General Chat

[Quevega]

In most sports I would assume that its compulsory because they're an employee of the club that is receiving tv revenue? Regardless of what content quality they actually provide - they are the equivalent of the head coach / manager, yet completely separate* from any revenue from the medium - this does seem off to me.

*i could be wrong here - don't know much about the specifics of tv revenue but afaik there are 2 big groups that handle negotiations and the money received goes to a mix of course pockets (presumably towards operating costs), prize money and in arc's case (I think) their own coffers.

you seem to be referring to football.
but darts, snooker, golf, tennis and plenty of others. all seem to have a commitment to speak.

with most of these it regards the image and promotion of the sport that they, as individuals then stand to gain from - re sponsorship, prize money, ticket sales and continued tv coverage.
but i agree, that the specifics may differ in this instance.

[Irish Rugby]

I have never thought ITV's commitment to racing was that solid and still expect them to jump ship at anytime. Can't see them accepting this in the meantime and they'll just rely on analysis to fill in alongside the likes of McCoy and Fitzgerald, if trainers start to boycott.

Apart from Willie's immediate post race views, I don't think I am that interested in what most have to say anyway.

[Wayward Lad]

Savills group attempting to blackmail Brosdcasters to hand over £500k to trainers to share how they want seems quite out of touch.
For a sport that is on the decline if I was a broadcaster I’d tell them to go fuck themselves.
How many other sports do we see where participation in press conferences and tv interviews is compulsory and designed to advance the product.
But trainers think it’s a good idea to threaten a boycott.

Imagine paying for some of the shit, nothingness and drivel they come out with.

So trainers want paying for the privilege of interviewing them eh……

And they think their product has value £’s…….

Wasn’t so long ago that mainstream broadcasters didn’t want to touch the declining niche market Racing product, until ITV stepped up at the last minute

Apparently some Jockeys already get paid for interviews?…….why some and not all?……if true, then must be an administrative nightmare I would have thought

If Trainers are looking for parity with Jockeys getting paid for interviews, then why shouldn’t Owners be paid as well when interviewed in the Paddock?

If everyone is to be paid for their interviews then can we get some level of standard please as listening to ‘posh boy’s sour faced diatribe every week is an affront to my ears!

Broadcasters already pay in excess of £100m combined to the Racing industry for their product, so shouldn’t they expect interviews as part of the package?……don’t Trainers already benefit for this through the indirect percentage payment of Prize Money?

Anyway, if the £500k is to be paid then all that will happen is that Broadcasters will look to pay £99.5m media rights instead……..I would suspect that when these media rights deals come to end of their current terms that the Broadcasters will probably look for a reduction in payments, not increased. Some NH races this winter on TV have had only a small number of runners which ED Chamberlin frequently raises against Prize Money moans etc

Are not Trainers being able to advertise their Brand through an interview on mainstream TV a great medium to grow patronage?…..Savill says this argument is ‘laughable’…….maybe he hasn’t seen the latest TV advertising rates!

However you can’t knock anyone trying to generate revenues in order to support a business (albeit declining) but surely this is not the way to go……..the optics of this are not good

[chunker86]

you seem to be referring to football.
but darts, snooker, golf, tennis and plenty of others. all seem to have a commitment to speak.

with most of these it regards the image and promotion of the sport that they, as individuals then stand to gain from - re sponsorship, prize money, ticket sales and continued tv coverage.
but i agree, that the specifics may differ in this instance.

Most sports will have some sort of "Participation Agreement" that players will have to sign before being admitted to the competition - it will outline the prize money, participation fees, image rights, competing sponsors, anti doping, match fixing & gambling rules etc and there will be a section on compulsory media interviews and the penalties for not participating and most will go as far as saying they aren't allowed to criticize the organisers, officials, competition etc and again there will be fines for speaking "out of turn" - you can find them if you google - the most comprehensive is the one for the Olympics.

[YoungHustler]

6 more weeks until the festival and I'm finding myself seriously unable to think about anything else! And my antepost book is not even that good! Just wish I had the next 6 weeks off as can't concentrate at work. So jealous of those that are already retired!

[somer1]

6 more weeks until the festival and I'm finding myself seriously unable to think about anything else! And my antepost book is not even that good! Just wish I had the next 6 weeks off as can't concentrate at work. So jealous of those that are already retired!

That made me look at my holiday booking for the fest. Can do my online check in from the 8/2

[jrjr]

Whilst not surprising, bookies seem to be really heavy handed in some of the handicaps this year. It could be my memory but don’t remember such big cuts/skinny prices in January.

[Istabraq]

This payment thing has to come with a huge red flag for us;
As it stands we get fed lies and nonsense from most trainers in interviews anyway, if they're forced to engage with media and aren't happy about whatever terms they are doing this under then we must expect to be fed even more lies and nonsense.
The modern world allows us access to far more information than ever before, not all of it is accurate and some of it (possibly more than we think) is specifically designed to put us away, I dread to think what stable tours could become....

[DenmanSacre]

Kim Bailey's statement says it all - some common sense from him on it and explains what happens with the money allocated for the Jockeys. Doubt many of the other trainers have his class though.

[Quevega]

Sorry folks but this idea of trainers being paid for their interviews is ridiculous..We should be promoting our sport not hindering it....

Jockeys get paid for their interviews but that money goes to help fund/subsidise their insurance etc.. not directly into their pockets.

The top trainers are the ones who are probably fed up with all the interviews and feel that they should be rewarded, but can I see Nicky Henderson carrying a card machine around with him to be used before he opens his mouth!

Racing and trainers have many faults but forgetting this idea of cash for talking I feel we also are incredibly lax at appreciating those who help us by sponsoring racing.

I write to all non-betting related sponsors when I win a race and thank them. I know from my own experience that trainers and owners lack appreciation .. I have sponsored at Ascot and went out of my way to give a decent magnum of wine to winning trainer and owner and oddly enough the jockey as a prize. Ascot thanked me but they were alone.. I now do not sponsor!

I emailed the CEO of Peter Marsh thanking him for sponsoring their race for 40 years after Trelawne was 4th there last week and he replied by saying ‘Many thanks for your kind email. It is very rare to receive such a lovely note of thanks, so it is much appreciated, and I have shared it with my colleagues''......A note goes a long way. We all like to be thanked..On that note David Attwood writes to trainers and owners thanking them for bringing their winning horse to Doncaster. David's personal hand written letter goes a long way.. ask Penny Perriss!

Racing needs to help itself not always line pockets..

Bailey's blog

[Muswell]

Sounds like Iroko less likely for the Ultima https://www.geegeez.co.uk/guerriero-...ima-for-iroko/

[Lobos]

Sounds like Iroko less likely for the Ultima https://www.geegeez.co.uk/guerriero-...ima-for-iroko/

......and perhaps the National as well this year by the sound of it.

[Exar Essay]

......and perhaps the National as well this year by the sound of it.

Which article are you reading? It basically says the entire season is built around the National.

[Lobos]

Which article are you reading? It basically says the entire season is built around the National.

This bit maybe.......

"Once he’s moved up to a stamina trip, you’ll see the best of him hopefully. AP (McCoy) said he might not go for the National this year and we’ll just have to see what happens, but wherever he goes, he’ll go well.”

[jrjr]

......and perhaps the National as well this year by the sound of it.

Bizarre last line about McCoy. National been the plan all season, talks about swerving Ultima owing to the timing of the National, and then says that. Very strange and I don’t think it’s worth taking literally.