- This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by
.
- Posts
I’m venturing into the realms of absurd whimsy here but stick with me.
Why doesn’t the BHA just withhold the publication of racecards (after all, it is their property) to the bookies and form an exchange for fixed odds punters and a totalisator system for those who like to play forecasts and whatnot.
The French don’t even bother with the exchange thing yet even their shi[/color:1dfzvdr8]tiest of races are worth at least seven grand sterling.
This seems so absurdly simple. Why don’t they do it?
What, if any, legal ramifications would there be?
Do we blame Thatcherite ideals for destroying racing’s levy?
Why doesn’t/can’t the BHA action the aforementioned plan?
Withholding racecard data and starting an alternative Tote would both be illegal.
Re the Tote, Fred Done has bought exclusive rights to pool betting which don’t expire until 2018.
Perhaps the pitiable shower of ex-public school deadbeats that run our sport might get around to buying up those rights in perpetuity in 2018, but don’t wait up. They had around 80 years to get it right, but failed to achieve anything.
Nothing to do with maggie and everyting to do with poor management of the sport. Why should racing be the only sport that relies on a legisltaion-backed levy? Why do racing’s management constantly bleat about the levy and waste £millions negitiating and monitoring it?
Like very other sport they need to license and sell their product. Internet bookmaker can’t take bets and make profit if they can’t reproduce the runners and riders.
They don’t own the racecards. They aren’t even allowed to tell you who is running and riding at a meeting – the racecourses own the rights.
They don’t own the exclusive license to run a tote, Betfred does. They didn’t even bid on it (I don’t think they wanted to compete with Paul Roy’s city mates attempt to flip it for a quick profit).
I don’t know about the legal ramifications of your proposals but the health and safety ramifications would be pretty dire. Every last man at 75 High Holburn needs the bookies’ permission every time they want to take a piss. If they started getting even remotely as Bolshy as you suggest I would expect that permission to be withdrawn indefinitely.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.