| Racing United launches to demand Levy cash is boosted • Industry leaders call on government to act• Bookies label figures used in case as disingenuousRacing's sectional interests presented themselves as shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight for more money from the betting Levy today, as the British Horseracing Authority supervised the launch of a new campaign ahead of a possible government determination of the next Levy scheme.Racing United has the support of organisations representing owners, racecourses, trainers, jockeys, breeders and stable staff. Its charter calls on the government to "close loopholes in the Levy system" that "permit offshore bookmakers to avoid Levy obligations", to ensure that "betting exchanges and their bookmaker (business) users pay a fair commercial return to racing," and ultimately to "ensure that racing's return from the Levy in 2011 is between ÂŁ130m and ÂŁ150m".The return to racing from the betting Levy hit an all-time high two years ago, when the spectacular losses of a single "high roller" Ladbrokes client pushed the yield to ÂŁ115m. Last year that dropped to ÂŁ93m, and this year's return is expected to drop again, to about ÂŁ75m.However, the break-up of the monopoly on the broadcast of live racing coverage to betting shops has seen a significant rise in the bookmakers' media rights payments, which they argue should be taken into account when assessing how much they contribute to racing."If you look internationally at where racing is and where it is currently going, we are getting the equivalent of less than 1% of [bookmakers'] turnover," Paul Struthers, the BHA's director of communications, said today. "In Hong Kong, it's 2%, in France it is 8%, and there are others that are higher than that."The launch of the Racing United campaign was accompanied by a set of figures from the BHA, entitled "Bookmakers' false claims on increased contributions to racing", which appeared to suggest that, in percentage terms, bookmakers' combined payments have actually increased as a percentage of their gross win on British racing over the last four years, from 12.53% to 14.5%.However, Struthers said that the figures did not account for the recent decisions of Ladbrokes and William Hill to move their significant internet and telephone businesses offshore."We have no way of knowing how much business they are doing through their offshore operations," Struthers said."We can either accept that we get what we get and there is absolutely nothing that racing can do about it, and die a slow death, or say no, we don't accept it. There have to be legitimate, viable, legal mechanisms the government can introduce to make sure racing gets a fair return."Patrick Nixon, the chief executive of the Association of British Bookmakers, said that the BHA was being "disingenuous" in its use of figures, and in particular its comparison of current Levy yield to the freak, high-roller year of 2008."They are focusing on the Levy because it is Levy season," Nixon said. "Yes it has gone down, and there are many reasons for that, but we were paying ÂŁ30m for pictures in 2007."Now it is nearly ÂŁ75m, and SIS has already announced an increase next year. They have lost on the Levy swings, but certainly gained on the media rights roundabout."Horse racingGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Iron Bowl one of the hottest tickets in nation The University of Alabama and Auburn University football teams are both undefeated - and that's evident when it comes to the secondary market for college football tickets. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Players and Montgomerie back Olazábal • Montgomerie: 'I hope he will be well enough to be next captain'• He would be the players' choice, says Padraig HarringtonA formal decision on the 2012 Ryder Cup captaincy will not be made until early next year, but JosĂ© MarĂa Olazábal can start selecting his wardrobe after several of the most influential figures lined up today behind his candidacy.Colin Montgomerie, fresh from the triumph at Celtic Manor and from ruling himself out from another run at the job, led the charge, citing the Spaniard's record as a Ryder Cup player and commitment to the European cause as ample qualification to lead the team when the tournament is held at Medinah, outside Chicago, two years hence."JosĂ© did brilliantly as one of my assistants here and it was also only right that we had a picture of him and SevĂ© [Ballesteros] in our team room and then at the closing ceremony," the Scot said. "It was between him and me for the captaincy this time, and in two years' time he'll be 46, just a year younger than I am now. I do hope he will be well enough to be the next captain."Olazábal, who was added to the backroom team in south Wales at the last minute, has long suffered from rheumatism and has played only once this year. He is due to play in the CastellĂł Masters in Spain this month and should be able to resume his playing career, although possibly on a much reduced schedule.After Sir Nick Faldo's losing, and much criticised, effort in 2008, there was a belief on the European Tour players' committee, which appoints the captain, that all future candidates would need to be "closer" to the players – a shift in attitude which saw Montgomerie, who is still playing on tour, almost press-ganged into the job.However, such is Olazábal's stature within the European game he would be an automatic choice for 2012 even if he is no longer playing. "I think [Olazábal] would be all the players' choice," Padraig Harrington saidtoday. "He has had a great Ryder Cup career, he brings a lot of passion to the game and he looks like he'd make a great captain, but it's a tough job. Monty did a great job this week. In order to be remembered as a great captain you need to have a winning team, so there's a lot of pressure on Olly if he does take it."The case for a Spanish captaincy received further backing from Darren Clarke, 42, and Paul McGinley, 43, two more of Montgomerie's vice-captains in south Wales and both of whom are members of the players' committee. Both Irishmen have stated a desire to become a Ryder Cup captain but today they ruled out 2012, deferring instead to Olazábal."It would be great if the honour comes my way but I hope he [Olazábal] will be next," McGinley said. "Fingers crossed for him." His sentiments were echoed by Clarke, who said: "I want to try and play another one if I can. JosĂ© MarĂa has been battling illness but if he can come back to proper form then all of Europe and all of this team would welcome him as captain in two years' time."Only Olazábal himself seemed to reject the notion that his appointment for 2012 is a foregone conclusion, although even he – a great stickler for the proprieties and procedures – could not but help preempt future debate about who leads the team. "We have talked about it but there is just one issue and that is my health," he said. "I would love to do it but you have to fulfil certain things. You need to be close to the players and play with them during the qualifying process – that is why it [health] is the only question mark."Ryder CupGolfPadraig HarringtonColin MontgomerieLawrence Doneganguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Rock Barn tourney gets a boost from Ensure Jim Correll couldn’t have staged a better ending to the Ensure Classic at Rock Barn golf tournament this year. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Wizards' Arenas will miss at least first 2 games By ANTONIO GONZALEZ 2010-10-27T17:48:18ZORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Gilbert Arenas will miss at least the first two regular-season games for the Washington Wizards with a strained tendon in his right ankle.... hosted.ap.org |