While the Thoroughbred industry is set to welcome back racing at Belmont Park this Wednesday, the races will not be shown on TVG. Reporting for HorseRacingNation, Ron Flatter said that NYRA races will appear only on FOX Sports, MSG+ and across advance-deposit wagering platforms, including TVG.
“FOX Sports has significantly increased its commitment to horse racing every year since our partnership began in 2016,” said Tony Allevato, Chief Revenue Officer for NYRA and the president of the company's advance-deposit wagering platform NYRA Bets. “This year, FOX Sports presented NYRA with the opportunity to further expand national television coverage of Belmont Park. We jumped at the opportunity to provide horseplayers and racing fans with more hours of live horse racing than ever before through FOX Sports and their family of regional networks.”
Officials at Churchill Downs were also unable to come to an agreement to have its races broadcast on TVG this spring. Instead, the races are appearing on the network's sister channel TVG2 and also daily on the 'America's Day at the Races Program,' in which Churchill partners with NYRA and FOX.
“NYRA has informed us that it will not entertain granting non-exclusive television rights to TVG,” Kip Levin, CEO of TVG, told HRN. “We are disappointed that after a 20-year partnership and at such a crucial time for the sport, racing fans will be inconvenienced because Belmont Park's races will not be available on either TVG or our simulcasts of 'Trackside Live' on NBCSN.”
NYRA Bets is available in 29 states, according to its website. Churchill Downs operates an ADW of its own at TwinSpires.com, while The Stronach Group–which operates Gulfstream, Santa Anita and Laurel–runs 1/ST Bet, Xpressbet and XBTV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
