Harness Racing needs something better than Sky 1

[Messenger]

That is an insult transferring a G1 race no matter where it may be to a lesser channel. It infuriates me when Sky1 relegates a city GP race for some ''back of Burke" greyhound race. I avoid all Foxtel sky racing as much as possible it's Trots Vision for me in Vic that is fantastic wish we had that in WA.

I was watching on TrotsVision too Rod, what I believe may have happened is that it wasn't shafted to Sky 2 - it was always scheduled for Sky 2

[thepacingman]

That is an insult transferring a G1 race no matter where it may be to a lesser channel.

Why is Sky 2 a lesser channel? Is it an ego trip to have the races on Sky 1? Doesn't matter if it's on 1 or 2. Whatever channel any race is on if you want to watch it you do. What's so hard about changing the channel? Sky 2 is free now. Surely you're not saying that people won't bet on a race because it's on Sky 2.

But a bigger insult is actually calling that trot a Group 1 race. Ridiculous. Just the standard of a normal FFA. Way too many group races these days which should be quality not quantity.

[Messenger]

You have a point Stephen. I think people think that the casual punter is more likely to be tuned into Sky 1 and not flicking between channels. I think it would be interesting to know what % of the pools are $100+ bets because I suspect that stable bets and pro punter bets are the vast majority of the pools and that they will be placing their bets no matter what platform the races are on

[Messenger]

One industry source said the racing bodies in contract negotiations with Sky felt they had a “gun to their head”. If they didn’t give Sky all rights to their content – including international and digital - they would be punished domestically by being dropped from channel Sky 1 to Sky 2, they said.

Racing authorities want out of Sky Channel broadcast deals

https://amp.smh.com.au/business/comp...20-p59y1w.html

[Showgrounds]

...and Harness Racing needs something better than Sky 2!

Tonight we had the ludicrous situation of:

* a NR64-68 Ben Yole benefit (8 of 10 starters) at Launceston, programmed to start at 6:54, ran two minutes late but got full screen coverage. You would assume;

* the Group One 2700m New Zealand Messenger, which was due to stat in Auckland at 6:58 EST, may also have been running behind schedule, and

* a Class 1 gallops race at Geraldton in up country WA was scheduled to jump at 7:00.

What eventuated? We saw the grand spectacle of the Ben Yole Benefit in all its glory.

We missed the first 500m of the NZ Messenger, then had the indignity of the screen being shared with static vision of gallopers being loaded into the barrier at Geraldton. Both races ran simultaneously until Geraldton finished and we briefly got full screen vision at Alexandra Park after the horses crossed the line. But vision was chopped off a hundred metres later. Oh, which venue got the race commentary? Alexandra Park had it briefly until Geraldton jumped. Class 1 bush gallops are greater importance than Group 1 pacers it seems. No further commentary from NZ.

Appropriately, when the plug was pulled on Alexandra Park we got lovely images of a Greyhound taking a dump on the way to the boxes for the first at Angle Park. That, my friends, accurately describes how Sky Channel treats harness racing.

[Messenger]

Sky Racing reschedules six of today's Hamilton trots races

No surprise there

If you listen to the sound bite, Dayle Brown talks about TrotsVision here as being a viable alternative BUT as much as I love TrotsVision
What we really have to address here is the fact that we are virtually irrelevant
Wont ever be for me but to survive we have to turn around our decline in the market

[Big K]

What a disgrace Sky Channel can be at times.. was thinking to have a bet on the first at Kellerberrin on Sunday.. was watching Sky 2 and there was nothing on screen about the first race, just vision of empty boxes at a dog meet coming up in five minutes.I went to check my betting app when suddenly vision came bursting onto the screen of the race 80mts after the start.. the CBF attitude is unbelievable.. not one mention about the upcoming race before hand. Then Pinjarra trots the following day.. if you were on Sky 1 you would not know they were racing on Sky 2 in the early races.. no mention and nothing on screen.. what a unprofessional disgrace they can be.

[Messenger]

Yes Kev, I bet it doesn't happen to the gallops very often.
I am pretty happy having TrotsVision for Vic trots

[Showgrounds]

What a disgrace Sky Channel can be at times.. was thinking to have a bet on the first at Kellerberrin on Sunday.. was watching Sky 2 and there was nothing on screen about the first race, just vision of empty boxes at a dog meet coming up in five minutes.I went to check my betting app when suddenly vision came bursting onto the screen of the race 80mts after the start.. the CBF attitude is unbelievable.. not one mention about the upcoming race before hand. Then Pinjarra trots the following day.. if you were on Sky 1 you would not know they were racing on Sky 2 in the early races.. no mention and nothing on screen.. what a unprofessional disgrace they can be.

Yep, I had been watching the NZ feature meeting from Ashburton on Sky 2. It had full TAB coverage here and I was waiting for race 8 when I noticed they were televising Mt Gambier Greyhounds. Somebody at Sky had decided that nobody would be interested in watching the Group 2 NZ Sapling Stakes for 2 year old colts and geldings.

An absolute disgrace.