Fee impasse threatening signal distribution (UPDATE: Deal in place)

[jnunan4759]

I heard they were talking about 2 weeks ago and people at the OTB were ready for something to happen, then nothing. It's really hammered the service employees and business is off 60-70%. Feel bad for the bartenders, waitstaff and tellers. They have cut back hours and laid off some tellers. Most bartenders and waitstaff are making 50% less than the did before 12/9/2014. They ran into that right before Christmas also, which is especially nasty. To me, they're the losers in this.

The winner is probably TVG, which many in Philly can use because of Harrah's, PAbets. Although some people won't use an ADW, guess the are off the grid.

[asudevil]

Nevada and NYRA just reached a deal....still dark with 7 Monarch tracks. Can't imagine no wagering on Gulfstream here this weekend!

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by asudevil

Nevada and NYRA just reached a deal....still dark with 7 Monarch tracks. Can't imagine no wagering on Gulfstream here this weekend!

Originally Posted by joeydb

Any updates on this?

Monarch & HRTV President Scott Daruty on ATR at 9:30 with HRTV as main topic, but signal talks will come up of course. He said late last night that Vegas deal will be finalized this morning.

[asudevil]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Monarch & HRTV President Scott Daruty on ATR at 9:30 with HRTV as main topic, but signal talks will come up of course. He said late last night that Vegas deal will be finalized this morning.

Still dark on our end.

[jnunan4759]

Very informative interview today with Steve and Scott Daruty. After listening to him speak several times now, I really get a feeling that he is doing the best he can to resolve this. To see that PNG is the obstacle is no surprise to me.

I could say a lot more on that, but won't. However, I will say that nobody has taken more from horse racing and given less back. Remember it's Penn National Gaming, not Penn National Racing.

[asudevil]

Nevada signal back tomorrow while they still work on the "deal." Way too much handle at Santa Anita to forego dark days.

[Kasept]

http://www.drf.com/news/mid-atlantic...al-nearly-done

Mid-Atlantic tracks hit obstacle after deal nearly done
By Matt Hegarty

A cooperative of racetracks and the company controlling the simulcast signals to Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park have agreed to the main pricing aspects of a new simulcast contract, but approval of the pact is being held up by a related issue affecting one of the cooperative’s members, Rosecroft Raceway, according to officials for both sides.

The Mid-Atlantic Cooperative, which represents 23 racetracks and simulcast sites in a smattering of states, and Monarch Content Management, a company owned by the Stronach Group, have been locked in a stalemate over a new simulcasting contract since late last October. According to the officials, the talks produced an agreement over new simulcast rates two weeks ago, but since then, the issue with Rosecroft has forced the two sides to dig in their heels once again.

“We got to economic terms that seemed acceptable a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve reached an issue that is beyond our authority to resolve,” said Phil O’Hara, the executive director of the cooperative, on Friday afternoon.

According to Scott Daruty, the president of Monarch, the situation has arisen because Rosecroft, a harness track, is in pending arbitration with the Stronach Group’s Maryland Jockey Club, the owner and operator of Laurel Park and Pimlico, over the distribution of simulcast revenues to harness and Thoroughbred interests in the state.

Monarch has argued that the arbitration would trigger a clause in the contract allowing the group to negotiate new terms with Rosecroft, depending on how the arbitration is resolved, Daruty said. As a result, Monarch has told the Mid-Atlantic cooperative that it would sign a deal if Rosecroft were excluded, but the Mid-Atlantic has countered that the agreement must include all of its members or none.

Since the dispute arose last year, the members of the cooperative have not offered any simulcast signals from the Stronach Group tracks and several other racetracks, including Tampa Bay Downs. Cooperative members include sites in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, and several other states.

[declansharbor]

Thx Steve!

It's days like today tht hurt like a punch to the gut.

[exactamac]

Where is Howie Mandel when we need him ?

Does not look like they miss our business either! saw this article this morning:

All-sources pari-mutuel handle is up 10.3% year-to-date at Tampa Bay Downs, which puts the Florida racetrack on course to average more than $4 million per day and finish with its highest wagering total since the 2010-11 meet.

Isn't this the second time Monarch offered the signal but Mid-Atlantic refused the offer .

[Pants II]

*sigh*

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by exactamac

Where is Howie Mandel when we need him ?

Does not look like they miss our business either! saw this article this morning:

All-sources pari-mutuel handle is up 10.3% year-to-date at Tampa Bay Downs, which puts the Florida racetrack on course to average more than $4 million per day and finish with its highest wagering total since the 2010-11 meet.

Isn't this the second time Monarch offered the signal but Mid-Atlantic refused the offer .

How depressing is it to walk into the Turf Clubs (morgues nowadays) to see the placard on the counter stating which tracks we can't wager on?? Makes me want to ring necks.

[joeydb]

Any new updates on when this stupidity might actually end?

[jnunan4759]

I don't have any inside info, but I have a feeling it might be settled by this weekend or shortly thereafter. I told people in Dec. it was going to go to March and I'm sorry I was right. I just never had a good feeling about this and the money is really not the issue. If it was, it would have been settled a long time ago. It's not a lot of money and these tracks (mostly all casinos) don't generate or make a lot of money on this. I'd be surprised if most of these Mid-Atlantic tracks make more than 2 or 3 thousand a day on these signals. Only makes sens on the inside and we're not there and don't have the inside info. I really think it's related to those tracks not wanting racing, just casino business and they are obligated by law to hold racing (not simulcasting. Think another part in the puzzle is the jockey liability issue, which goes on Mar 19th. Really think that Parx wants the jockeys to not sign and then go to the state to force the casino to operate. As the law is now, if they don't race, the casino closes. Same if the horsemen don't sign an agreement, the shut down the casino, which is huge money for both Parx and the state.

This is most probably a raw deal for the jockeys. They sign over any responsibilty to themselves and work as "at risk" contractors. Park would abdicate any responsibility for incidents. This is a result of the "chickens" on the track lawsuit.

[exactamac]

snowed in here in Philly and had time to check out the entries for Saturday's Santa Anita & Tampa Bay cards , both look very good and definitely would enjoy a turf club or Parx visit to cure my cabin fever . is there any chance this is settled ? thought the Meadowlands plea would spur the "co-op" .

wishin & hopin to quote Dusty Springfield via Burt Bachaharach,

geez look what they have done to me !

[jnunan4759]

I haven't heard anything new this week, but the jockey situation would seem to make the situation more dire, at least at Parx. Not sure how that will shake out, but am fairly sure the Jockey's Guild will take a stand against it, because the waiver seems to be very broad. In the past, these jockey things have gone all kinds of ways, mostly because most jockeys don't make much and need to work. In the past, it's been dicey.

I'm not sure what the rammifications are with Parx and the casino. Most likely nothing, since ther is no union contract. I know if the Horsemen don't sign a contract, the casino closes. That's one reason we have 30% take out rates in PA.

If the jockeys do force shutdowns, they'll cost the track money on the live card and the exported signal. However, I think it's rather insignificant when compared to the casino. The track is merely an operating expense for the casino.

[joeydb]

And the forgotten and ignored horseplayer pays the price.

[joeydb]

Any news of any movement at all on this?

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by joeydb

Any news of any movement at all on this?

Yes apparently. Per Scott Daruty earlier in the week, 'getting closer but still some issues to resolve'..

[joeydb]

OK thanks Steve. As you know, while there is next to no coverage of actual racing in the news, there is truly no coverage at all of the impasse except for your show and DRF.

Appreciate how you are keeping us informed.

[joeydb]

... and another week goes by.