Italian interest in British media rights

As the Go Racing media rights deal appears to be faltering a new company emerged today as a possible contender for the purchase of television pictures from Britain`s racecourses.

Italian firm SNAI has revealed that it is to seek to create a new media company in partnership with United Kingdom bookmakers to bid for betting shop TV rights.

SNAI, which in Italian stands for the National Association of Betting Shop Owners, is set to approach the Racecourse Association to bid for the rights of the 49 tracks not involved in the GG-Media deal, and then intends contacting the British Horseracing Board to discuss the use of pre-race data.

Graham Wood, managing director of SNAI International, the UK branch of the SNAI media group explained the ideas behind the move.

He said: 'What we would like to do is to try and create over here something akin to what we have in Italy where we have a company which provides a service to the bookmakers but the bookmakers themselves have a say in howit`s run.

'A total of 850 out of the 1,100 betting shops in Italy use our services such as betting shows and TV pictures.

'All of the shareholders in our company are betting shop owners.

'Therefore the betting-shop owners themselves share in any profits that are generated by the company`s activities.'

SNAI are expected to contact the RCA early next week to make a formal approach to acquire the rights for the new company that would be made up of SNAIWAY, SNAI International, bookmakers and other companies involved in the production of the betting shop TV and data service.

Wood added: 'We feel that a little competition in the market will be good for everybody concerned and we would of course be happy to work with GG-Media to ensure that all bookmakers, whichever supplier they get their pictures from, are able to get the best quality product for their customers.'