Television Games Network is moving into the Louisville market Sept. 15, launching its programming there where interactivity was introduced by its predecessor, On Demand Services, earlier in the decade. Some 1,700 subscribers already are in the market area, but with the advent of TVG their betting menu will increase from 65 races a day to 130. TVG also announced it is expanding its programming from 12 to 15 hours a day, and will add new on-air talent as it offers racing specific presentations in an ESPN SportsCenter format. TVG also announced it will be offering phone betting in states where account wagering is legal by the end of this month, and will be making overtures to local cable television systems through its recently announced agreement with AT&T's Broadband and Internet Services.
The Racing Network has announced an agreement with the American Championship Harness Series under which it will be a sponsor of the Little Brown Jug and surrounding activities at Delaware, Ohio, next week. The agreement provides TRN exclusivity in its product category, and will include signage, promotional kiosk displays and program ads on-site for the Jug, which draws more than 40,000 to the Delaware County fairgrounds. TRN earlier had announced coverage plans for the Grand Circuit meeting at Delaware, including the Jug and all other events during the five days of racing. Jug week action will be featured on TRN's channel 3, with Ellie Sarama anchoring the coverage.
Youbet.com, meanwhile, announced it has signed an agreement with Northfield Park, adding the Ohio facility as a partnership track on the Youbet.com PC network. The addition of Northfield brings Youbet's network to 33 tracks in the United States and 50 race courses in Australia.