@JohnsonTV

Sky Racing is already available on Foxtel, so it’s inevitable it will extend to Kayo.

Yet it hasn’t happened despite racing.com getting a gig - suggests it might not be as inevitable as you’d think

[Moe]

I wonder if you just end up with just Sky 1 being on all the streaming platforms as a shop window to using their own platform for more?

[Jack_Laverty]

@JohnsonTV

Sky Racing is already available on Foxtel, so it’s inevitable it will extend to Kayo.

I would of thought this as well but not so much now, to add to this, Sky racing no has it’s own streaming app you can get and access the channels for free. So it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[bacco007]

@Moe

I wonder if you just end up with just Sky 1 being on all the streaming platforms as a shop window to using their own platform for more?

Tabcorp kind of tried this by having Sky 2 behind a paywall on Foxtel to try and create some exclusivity to the venues, they ended up abandoning it in part due to complaints about coverage getting punted from Sky 1 to Sky 2

The other issue will be that access to Sky 1 and 2 is fairly easy to get now, not only is it on Foxtel but every betting agency has it embedded in their apps now too. I think if you have a tab.com.au you can also use Skys own app too

[SamuelGS]

I would anticipate Sky will end up on both Kayo and Stan because Sky is really about being visible in as many places as possible to drive gambling revenue.

The negotiations might be more about the prominence (is it front and centre or buried in a submenu), whether it’s HD, and maybe even about some of the extra channels Sky have on their own app. Nine might want some extra cross-promotion of their own Melbourne Cup coverage from Sky in exchange for prominence on Stan.

It will be funny if Sky ends up being HD on Stan but remains SD on Foxtel, as the IQ boxes have the Stan app now so Foxtel viewers would have a roundabout way of getting HD, for the cost of a Stan subscription.

[melbviewer]

Might finally get Sky Racing 1 in HD at home rather than just the pub.

[BigVic]

Or Sky Racing ending up on LCN 90 on free to air is a far-fetched option with 9 simulcasting Sky1, Sky2 and TC on 96-98

[Jack_Laverty]

@BigVic

Or Sky Racing ending up on LCN 90 on free to air is a far-fetched option with 9 simulcasting Sky1, Sky2 and TC on 96-98

There was talk a while ago of ten doing a deal to get sky thoroughbred central as one of their channels so I would think if nine did get it and put it on Stan at best this is all that would go on FTA. I can’t see them putting Sky 1 and 2 on there.

[BigVic]

Sky TC is the best option for a second free-to-air racing channel

[melbviewer]

Yeh. Then you’d have all the main state’s racing on Free to Air.

I just wish the industry could come together and produce one single premium FTA racing channel in HD.

But I guess they want people to watch Sky 1 for all the other races because that’s where the revenue builds.

[BigVic]

It will be good to have FTA racing so punters don’t require a Foxtel STB to watch

[greenpea]

I’m a bit puzzled here as some sources like TV Tonight have mentioned discussions revolving around streaming rights for TABCORP’s Sky Channels, possibly for streaming on either Stan or Kayo Sports. Unless I’ve missed something, there hasn’t been any indication of potential Sky simulcasts on free-to-air (FTA) via Nine or the launch of a ‘Nine Racing/Stan Racing’ type service on either platform, although both scenarios could be feasible.

One realization I’ve had is that if Nine/Stan do acquire access to the Sky feeds and opt to broadcast either a combined wall-to-wall service or all three channels on FTA, they might encounter difficulties airing VIC Country/Metro thoroughbred meetings (beyond the Melbourne Cup). This is because, as far as I recall, Sky currently rebroadcasts Racing.com feeds/calls, which could lead to those meetings being ‘blacked out’ on any rival FTA broadcast of Sky.

[bacco007]

@greenpea

I’m a bit puzzled here as some sources like TV Tonight have mentioned discussions revolving around streaming rights for TABCORP’s Sky Channels, possibly for streaming on either Stan or Kayo Sports. Unless I’ve missed something, there hasn’t been any indication of potential Sky simulcasts on free-to-air (FTA) via Nine or the launch of a ‘Nine Racing/Stan Racing’ type service on either platform, although both scenarios could be feasible.

I think that it’s a case of Tabcorp wanting to be available in as many locations as possible - they’re losing potential viewer numbers as Foxtel’s STB subscribers dwindle and Racing.com has a significant benefit in being on Kayo and Freeview.

Having Sky Racing as a whole on FTA might not be a realistic or practical option (although I agree with the comment earlier in the thread that if you had to pick a service that could be on FTA, Thoroughbred Central is probably the pick of the choices), but other options open up their ability to be accessible on more Televisions than they currently are available on.

@melbviewer

I just wish the industry could come together and produce one single premium FTA racing channel in HD.

I can’t see this happening in the short to mid-term given the two major racing entities in NSW and Victoria are so diametrically opposed on a number of fundamental matters.

[greenpea]

You’re likely correct, @bacco007. However, just to clarify, I wasn’t suggesting that Nine should screen all three racing channels on their multiplex. Instead, I would envision a Nine-branded, comprehensive free-to-air racing service. This service could feature select Sky programs and broadcast meetings across all codes, and be complemented by additional racing content produced by Nine. Additionally, it would offer cross-promotional opportunities for Stan, Stan Sport, Sky Racing, and Nine’s print offerings. If Nine secures Sky vision rights.