Despite last-minute meetings with the Tabcorp hierarchy, the threatened blackout of Victorian racing vision will go ahead as planned.
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Fairfax Media have confirmed that Tabcorp will black out Victorian racing from Tuesday despite hopes of a reprieve for punters statewide.
And in another move, the Melbourne Racing Club, long known as being anti-Tabcorp, reconfirmed that it had signed a deal that will see the Seven Network broadcast Victorian racing.
Talks broke down on Monday with the VRC, which would not sign an agreement that officially sees the negotiating powers revert to RVL.
Not even the pressure of a blackout on Victorian racing was enough to move the VRC, which is still requiring certain conditions before it approves the deal.
With Tabcorp steadfast in its decision not to televise races, the only avenue punters will have will be live screening on racing.com and covering in TAB agencies in Victoria.
As part of the joint-venture deal between Tabcorp and Racing Victoria, the nearly 100 TAB agencies will have a live feed from racing.com.
It had been hoped that with the VRC on board, Racing Victoria could have directly negotiated with the Seven Network, with Seven maintaining that it could have had vision on one of its free-to-air channels if it is instructed by the owners of the rights.
It would seem RVL is now hamstrung and cannot negotiate until the VRC approves the deal.
It is also understood that the Seven Network will not act until a directive from whoever owns the rights. It's understood that the VRC – the home of the Melbourne Cup and one of Australia's most powerful race clubs – baulked at signing a joint agreement.
The decision by the VRC leaves RVL still powerless to negotiate on behalf of the clubs.
Moonee Valley, Melbourne Racing Club and Country Racing Victoria have all signed, but without the VRC's signature, RVL cannot negotiate a way out of the Tabcorp blackout.
It seems that after two-and-a-half years of solid negotiations, the parties are still unable to find a solution.Fairfax Media understands that only two personalities from the failed TVN, Jason Richardson and Michael Sharkie, will be a part of the new Seven Network team, with Melbourne journalist Michael Felgate to be in charge of the coverage.
