A contract dispute between the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and FanDuel has resulted in races from the Belmont at Aqueduct meet being blacked out on FanDuelTV and its online horse racing betting platform TVG. The blackout commenced Thursday following the expiration of their previous contract on Monday last week, despite negotiations continuing through Wednesday.
The stakes are high as this blackout coincides with NYRA’s upcoming Saratoga meet. According to statements from NYRA and FanDuel officials, negotiations are ongoing to resolve the impasse, which threatens to disrupt access to live racing coverage on a platform widely accessed by racing fans.
NYRA, a nonprofit organization responsible for running thoroughbred racing in New York, including tracks like Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, has a longstanding partnership with various media and betting platforms to broadcast and facilitate wagering on its races. FanDuel, operating under its TVG brand, is one such platform that has traditionally carried NYRA races.
The blackout affects horse racing enthusiasts who rely on FanDuelTV and TVG to watch and wager on NYRA races remotely. Meanwhile, NYRA races are still available on its own NYRA Bets platform and on Fox Sports’ FS1 and FS2 networks.
In response to the blackout, Tony Allevato, NYRA’s Chief Revenue Officer, stated: “NYRA provides the racing content that fuels the profits of out-of-state [account-wagering companies] like TVG/FanDuel. NYRA must prioritize the overall health of the sport and broader industry here in New York and we will continue negotiations to seek an equitable resolution so that our racing is widely available nationwide.”
In a press release, NYRA included statements from the heads of the state’s horsemen and breeder’s group indicating support for the association’s stance with FanDuel.
FanDuel acknowledged the disruption to its customers and expressed regret over the situation. “While we hope to have this content available again soon, we cannot agree to new proposed terms that are substantially inconsistent with our prior agreements,” FanDuel said in a statement.
The current impasse between NYRA and FanDuel/TVG comes at a time when NYRA has been seeking higher fees for bets made within New York on its races from some account-wagering operators. The in-state fees are a significant component of the stall in negotiations, according to DRF.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/07/08/73026-contract-dispute-between-nyra-and-fandueltv-leads-to-racing-blackout
