Turf TV set for court battle after crisis talks collapse
Last-ditch mediation talks between bookmakers and betting shop broadcaster Turf TV have collapsed, making a court battle inevitable. A trial date of April 28 has been scheduled to settle claims of anti-competitiveness and collusion.
Last year, Ladbrokes, William Hill, Coral, Betfred and their media rights broker BAGS, launched proceedings in the High Court against Turf TV and its racecourse partners claiming the courses had infringed competition law by collectively selling exclusive rights to the service “causing serious restriction and distortion of the market”.
A counter writ was issued by Turf TV, alleging that the bookmakers had themselves infringed competition law by colluding against Turf TV.
The row began in 2006 after 31 racecourses, including Ascot, Aintree, Epsom and Cheltenham entered into an agreement with Alphameric, a company that supplies betting systems to all the major bookmakers. The joint venture developed Turf TV in an attempt to gain greater control over the racecourses’ picture rights.
The deal ended a 20-year monopoly on racecourse pictures by Satellite Information Services (SIS), a company part-owned by Ladbrokes, William Hill and the Tote.
Turf TV spokesman says the company is confident that it does not have a significant case to answer and equally confident that the other side does.
It is rumoured that there are divisions among the bookmakers about whether to settle out of court but in the absence of a unanimous agreement, the case will proceed.
