Racing Victoria Clarifies Sky Position
- Thursday, 03 October 2002 00:00
The Victorian Racing Industry would like to place on record its response to the article prepared by Tony Bourke published in The Age newspaper today (3 October 2002)
The negotiation of the TAB Agency / Sky Channel contract for the provision of broadcast services has always been a matter for TABCORP, as manager of Joint Venture operations and not the Victorian Racing Industry.
The Victorian Racing Industry (VRI) is ready, willing and able to perform its obligations under the JV agreement and at no time has the VRI sought to resile from its obligations.
The Victorian Racing Industry appreciates that a stalemate in negotiations between TABCORP / Sky Channel could result in serious inconvenience to punters. To suggest that the VRI is not concerned with such an outcome is incorrect and misleading. Both Sky and TABCORP have assured the VRI that a stalemate has not been reached in their negotiations and that talks are continuing between both parties.
The assertion that the Victorian Racing Industry handed Sky a TV rights monopoly in its negotiations with Sky six months ago misses the point entirely.
Skys position in the market as the only national broadcaster of Australian racing is the same in 2002 as it was in 1996 when the TAB Agency contract last come up for negotiation. In recognition of Skys position, Racing Victoria Media Pty Ltd (now ThoroughVisioN Pty Ltd) negotiated a television rights deal with Sky which created the conditions for the continuity for the racing picture in Victoria.
The VRI supports TABCORP, our managing Joint Venture partner in its negotiations with Sky Channel to achieve an outcome for the supply of the Sky racing service to TAB Agencies at a reasonable commercial fee.
Media Release - Racing Victoria
