Irish Racing Coverage

The Mig

Terrible news

https://twitter.com/RacingPost/status/959376863121629184

BorneTobyWilde

That's a shame. Even Dundalk on a Friday. No more Get in
Even small donkey derby meetings, which are the bread and butter of racing. Nothing better than local hores on local tracks.

Francie Barrett

This is going to be a nuisance. There is an awful lot of overlapping with races, but at least with ATR and Racing UK both covering a lot of meetings, it meant you could watch both at once, or switch between the one that interested you. With most races now going to Racing UK, it's inevitable that punters will lose out.

The Mig

They would have to do 2 channels you'd imagine. If they continue with one channel on the really big days you'll have split screens on split screens and less coverage and analysis. The Irish racing coverage on ATR on the big days would be the best for me and is a really big loss.

Francie Barrett

The Mig wrote: »

They would have to do 2 channels you'd imagine. If they continue with one channel on the really big days you'll have split screens on split screens and less coverage and analysis. The Irish racing coverage on ATR on the big days would be the best for me and is a really big loss.

If there's a big race meeting in the UK, and a big one in Ireland, it is of course inevitable that Ireland will lose out.

The Mig

Stephens Day 2019 be some craic

BumperD

The Mig wrote: »

Terrible news

https://twitter.com/RacingPost/status/959376863121629184

That is a shame

Gavin "shels"

Pity. Any reasoning behind it?

danganabu

Gavin shels wrote: »

Pity. Any reasoning behind it?

Same reason as for anything I assume €€€€

Mr321

I'm absoulty gutted and raging about this. ATR comes with the package that most people have with sky/virgin etc basically the majority of Irish/English racing fans/punters. Good coverage from the festivals etc with whoever be it on track or previews/the Irish angle. I would record a lot of the Irish races and watch them when home from work and then the weekends or Dundalk on a Friday night as mentioned above. They wouldn't have to many English races to cover now.
I for one won't be buying racing uk channel as it is I can't really stand a lot of the presenters/panels that I see host through their twitter.

Its a shame as I'd fear the future now for at the races channel and their fantastic website, this no doubt also effects the website replays rights etc.
Be a lot of the presenters made redundant to I'd imagine

Awful shame as many here racing UK Chanel as a matter of interest?

Wonder will this deal effect any of the few races that RTE cover.

famagusta

This is unbelievable news, putting racing out of reach of the normal punter even more. Terrible decision. I would say 90%of lads on here don't have racing uk. I don't anyway.

STB.

Gavin shels wrote: »

Pity. Any reasoning behind it?

I wonder whether its a casualty of the changes to the commercial media rights for Horse racing in general.

RMG have moved all the rights that Arena had from Turf TV to bookies owned SIS. This kicks in from April. SIS GBI (a channel co owned by ATR and RUK) will cease to exist at the end of the year.

This could result in the end of Turf TV. Turf TV's sister company is Racing UK. Sounds like someone lost the commercial end of their business but gained on the retail end.

famagusta

i'm in the process of sending an email to AIR, i suggest some of ye do the same if you can, they will ratify the decision next wednesday.

http://www.air.ie/

info@air.ie

The Mig

famagusta wrote: »

This is unbelievable news, putting racing out of reach of the normal punter even more. Terrible decision. I would say 90%of lads on here don't have racing uk. I don't anyway.

Got an email today from RUK about a free 1 month trial. If not cancelled within the month you automatically enter a 12 month sub at €31 a month. Very steep!

BorneTobyWilde

A big part of any bet is tuning in to see it run. Would not be the same to gamble on something and then just to check the result. That is going backwards, not forward.

danganabu

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

A big part of any bet is tuning in to see it run. Would not be the same to gamble on something and then just to check the result. That is going backwards, not forward.

All gambling sites allow you to watch a race if you have a bet on it with them. Yes you only get the actual race but its better than nothing or of course the €300 plus a year.

Slattsy

Never saw the value in RUK or ATR to be honest.

I work Monday to Friday.
Any race worth watching on a Saturday is on UTV.
Generally if i want to watch a race I bet online to view or can see the replay within a few minutes.

I says

In twenty years when the question is asked why young people aren’t interested in racing this is the start of it.Racing will get as much mainstream exposure now as showjumping and other sports gone off free tv and easily accessible channels like ATR.
Very disappointing news €31 a month to much for me.

WickIow Brave

Irish racing on Racing UK ffs. This is disgusting. Our ancestors didn't die for this. In all seriousness though this is bad news. Really short sighted from whoever made this decision. RUK can't even be bothered to put Cheltenham races on YouTube now. Money talks I suppose. Disappointing.

EICVD

What I’d like to know is did/will TV3 go for RTEs media rights of the big meetings here? Was talk they might when they announced they’d be showing the ITV coverage.

WickIow Brave

EICVD wrote: »

What I’d like to know is did/will TV3 go for RTEs media rights of the big meetings here? Was talk they might when they announced they’d be showing the ITV coverage.

No, an announcement today that RTE will showing Irish racing until 2022 I think. It's up on the Irish Racing website. They'll be showing more racing aswell like the Hatton's Grace meeting which they haven't shown in a few years and also a meeting in Gowran. Doesn't specify but Thyestes Day I presume?

EICVD

WickIow Brave wrote: »

No, an announcement today that RTE will showing Irish racing until 2022 I think. It's up on the Irish Racing website. They'll be showing more racing aswell like the Hatton's Grace meeting which they haven't shown in a few years and also a meeting in Gowran. Doesn't specify but Thyestes Day I presume?

Cheers for that. Definitely remember them showing the Hattons Grace meeting before & Thystes back in the day, can recall coming in the door from school to see Wylde Hyde win it. Could be Red Mills day too though.

Neighsayer

It's difficult to know what's going to happen here.  Is Irish racing going to be re-branded as UK racing or will they re-brand the channel.  I spend most of my time outside Ireland but through legal means or otherwise I get to watch Sky TV most of the time and ATR is part of the basic variety package. Most places don't have RUK.  I am involved in a number of syndicates and spend around €5,000 a year on my share of training fees and expenses and probably another €2,500/3,000 on buying replacement horses.  I also contribute a bit to Boylesports profits.  I enjoy the live racing coverage, the pre race and post race interviews etc and I think the GOB and the rest of the ATR Irish team are really good.  If I can't get the same level of coverage and that feeling of being at the track I will definitely reconsider my racing spend at least until I'm back in Ireland full time and get to go to the track more.

HandsomeBob

I laughed at this news, as I could imagine the phone call my oul lad would be making to UPC/Sky/whatever today if he was alive.

That's greed for you anyway.

Mr321

There's a lot more in this as I said earlier then just the coverage move.
Obviously its a about money but the bookies also gain here, people will put on a bet to.watch a race now through the online or go into shops and end up betting without intedning
Take for instance the return of Faugheen this year. Is someone hadn't sky but had online betting accounts they put something on a horse to watch that race no doubt.
Also your Gary O Brien's, Kieran O Sullivan's and the final podcast all came from ATR and Irish racing.
The ATR website as I stated earlier also will be effected with no rights to video replays.
I wouldn't even go onto that Racing UK website as its pure useless so can only imagine what the channel must be like and at prices mentioned earlier for it they can stick it.

This just pushes an already one sides Irish Racing away further from the fans/ punter and into the fat cats hands

BoroMan32

I says wrote: »

In twenty years when the question is asked why young people aren’t interested in racing this is the start of it.Racing will get as much mainstream exposure now as showjumping and other sports gone off free tv and easily accessible channels like ATR.
Very disappointing news €31 a month to much for me.

I don't think many people actually pay the €31 a month; I've had Racing UK since their Black Friday deal a few years back and have never paid more than €12.50 a month for it. They'll keep giving you 4 or 6 months at the reduced price each time you ring to cancel.

That said, with them having the Irish coverage from the start of next year they may be less likely to offer the cut price deals.

Irish racing in glorious HD will be very welcomed; as others have said hopefully they'll add a second channel or some red button type service to avoid split screens on the busier days.

I fully accept that this is very bad news for the majority of older punters who enjoy a recreational bet and watch ATR free in the evenings. Ideally ATR would have held on to the package and offered a HD product.

Mr321

Emmet Kennedy has a blog now on ATR... Hmm would anyone agree that Kevin Blake seen the break away coming from the Irish races on ATR and will go full time
With JOP and a bit of Independent Freelancing?

UrbanFret

RUK is a horrible channel full of traitors like willoughby and mcnae. Wonder where their t shirts are now. the "save attheraces ones". Watch the rubbish on your android phone for free anyway, cast it to your tv . jobs a good one!

STB.

The encryption of the bookies channels on 4.8E was broken 2 years ago.

They musnt regard it as an issue.

JJ59

This is a mistake although ATR did not help itself by not going HD. I enjoy both channels and each ahs its weakness and strengths. The current arrangement worked well as they complimented each other. Mind you I'm still waiting for Virgin media to carry RUK HD. Its a bad move however for Irish racing as it will be badly squeezed with all the busy Saturdays in Britain. Also can't see the smaller Irish courses like Ballinrobe and Roscommon for example getting the same amount of coverage. Look at tomorrow with three meetings in Britain. What about covering Galway and Goodwood on one channel or Stephen's day. Finally I can't see how the subscription won't go up.

Francie Barrett

JJ59 wrote: »

This is a mistake although ATR did not help itself by not going HD.

The lack of HD on ATR is a shocker alright.

The Mig

The lack of HD on ATR is due to the infrastructure at most Irish tracks. Something to do with cabling or something.

Imhof Tank

This move has nothing whatsoever to do with punters or whats best in the medium to long term.

Irish racing has become totally dependent on the tv money, the likes of Sligo, Roscommon and many others wouldnt survive without it. The only issue is what ATR were offering for the contract renewal - if it was even 1 cent less than the current deal they were gone.

Shemale

Had RUK twice and it was crap, if they did two packages, one National Hunt and one Flat I might consider going back after this decision, to be paying €30 a month(or whatever it is) for 12 months when you are only interested in 6 months of racing isn't appealing at all especially given the awful state of it.

Nulty

Must say the Leopardstown Legends pieces ATR are doing are brilliant. Need more like it

Realalemadrid

The Mig wrote: »

The lack of HD on ATR is due to the infrastructure at most Irish tracks. Something to do with cabling or something.

That can't be true, it's more down to ATR not bothering to invest. RTE cover all racing in HD at a variety of tracks, so it can't be a track specific issue.

When Setanta Sport was going you could subscribe to RUK as part of a package at the time - an Irish specific channel with a similar link up to eir could work well. Hoping for the best for this deal yet.

Gavin "shels"

Realalemadrid wrote: »

RTE cover all racing in HD at a variety of tracks, so it can't be a track specific issue.

Ever see a race from Ballinarobe, Wexford, Dundalk, Roscommon, Clonmel, etc.. on RTE though?

Realalemadrid

Gavin shels wrote: »

Ever see a race from Ballinarobe, Wexford, Dundalk, Roscommon, Clonmel, etc.. on RTE though?

The Winning Post programme that showcases evening racing from some Irish racecourses is shown on Sky Sports in HD while simulcast in SD on ATR - I've seen Killarney Ballinrobe and courses like that on it.

The Mig

Realalemadrid wrote: »

That can't be true, it's more down to ATR not bothering to invest. RTE cover all racing in HD at a variety of tracks, so it can't be a track specific issue.

When Setanta Sport was going you could subscribe to RUK as part of a package at the time - an Irish specific channel with a similar link up to eir could work well. Hoping for the best for this deal yet.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/horse-racing/armchair-irish-fans-left-behind-with-no-hd-on-horizon-until-2019-35352262.html

A quote from the above link

For ATR to have Irish racing in HD it must have all its British races – roughly double the Irish number – in HD too. And not only is there the ARC issue: SIS, which relays the Irish pictures, has not yet installed the necessary fibre cables at all Irish venues, something quite problematic in this regard.

Realalemadrid

Realalemadrid wrote: »

The Winning Post programme that showcases evening racing from some Irish racecourses is shown on Sky Sports in HD while simulcast in SD on ATR - I've seen Killarney Ballinrobe and courses like that on it.

Just to qualify that - I'm no tech Geek but I'd imagine these pictures are probably "upscaled HD" not real HD but in any case they look better than the rubbish picture we get on ATR most of the time.

Realalemadrid

The Mig wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/sport/horse-racing/armchair-irish-fans-left-behind-with-no-hd-on-horizon-until-2019-35352262.html

A quote from the above link

For ATR to have Irish racing in HD it must have all its British races – roughly double the Irish number – in HD too. And not only is there the ARC issue: SIS, which relays the Irish pictures, has not yet installed the necessary fibre cables at all Irish venues, something quite problematic in this regard.

Fair enough with regards the specific tracks - bit in bold just sounds like an excuse mind you.

RivetingRoger

Chapman with what seems to be a goodbye and thank you tweet a little earlier, added to his no show on "On the Line" last night....
Has he left the building?????

To hear the HRI come out today and defend their disgraceful sell out of Irish punters is sickening

Mr321

RUK say no second channel for racing from.them and Chelmsford also moving to RUK

At The Races will be gone after a year from the move at this rate.

Can't believe it

tv3tg4

At the races were pretty good. Can't see casual viewers subscribing to a service like racing UK.

STB.

Mr321 wrote: »

RUK say no second channel for racing from.them and Chelmsford also moving to RUK

At The Races will be gone after a year from the move at this rate.

Can't believe it

Gone in a year !

Theyll be gone by the summer at this rate.

The retail contract is gone on 1/1/19 with Chelmsford & Irish meetings. More importantly the rights arm of ATR had a joint venture with RUK for the international rights via a station called SIS GBI which is gone in April.

This I guess is the saving one station and sacrificing another.

RUK's sister station is/was the commercial setup in Turf TV which lost out to SIS.

SIS is largely owned by the big bookies.

In turn SIS have sold the retail rights to RUK, rather than ATR. No one knows if there was any monetary gain. The Irish rights got a big pay off though according to the Racingpost. Wonder will it make its way to the tracks ?

krustydoyle

Im probably repeating the same point a few others have but ATR will be missed and theres no way RUK can show Irish Racing without clashing with english meetings.. I could see viewers been left with Racing Replay as the main option to see the entire race because the split screen view will drive you up the wall. I can also see the freelance hosts jumping ship to cover the irish racing too so we might end up with the same faces covering it as we do now.. Id love for RUK to start another channel but in terms of costings it won't happen unless they hike up the sub cost.

STB.

@krustydoyle, Michael O Leary made that very point in the RP today.

According to the HRI/Racecources Assoc, they have been given assurances that it will not receive any less coverage and attenton.

Dont know how they can do that without setting up a second station.

krustydoyle

STB. wrote: »

@krustydoyle, Michael O Leary made that very point in the RP today.

According to the HRI/Racecources Assoc, they have been given assurances that it will not receive any less coverage and attenton.

Dont know how they can do that without setting up a second station.

Ah I didn't know that, i may look up that interview.. The coverage will surely be less unless they set up another channel. Unless they're idea of less coverage is the split screen option.

Francie Barrett

https://www.irishracing.com/news?headline=HRI-welcome-Racing-UK-deal&prid=188990

For the first time, all races in Ireland will be broadcast in HD

At least that is something.

Lloyderz

I'll miss the Irish Angle the most out of all ATRs programs. Richard Pugh going through all the up and coming P2P horses was great for adding to the horse tracker!

Envoi Allen will probably top the Cheltenham sale next week. Same trainer Colin Bowe who had Samrco. Very impressive debut: https://vimeo.com/254307070

antietam

This move was to happen three years ago but legal arguments and planning permission curtailed it then.The Initial deal was to buy the rights to Chelmsford and close Kempton[all weather] 50% of that has now been achieved with the closing of Kempton a formality.The Irish side of this agreement could have staggering consequences for small tracks/owners as HRI/RUK do not want to fund the smaller tracks.Tracks under their collective knifes are Sligo,Roscommon,Downpatrick,Dundalk[proposal 3 years ago to build a new all weather in Kildare with Naas mentioned].The funding of 9,000e per meeting from Sky helped these tracks develop their grounds as HRI withheld partial proportions of grants owed and 2018 will be at an all time low for these tracks as they got no mention in the programme going forward.The pr machine of HRI has been in full flow and their massaging of figures is akin to a dimly lit Chinese parlor at 8pm on a Friday night but refuse to take questions on the following.1.Why have 60% of syndicates left the sport in the last five years.2..Why have HRI seen fit to accommodate more graded races far in excess of the UK per head of horse population.3..Why can 5 owners on an ongoing basis take 80% of all prize monies afforded to graded races without HRI seeing the consequence.4..Are HRI aware of any horse owners in Ireland that have investments in RUK or its holding companies.5..The biggest employer of staff in racing in Ireland , Michael O Leary has recently said "this move is staggering incompetence and will have a huge detrimental effect on racing in years to come".If O Leary is against it who was for it and why.6..How can RUK cover Irish racing adequately with 38 UK tracks to cover.7..Were RUK behind the idea of staging the "Dublin racing festival"and will the idea of elite festivals be the norm going forward both nh/flat to the absolute detriment of the small owner/trainer/jockey/breeder.