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According to the Racing Post Online William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred and BAGS served a writ on Friday against a string of parties, from Turf TV’s partners Alphameric and Racing UK, and their joint venture Amrac, to Jockey Club Racecourses’ holding company, to 17 individually-named tracks.
The writ alleges ‘serious restriction and distortion of the market through collective selling’.
Amrac and the racecourses’ counterclaim alleges that deals agreed with Arena Leisure and Northern Racing-owned courses by BAGS/SIS – the previous monopoly pictures supplier which Ladbrokes and Hills part-own – were in themselves anti-competitive, as they sought to prevent Turf TV’s entry to the market.
The counterclaim, which also draws SIS into litigation, alleges ‘concerted practice’ by the bookmakers in withdrawing sponsorship from racecourses and in refusing to take Turf TV.
Morcombe said on Sunday: "My understanding is that the first available date after April 21 would be set aside by the high court to hear both claims."The writ alleges ‘serious restriction and distortion of the market through collective selling’."
The cheeky barristers!
Such hypocrisy.
Colin
The biggest joke about it all is that SiS’ (and the bookmakers’) main reason as cited by them for the court case is "uncompetitive behaviour". So, a company who previously held the monopoly unchallenged is suing on grounds of uncompetitive behaviour once someone enters their marketplace? You couldn’t make it up!
As an aside Steve, Alphameric and Racing UK aren’t Turf TV’s partners, per se. Alphameric and Racing UK pooled resources to set up the company Amrac, whose product is Turf TV, TTV isn’t actually a company in their own right despite common opinion.
All the above was a quote from Racing Post Unfortunately you cant link from RP online so i cut and paste.
I just copied it and pasted.
I saw that today in the paper, Steve.
What a surprise – yet more sloppy reporting after very little or no research is done. Makes you wonder what these journos get paid for, that is apart from sponging free lunches and loads of wine in the more exclusive restaurants on the racecourses……
This is a war that’s going to drag on for ages .. VC have also started returning their own SPs due to the shambles on course.
What a mess !!
The cheeky barristers!
I would assume the basis of their claim is why are they being charged 3 times as much, or whatever it is, for the same product they are currently receiving. Has this additonal cost been cause by a distortion of the market. It’s at times like this we need Wit back.
Let’s hope TurfTV accounted for the Big Three not playing ball in their original Cash & P/L Forecasts. If not there will be tears before bedtime.
At the moment the big bookies dont have a problem as they get to show the big races that are on C4 or BBC so they have a slight breathing space I assume Turf TV will eventually want to stop this deal though.
Steve, as far as I understand it as long as each shop has got a TV license they can show like from Terrestrial TV. So, I don’t see how TuftTV, or whoever they are, can stop them.
For a different perspective from that provided by the bookies’ mouth – oh sorry – the horses’ mouth, this is a link to a Sunday Times piece :
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b … 651498.ece
richard
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