SKY SPORTS are set to launch a brand new channel… but there is a catch.
The move will see the broadcaster launch a separate viewing feed from its Sky Sports Racing channel in Ireland.
This new feed comes with the controversial Gambling Regulation Bill in its final steps of the legislative process after completing all five stages in the Dail (lower house) this year.
The bill legislates for a daytime gambling restriction during watershed hours of 5.30am to 9pm.
Both Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV (RTV) – who have estimated they will lose almost £1.7milllion from the bill – have argued it would make broadcasting in Ireland “economically unviable”.
Further calls have been made to allow for an exemption to subscription-based racing channels.
However, Sky appear to be preparing for the worst by introducing their new channel for Irish viewers.
It will air on channel 415 and will replace the existing UK feed with an identical broadcasting stream but with a separate advertising feed.
Chief operating officer for the channel, James Singer, said: “As part of our commercial strategy we’ve recently been able to secure the transponder capacity required to launch an Irish dedicated feed of Sky Sports Racing.
“The channel will comply with all relevant laws and regulations.”
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Previously known as At The Races, Sky Sports held exclusive rights to broadcast Irish Racing until coverage switched to RTV in January 2019.
Sky Sports Racing has the rights to show 25 UK racecourses including Ascot, Chester and Doncaster.
James Browne, the minister of state at the department of justice overseeing the bill, previously suggested that splitting a feed was “very straightforward” and questioned RTV’s loss projections.
RTV chief Martin Stevenson responded by saying: “Racing TV is a small, independent broadcaster which simply does not have the scale and facilities to regionalise our coverage and offer feeds with different advertising.”
A spokesperson for Browne said they expected to bill – which has three more stages to pass in the Seanad Éireann before being signed into law by the president – said they hoped the bill would be “enacted in the coming weeks”.
It’s no surprise that the winners’ enclosures at racetracks all over the world are full of famous faces.
The thrill of winning and landing a fair few quid holds massive appeal for big names from sport and beyond.
Here we look at just a few…
Sir Alex Ferguson
Regularly scoops some of the sport’s biggest prizes with his top runners over the jumps and Flat.
Harry Redknapp
Celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival winner in March 2024, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
Dame Judi Dench
James Bond star is a keen observer of her runners on the Flat.
King Charles
Inherited the Royal racing operation from his mother and campaigns horses in the unmistakable red, purple and gold silks.
Jeremy Clarkson
Petrolhead has recently taken his first step into ownership, signing up to a runner with Redknapp’s trainer Ben Pauling.
