Thanks Hoff.
The fact is that OTB and TVG/HRTV are quite different in that OTB operates under different regulations. NYS Racing law requires us to use in state product (NYRA/F'Lakes) live. Our agreement w/NYRA demands that Capital air the paddock and post parade as well. COTB makes every effort to air NYRA's "will-pays" and as much of their feed as possible.
As for the secondary tracks, due to the time commitment to NYRA, fitting in more than a replay is usually impossible. At this time of year, when the raceday is compressed and tracks are running races every 20-25 minutes, it's harder still. If there is a DQ or an inquiry at NYRA, or a hold up at the gate it's even more time taken from secondary products. The contract with Time Warner requires that CAP.OTB air 3 commercial breaks per hour. It doesn't seem like much time out of an hour but look at it like this:
Between 2 and 3 pm today we'll have 10 races to air, from 4 tracks. Allowing for 2 minutes per actual race (loading/gallop out + airing the result) that takes 20 minutes of the hour. Add to that the requirement of pretty much staying with the NYRA feed from 13 or so MTP per race and that's another 26 minutes, give or take. Remember too that at "2 MTP" many times you know the race won't start in 2 minutes. Now you've used 46 of your 60 minute hour. Add to that about 10 minutes of commentary/promotion of OTB events per hour and that allows 4 minutes for commercials.
We try to do commentary over the will-pays if possible to "kill two birds" (as it were) but it doesn't always work that way. We are dealing with a bottle neck, trying to feed out 4 signals. Just when it looks like you're about to get caught up, a gate delay, late scratch, loose horse throws off the rhythm.
I understand that sometimes mistakes are made. Things get missed and the wrong button gets pushed.
I have no influence as far as policy. I take orders. Trust me, there are times I wish things were different but as in any workplace, you take the bad with the good. Is the product perfect, no. But on balance I think that COTB does a pretty good job of getting racing out. This is a case of the perfect being the enemy of the good but TVG ain't perfect either.
|