TV dispute still leaves Arizona bettors with incomplete menu

The continuing standoff over simulcast contracts in Arizona appears again to have no resolution in sight, leaving bettors in the state without access to tracks like Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park.

Representatives from Arizona Downs and Turf Paradise argued with the Racing Commission as well as representatives from a TV signal distributor owned by The Stronach Group during the commission’s regularly scheduled meeting Thursday.

The commission heard hours of arguments and presentations by horsemen and horseplayers, management from both racecourses and representatives from Monarch Content Management, which distributes TV feeds from tracks that are primarily owned by The Stronach Group. It then split its vote 2-2, thus denying the import of Monarch signals into Turf Paradise off-track betting facilities as well as account-deposit-wagering platforms.

Although state officials and racing management pledged during the meeting to work together in the future to come to a resolution, the split vote is surely a sign of the deepening divide between all parties.

“Seeing our team tear each other apart, not getting what we all want,” commission chairman Rory Goreé said. “This is just heartbreaking to see where we’re at.”

Goreé and commissioner Chuck Coolidge voted aye while Jana Propheter and Holly Hover voted nay. The tie vote meant the ongoing blackout of the simulcast signals into Arizona from Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park as well as some tracks not owned by TSG.

Representatives from Turf Paradise were hopeful a resolution could be reached and that the signals would resume in time for the Jan. 4 opening of their live racing season.

For nearly a year horseplayers in Arizona have been cut off from wagering on TSG tracks and others like Los Alamitos and the Meadowlands after the commission ordered signals distributed by MCM, also owned by TSG, to be blocked from racecourses, off-track-betting facilities and advance-deposit wagering customers in the state.

At issue is the language with which the two racetracks and operators of OTBs do business with Monarch. Attorneys from Arizona Downs argued that their agreement was vastly different from the one signed with Turf Paradise, including the allocation of co-mingled pools that, without that provision, would have been detrimental to Arizona Downs and its OTB facilities.

“The only offer before us is the one that doesn’t allow for co-mingled pools,” argued Kory Langhofer, an attorney representing Arizona Downs. “It’s like arguing with the doctor that in order to see if the medicine works, you have to swallow the poison first. We won’t do it.”

Arguing on behalf of Turf Paradise, attorney Paul Johnson said there was no need to go forward with a new hearing so long as there was no change in the language of the original resolution, which allowed the impasse to continue.

“They (Arizona Downs) have brought no new action to proceed further,” Johnson argued. “There’s no reason to re-hear this further.”

Turf Paradise general manager Vince Francia said after the meeting there were still avenues on which the matter could be discussed further.

“We can ask for a continuation and to request another re-hearing,” Francia said. “Certainly we haven’t had time to discuss our next path going forward.”

State representative David Cook pledged to do his part in getting a resolution so all sides could benefit from a return of the live simulcast wagering.

“I will offer to meet with every track owner and Monarch signal people. Let’s find a way to fix this,” Cook said during the more than three-hour virtual meeting. “If we need legislation, then let’s work on that together.”

Francia reiterated that his disappointment in the continuing impasse was largely directed towards those who stand to lose the most.

“I feel sorry for the horseplayers who have made it well known they want these signals,” Francia said. “But also the horsemen who benefit the most when the added revenue translates to more purse money.”