U-Verse Scratches TVG Horse Racing Network

AT&T U-Verse has ceased carriage of TVG, the horseracing channel, according to a company spokesman.

TVG was one of the first national networks dedicated solely to horse racing, providing live feeds from several tracks around in the U.S.,  and allowing viewers with betting accounts to gamble on races via the phone or online.

“Despite our good faith efforts to negotiate and reach an agreement to renew, and to fully resolve an outstanding compliance issue, we were not able to reach mutually beneficial terms and no longer have the rights to carry the content,” AT&T executive director of media relations Mark Siegel said in a statement.

TVG was available on channel 670 as part of its U450 Package, the company said.

U-Verse continues to carry TVG rival HRTV on channel 672. HRTV, a joint venture between leading horse racetrack operators The Stronach Group (Santa Anita Park, Pimlico Race Course and Gulfstream Park) and Churchill Downs Inc., is available in about 19 million homes across the country. 

TVG was formed in 1999 and was purchased in 2009 by United Kingdom betting concern Betfair for about $50.7 million. At the time, TVG was available in about 30 million homes. TVG did not respond immediately to a request for comment.