If RUK became subscription free.......

You think people who can't afford £5 a week are suddenly going to start punting enough to make a difference to the levy ?

I should also think the chances of the bookies paying for it are about nil.

The five pounds a week is not the issue, it's opening the channel and races to a wider audience, which will almost certainly happen if it's subscription free. New punters will help themselves to a few small bets, nothing major to start, then as familiar horse run the turnover will grow. At present, it's only the hardcore, and that's a leaky bucket - it needs to be topped up.
Football turnover may be comparable, live games on terrestrial v Sky v ESPN.
I am no expert, but horseracing looks in a spot of bother, they need to find additional punters from somewhere.

I'd also have thought that the increase in betting turnover would be beneficial to the bookies and the levy so it seems a no brainer but I'm sure they must have done the math and decided it dosen't make commercial sense.

The money isn't the issue. The channel represents a minority sport, and charges doubles what ESPN does. It's just not value for money. A part time channel with too many replays and little else to offer.

It depends what you want to watch.

£5 a week to watch the best racing in the UK in my home is a steal for me.

ESPN show absolutely nothing I want to watch so tuppence a month would be expensive from my point of view.

I think its fantastic value for money shame about some of the presenters but compaired to atr with countless adverts,poor replay service and equally annoying presenters its brilliant

when the original ATR collapsed the bookies were in a state of shock as their telephone betting turnover plummeted.

They probably want RUK as a free to air channel, but do you think they could come to a funding arrangement between them?

I think Racing Uk should try and strike a deal to be a part of the ESPN package.

Been down that path with setanta before

Setanta weren't a globally renound, multi billion dollar sporting institution. They won't be sinking anytime soon.

The problem is that the people who will pay out work during the week but sometimes get home early, so that £5 a week is a waste of money.

The people that sit at home all week cannot afford it, the richer older audience who can afford it, buy it.

£5 per week may be good value to watch the best racing in uk when its on, but what about all their blank days. rip off

So what if there are some blank days ?

Some Saturdays they show 5 meetings and average around 12 meetings a week.

I subscribe to RUK and agree if you are a big racing fan it's worth it. I was disgusted the other day though when I recently got multiroom to find that RUK was an additional £7 a month. I mean really? The conveniance to watch it in a different room £7!? I agree that RUK really does need to be free or get into some kind of deal with ESPN. Racing is paying people huge sums to get a wider audience yet most of the top courses midweek and sundays are not free to view. It's quite a simple solution IMO.

some bloke from RUK phoned me up and asked if i wanted to puchase i said 20 pound a month was to expensive he said we have the best courses i said you dont have ascot an doncaster ATR for me 20 a month is to expensive i work during the week so no benefit whatsover 5 pound a week sounds good but most people work during the week so in theory you only getting sat and sunday 8 days a month to watch if it free would have it like a shot though