TVG buys HRTV

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by jnunan4759

On my cable, TVG is about 15 hours per day of infomercials.

I think the horseplayer definitely loses on this one. Plus I just renewed HrTV for 2 years, so I'm kind of getting ripped off.

I watched TVG yesterday for a few hours and found C. Bredar a positive addition to the broadcast.

I was surprised to find that even though they now feature Gulfstream Park, they are still incessantly filling and missing live posts. They are basically live at GP, AQU, SA and will only show a live race from elsewhere if it doesn't impact some prepackage fill.

There is no reason to show Tampa Bay Downs on tape delay when you are only covering 3 frigging tracks. I'm certain most bettors would opt for a live racing call vs. a real time post parade of 10k claimers at Aqueduct. Senseless. Hopefully they can bring in a producer that has a clue.

[South Beach Luv]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

I watched TVG yesterday for a few hours and found C. Bredar a positive addition to the broadcast.

I was surprised to find that even though they now feature Gulfstream Park, they are still incessantly filling and missing live posts. They are basically live at GP, AQU, SA and will only show a live race from elsewhere if it doesn't impact some prepackage fill.

There is no reason to show Tampa Bay Downs on tape delay when you are only covering 3 frigging tracks. I'm certain most bettors would opt for a live racing call vs. a real time post parade of 10k claimers at Aqueduct. Senseless. Hopefully they can bring in a producer that has a clue.

Why can't Tampa, Fairgrounds, and Oaklawn all be shown live on the HRTV channel and let TVG air the three tracks you mentioned. TVG can show stakes races like they did yesterday for the Southwest.
Yesterday Santa Anita and Fairgrounds were basically on top of each other. Couldn't watch Fairgrounds live on TV and there's no way I'm waiting up to ten minutes so I'm watching it on my phone. That seems like major BS now.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by South Beach Luv

Why can't Tampa, Fairgrounds, and Oaklawn all be shown live on the HRTV channel and let TVG air the three tracks you mentioned. TVG can show stakes races like they did yesterday for the Southwest.
Yesterday Santa Anita and Fairgrounds were basically on top of each other. Couldn't watch Fairgrounds live on TV and there's no way I'm waiting up to ten minutes so I'm watching it on my phone. That seems like major BS now.

I contend that they can show all of them live on TVG with enough time between for discussion.

3 tracks running a 1.5 minute race every 25 minutes and you can't get a 4th track live?

They can postpone a post parade or a super-beta prostate infomertial for a minute to get the races live. a decent producer should be able to juggle that.

[Pants II]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

I contend that they can show all of them live on TVG with enough time between for discussion.

3 tracks running a 1.5 minute race every 25 minutes and you can't get a 4th track live?

They can postpone a post parade or a super-beta prostate infomertial for a minute to get the races live. a decent producer should be able to juggle that.

Being a producer at Betfair or a track manager would be the best slapdick job ever.

We're talking about having a Betfair employee at 4-8 different tracks with a walkie talkie direct to the starter.

Way too difficult and far too much responsibility. It could interfere with dinner plans that evening.

[jnunan4759]

Caton Bredar did create a glaring example this weekend of the lack of legitimate racing knowledge at TVG. It was like Einstein teaching a high school physics class. Caton's great but HRTV has a bunch like her who are very good too. She showed the class difference in staff very clearly.

The production at HRTV has been excellent and their management has built a superior product with superior staff over the years. Remember TVG has been around years longer. The management that created TVG and though it was OK is now in charge of the future of racing on TV. That's a scary thought. To change the clown-car lineup would make them admit they were wrong all along, something I think they would be hesitant to do. I can't see them wanting to do anymore things like bringing Caton Bredar in, it just makes people want more of her and less of their chosen talent. I have to think they weren't happy how overmatched their big-guns looked this weekend. And Caton went over and above to avoid that, but she's just so much better.

They are really in a mess now.

BTW I have Verizon Fios in PA and pay extra for both TVG and HRTV. I don't get TVG in HD. What I get now is a shrunken HD signal in SD for them which is worse than a SD signal.

The only thing I like better about TVG is that they stream results and payouts on the "creeper" on the bottom.

[jnunan4759]

I think the key to the whole deal is the involvement they want Amy Zimmerman to have. She is the top producer in the Thoroughbred industry today and she, and only she could make this work. She is the absolute best in the business and time will tell if TVG utilizes her. It's simple, if they do, they can succeed, if they don't they will certainly fail.

[saratogadew]

Originally Posted by jnunan4759

I think the key to the whole deal is the involvement they want Amy Zimmerman to have. She is the top producer in the Thoroughbred industry today and she, and only she could make this work. She is the absolute best in the business and time will tell if TVG utilizes her. It's simple, if they do, they can succeed, if they don't they will certainly fail.

I love TVG. Aren't they succeeding now?

"if they don't they will certainly fail". Moving forward, what exactly would be defined as failure?

[South Beach Luv]

Originally Posted by South Beach Luv

Why can't Tampa, Fairgrounds, and Oaklawn all be shown live on the HRTV channel and let TVG air the three tracks you mentioned. TVG can show stakes races like they did yesterday for the Southwest.

I'm happy but I pay for both channels. Made no sense to have them both showing the same tracks after the merger.

[downtown denny]

It's Sunday & not only no Horizon, there's no Player with Aaron & Jeff. This is really going to be a tough decision for me in the next few months. Do they really think Crothers is better then Siegal??? Or Paul DeLuca knows more about Santa Anita then Kurt Hoover???

[IrishS]

What has happened to Pursuit of the Crown? The loss of the old programming at HRTV is terrible. I really looked forward to them, learned so much and enjoyed the game so much more. It is really important the TVG keep the programming that really gave insight to the races th t really give excitement to those of us who love the sport but can't get daily to the track.

[TouchOfGrey]

Originally Posted by downtown denny

It's Sunday & not only no Horizon, there's no Player with Aaron & Jeff. This is really going to be a tough decision for me in the next few months. Do they really think Crothers is better then Siegal??? Or Paul DeLuca knows more about Santa Anita then Kurt Hoover???

Aaron posted this yesterday on his Facebook page:

Jeff and I did our last show together this morning on HRTV/TVG. It has been a blessing to have such a fun job (if you can call it a job, I never did). We are on to a different endeavor but know that race fans will hear from us again, only through a different outlet. Many thanks to all the friends made and fans of racing wherever you may be. I know I can speak for both of us in wishing TVG the best of luck, make racing proud.

This all sucks on so many levels.

[kingsize14u]

The first thing that popped into my mind when I heard of the buyout was, crap, this will probably go as bad as when Sirius bought out XM. XM was by far a better outlet then Sirius ever thought about being. They had better programming, on air announcers, better stock price, and certainly better music. You would think that after borrowing over 500 million for the purchase that Sirius would have tried to fix something that wasn't really working. No, they eliminated most of the on air talent, dropped good programming for bad, (currently there are 12 Spanish channels). They kept doing what had made them an also ran in the first place. Their market share has trended downward since 2002. I have an XM receiver so I get all of Steve's show but Down the stretch is cut off mid show or earlier to hear Gameday which is broadcast on at least a dozen other channels. I know for a while if you had a Sirius receiver you only got an hour of ATR. Every other month Sirius will activate all inactive radios for a couple of weeks trying to get people to come back to the same bad product that they probably left for in the first place.
Now we are seeing the same thing in the TVG buyout of HRTV. On air talent was far superior on HRTV. Shows like Pursuit of the Crown/ Cup and On The Horizon were invaluable to many of us who closely follow the sport. On The Edge, First Call(while it lasted) and Players gave out excellent handicapping info. It was always nice to get historical views of long ago races and interviews with ex jocks, trainers, and owners. TVG has never had anything to offer. Their KD pre show doesn't take place until a day or 2 before the derby and even then they don't really tell you anything. Then there are the days when you have 1 announcer trying to fill in 15 or 20 minutes between races. There is nothing but incessant babbling, and talking to e mailers. The list of differences goes on and on.
It was kinda sad Saturday when I heard Scott H and Christina tell listeners if they wanted to see the big races they had to turn to TVG. Then the announcers at TVG had already stolen the catch phrase "The great race place" when speaking of Santa Anita. I know some of the better on air talent have gotten jobs on TVG and will probably be in the regular line-up and that some of the younger guys from TVG have been moved to the smaller track coverage at HRTV and that is fine. I think it is the likes of Siegel, Free, Hoover, Mandela, and others I have left out who will be missed the most. Certainly the lead up shows to the big events will be missed.
As I reluctantly turned the channel to TVG Saturday (I am a Dish subscriber) to watch the big races I was at least happy that I didn't hear Matt "where's my mirror" Carruthers and Todd "the human boat anchor" Chump with their dog and pony show. In my opinion they are pretty hard to put up with. Carruthers is as at least knowledgable on the game but there is just something about him that as a listener rubs me the wrong way. Todd Chump just doesn't know much at all. I could mute the tv but since I am out of the room a lot I have to know when the horses are loading so I am forced to leave the volume up. At least we are blessed that Ken Rudolph resigned a year or so ago. That would be impossible.
Maybe in the future TVG will bring back some of the good shows that HRTV provided but I am not going to hold my breath. To me the bottom line is that TVG is only interested in getting you to bet on their website. I don't see them trying to improve on their already bad product, which now is the only product in town. Johnny D, it's time for Express Bet to start a channel.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are mine and only mine. If you agree, fine; if you disagree, fine. If you don't care, fine. If you are offended you might see if your Dr. can prescribe some skin thickening cream. I personally just don't see where this can be good for racing. Oh yes, as far as most of the International racing they show late at night, I really don't care to watch horses running the wrong direction!

[3kings]

Jeff Siegal just posted on Twitter that he and Aaron are looking at a few options but will reappear together in the horse racing industry.