Tabcorp Holds Fast, Victorian Racing Blackout Goes Ahead As Threatened

Despite last-minute meetings with the Tabcorp hierarchy, "the threatened blackout of Victorian racing vision will go ahead as planned," according to Patrick Bartley of THE AGE. Tabcorp "will black out Victorian racing from Tuesday despite hopes of a reprieve for punters statewide." In another move, the Melbourne Racing Club, long known as being anti-Tabcorp, "reconfirmed that it had signed a deal that will see the Seven Network broadcast Victorian racing." Talks "broke down on Monday with the VRC, which would not sign an agreement that officially sees the negotiating powers revert to RVL." Not even the "pressure of a blackout" on Victorian racing "was enough to move the VRC, which is still requiring certain conditions before it approves the deal" (THE AGE, 6/15).