No the fee is $12 PER ANNUM (up until May 2006). It does not get charged to your Foxtel account but is paid to TVN directly via credit card.

I am ********ed off with the whole lot of crap that is going on.
As I am a dead set last second bettor ( working from odds flucs ) and putting my bet on as the last horse is going in the barrier.
It's no good using the radio as they are on delayed broadcast and if I relied on that I would miss bets, and you all know about Murphy's law the ones I don't get on will get up.
I am on Optus broadband and Optus cable so have absolutely no access to any service whatsoever.
I really think that this situation MUST contravene some of our laws.
Basically they are saying if I don't switch my services to Telstra I cannot access the races.
Something wrong here somewhere.

i have lodged a complaint with the accc will let you know what they say about it.

an exclusive deal with sky channel that does not now provide the service is hardly an exclusive deal.

here's hoping some good comes out of it.
will keep you posted.

Tabcorp declares war on customers!
 

I can recall recently reading the headline somewhere that 'Tabcorp declares war on it's customers'. Which, I guess is the case for many who can no longer access vision of the Vic and NSW races.

Of course, this is a utterly ridiculous state of affairs. But treating their customers with contempt was an inevitable consequence of the monopoly Tabcorp has enjoyed to date. Like the monopoly that the heirs of George Adam's have continued to enjoy for something like the last 100 years. Like the monopoly each Australian Casino was granted for however many years. It beggars belief that any such monopoly could possibly ever act in the interest of the general public, or their customers. Look at how the minumum bet has risen at every Casino in Australia that was granted such a monopoly. Look at how the minimum bet has risen with Tabcorp.

Greedy and greedier.

But, wouldn't we all do the same thing?? Let's face it, every business provided with such an opportunity is always going to make the most of it.

I can't for the life of me understand how any government could conclude that allowing a monopoly to operate can ever be in the best interests of it's constituents. Perhaps a clue as to why such situations to arise can be found in the beneficiaries of the George Adam's will. Apparently many beneficiaries are attempting to sell their holdings prior to their names been disclosed. Interesting that? They say several politicians and their families of that time (and maybe this time) are even today still reaping the rewards seeded from a deal made 100 or so years ago!

There's something very strange going on here. Run any other business in this country, and your gonna be subjected to every onslaught imaginable. Your gonna be expected to compete against all comers whether they pay their workers $1 a day, or whatever the case might be. Our politicians will all tell you that 'protectionism' is a thing of the past.........except when it comes to
our gaming industry. Not only will these guys get protection from local competition by virtue of their monopolies, they've even been protected from o'sea's competition from the like's of Betfair (In NSW and WA).

Can anyone explain to me why the textile, footwear, car parts, or any other local manufacturing business was never afforded such protection?

Then again, we're all paying less for a pair of shoes, or an item of clothing, or whatever as a result. And, no-one can deny that has been the end result of the lowering of protectionism.

But, as any punter would know, the reverse has happened on the gaming front. Five years ago a DVD player cost $500 and now it's closer to $50. Five years ago you could find a $5 table at a Casino but now it's closer to $15. How can that be????

Just watch these minimums come down dramatically once these guys monopolies expire and they are eventually faced with real competiton. But, when, if ever, will their monopolies expire?

These guys survive on the 'public interest' argument. In other words, they present their argument on the basis that it lies in the 'public interest' that their monopoly should be continued! And, I reckon everyone on this forum would agree this is a load of rubbish. But, they continue to get away with it!

In those immortal words "why is it so". Why do we keep allowing this to happen?

Bazza









Sure they will - pull the other leg!!!

who really gives a sh*t get a life!!

sorry catweazle. i disagree.
getting pushed around is an australian weakness. we often dont care enough about anything and then we complain because things happen.

over here we have an electricity monopoly (state owned) at my other house i have blown up two computers and my decoder box in 3 months.
after a long period of argument with the company they agreed that the power transformer was malfuntioning and will have it fixed in 16 weeks.
why does it take this to have an elementary part of their business fixed. the thing can burn down a house.
i often get annoyed with activists but not so much with their causes but their methods. but long live the activists. at least they care enough to do something about injustice and unfairness.
if as a customer of an organisation i become less valued then i think i will let them know how i feel.
this is an important issue to me as are many other things. i will continue to protest and seek an explanation.
the racing in australia in recent years hasnt been as good as they think it has particularly in sydney.
just watch the decline after they shut the punters out.
this decision offers a challenge some of us will take it up.

Hi Bazza

Catweazle has answered all your questions in one go.
When some of your customers have that sort of mentality it's very hard not to just blatantly rip them off. They don't even know it's happening.

To Catsweazle
 

With regard to your response "who really gives a sh*t get a life".

I beg to differ Catz. Many forum members will be inconvenienced by Tabcorp's arrogance here. Particularly regional members without access to broadband.

The consequences of Tabcorp's arrogance, as I understand it are:

1. Skychannel will cease broadcasting any Victorian races as of yesterday... Full stop.

2. Skychannel will cease broadcasting any metro Sydney race as of yesterday...Full stop.

If any homeviewer wishes to receive live racing broadcasting, then they will need to switch to digital (which costs) and subscribe to TVN (which again costs). However, if you live in the country and use Austar or Optus you will be unable to receive TVN as they have an exclusive agreement with Sky.

It's all a bit messy Catz. But, in the word's of some doctor...trust me....there will be a lot of members who, upon understanding the consequences of the TAB's arrogance will "give a sh*t'".

Have been off the punt lately, but went into the tab to watch one of my favourite racing events today only to get crappy radio coverage, it really hit home then just how much this cancer could affect the industry. The government can intervene, constitutional and common law have both interpreted that Govt has power over telecommunications laws, so it would not be out of their jurisdiction to pass an act to help resolve the matter, although this is unlikely, and the “independent” ACCC will probably end up resolving the matter. TVN looks like a great coverage, I don't think many disagree there but surely there can be room for this in depth coverage, as well as just the race coverage by Sky.


I am amused by the hypocrisy on this thread, with many forumites against the privatisation of broadcast rights, but all for open-slather betting rights.
I also see a lot of complaints about greed here, but greed is what drives our economy, without greed nothing gets done. As a great economist Adam Smith once said,

“It is not through the benevolence of the baker that we have fresh bread of a morning”.

Desire to produce wealth is not only necessary but essential, and apparent in every industry. Sky (Tab) can and will get the coverage, no doubt about that, it’s just in its infancy stages and negotiations have not yet eventuated. Both parties have enormous bargaining power with the Tab responsible for a large percentage of race prize money. They have a mutualistic relationship (which at the moment has become parasitic); either party can’t operate without the other; however it will take time until they work out when ‘price is right’.

People talk about monopolies as such an evil force, monopoly is a beautiful word in business, Sky will try and maintain its monopoly on broadcasting, just as the Tab will with betting, they have a duty to shareholders to try and preserve this position, if it will maximise profits. Just as the racing clubs have the right and duty to try and ensure they recieve the best price for their product.

Sky (tab), have been the price-makers for so long, it will be intriguing to see where the industry ends up if and when they are forced to become price-takers. One things for sure, the only people who will eventually benefit is you and me, competition in the industry will ensure better coverage and better prices, it may just take a little time to get there.

Just my two bobs, and I was on Chakra (filthy cat)

Cheers ED

I for one although not a big punter am a consistent one.Have a little dabble everyday mainly on Victorian Racing Will not be having a wager until this garbage is sorted.
Will be interesting tomorrow to see how the betting pools are affected and that must have a spinoff to the racing clubs and then on to stake money.

Could this be the super league of racing and if so just have a look at the effect of that.The Broncos used to play to 50000 people now lucky to get 25 to 30 thousand at home games people who used to go now stay home or a lot of them now follow the Lions in Afl.
The Rsl which i am a member have had Tvn for quite a while and i found it quite boring watching the race repeated time after time or watching horses walking around the mounting yard, if you want to see that go to the races.
Lets all hope they all wake up to themselves and we can return to one channel with all the racing like we have had not perfect but pretty good.
cheers