Channel 4 Racing To Go Off Air

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Channel 4 Horseracing looks likely to go off air after the betting shops and the racing industry rejected the C4 request for an 8 million pound subsidy they say they need to secure future channel 4 horseracing coverage.

Members of the racing and betting shop industry voted against the £8 million and later issued a statement >>

"In view of the extent of the subsidy requested and the precedent such action would set it was unanimously agreed not to meet Channel 4's request"

Channel 4 Said >>
"Despite today's disappointing news, we are still talking to the horse racing industry.

"We remain ready to jointly explore a range of options between now and the May 31 deadline to try and find the funding we require to ensure the continued broadcast of live horseracing on Channel 4."

Gamblog Comment >> Channel 4 Racing will be sorely missed, but an £8 million subsidy for production costs cannot and will not happen. If Channel 4 cannot make a profit from horseracing then they should shut it down.

ITV will look to fill the breach anyway and if they don't, the BBC will be jumping in to secure the rights to racing at Cheltenham and the like anyway. That said, my personal opinion is the scale of C4's racing coverage - which in 2004 amounted to 88 days racing from 30 courses cannot be replaced on other tv channels due to tv scheduling times.

Bookies see a 300% rise in takings on races when they are live on Channel 4, so maybe the bookies should be more forthcoming with paying for the thing as an ongoing concern, but an £8 million subsidy will not happen.

Channel 4 Racing To Go Off Air News
The Times - Racing faces television threat
BBC - Racing coverage on C4 threatened

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