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Home / News / TVG to Broadcast Santa Anita Winter Meet

TVG to Broadcast Santa Anita Winter Meet

  • horseracingnation.com
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  • December 18, 2012 4:06 PM
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TVG, America’s Horseracing Network, will add the upcoming 71-day Santa Anita winter race meet to its broadcast schedule, with coverage available to the most homes in the meet’s 76-year history.

 

“Having the Santa Anita meet on TVG will provide a significant boost for California racing,” said Tony Allevato, TVG executive vice president. “Along with airing the races on the most widely distributed horse racing television network in the country, we have secured major programming blocs on a number of Fox Sports affiliates, including FSN Prime, FSN West and Fox Sports San Diego. As a result, Santa Anita racing will enjoy wider everyday household distribution than at any time in its history, and will be available in more than 45 million homes.”

 

The Santa Anita meet runs from December 26-April 21, and features 41 graded stakes, highlighted by the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (March 2), and the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (April 6).

 

“Offering a rich history and tradition, the Santa Anita winter meet helps kickoff the racing season in grand style,” said Allevato. “TVG is thrilled to bring our fans all the action, as we begin the most extensive television coverage of California racing available,” said Allevato.

 

In addition, to celebrate its new Santa Anita coverage, TVG will launch the “California Dreamin’ Betting Contest,” a promotion that will award six weekly cash prizes and a grand prize trip to California that includes attendance at one of the state’s four biggest racing events.

 

The “California Dreamin’ Betting Contest” will run Saturdays from December 29-February 2, 2013, and involve wagering on races from Santa Anita, Aqueduct and Tampa Bay Downs. The contest will offer $20,000 in total prize money and a grand prize trip for two to California and the opportunity to attend either the Santa Anita Derby, the Hollywood Gold Cup, opening day at Del Mar or the TVG Pacific Classic. Go to TVG.com for details. 

 

“The ‘California Dreamin’ Betting Contest’ is a fun way to promote not only TVG’s exciting coverage of Santa Anita, but our presentation of a full winter racing schedule from around the country,” said Don Scott, TVG vice president of marketing.

 

TVG account holders can wager on all races from Santa Anita, Aqueduct and Tampa Bay Downs by visiting TVG.com.

 


 

Betfair  |  TVG (Television Games Network)  |  Santa Anita Park

What the Nation is saying about TVG to Broadcast Santa Anita Winter Meet...

Australia has it right. The TV provider, NOT the specific tracks, controls the race schedule to the point that there are NO overlap races, no races going off at the same time. They are all contracted so that IF they miss their scheduled post time (unless there is a logical excuse like an injury or gate malfuinction) if you are late, YOUR track loses the entire parimutuel for that race. WIth such a policy they run very smoothly.
It is also difficult to get staff to work 6 hour shifts a few days per week for not great pay. We are luck if each position does not go through at least three people a season.
So the track would have to absorb the inevitable increase in fees that the TV provider would have to encompass in their fees.
ANY updgrade STARTS with the company that covers the specific track. Each track contracts a company to provide the TV coverage AT ITS SOURCE.....TVG shows the final product not the source images.
Also as mobile cameramen you have problems of your signal getting to the studio. If you are on cable, you have to worry about people tromping on it or twisitng it and if you are on Rf attenae you have to be concerned with dead zones and obstruction via trees and other materials that block the signal.....Challenging and that is all in GOOD weather.
Why would the tracks have to cover the costs for the HD change? Wouldn't the cable station pay for that?
Putting on coverage is harder than I ever imagined. At the harness meeting we have 4 tower cameras, and upper and lower panorama cameras along with two photo finish cameras. All these incoming images have to be coordinated each race so that IF the judges need to look at a particular phase of the race, they can request two or three differeing views. Once they decide, that segment is then transftered to the main production studio for all the patrons to see on the TV's throughout the track. Each photo which the judges request is copied to a central sharing file with a second going to archival storage (required by parimutuel law). We have two in house camera systems: the judges views and then a second independent group of cameras that the racing organization uses for the "artsy" shots. When one is a cameraman you are in radio contact with the director who tells you when you are "up" and you have to be continually aware of the graphic overlays that will appear OVER the image you send in: you usually put the image of the horse in the upper right hand quadrant of the camera view.....It takes a lot of work coordinating the images each race day.
Do any of you realize the EXPENSE of an HD change over? Our cameras NOW run about $20,000 eacj and it would take all new viewing monitors etc. With all the cutbacks in broadcasting, the companies like ours have been laying off people left and right......The tracks are complaining that they pay too much for video coverage already. You have little idea of the difficulties that occure behind the scenes.
I had the misfortune of watching TVG at my sister in law's one day. Feeble, obnoxious and less than ordinary with commentary on par with the completely uninformed and inexperienced. Maybe it was that single day, but I doubt it. Never watched HRTV but the other, in a word, putrid.
This had to do with the CRB being critical of Stronach and company for not expanding TV coverage for meets at Santa Anita and Golden Gate. Once GG was on TVG it was just a matter of time for Santa Anita. Couldn't agree more about HD for racing. The stations are very much behind the times. Also I read in the Wall Street journal that the reason Direct TV did not carry HRTV after repeated requests from subscribers is that TVG owned a piece of Direct TV. There is some thought that this could change with the buyout by Betfair
Tvg & Hrtv need a HD station, come On boys, IT's almost 2013 get with the times!
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