Racing Post Charge

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Anyone get the email (pasted below) regarding the new RP site? Got this from TRF but did not recieve he email its. I think it is great news and I really looking forward to trying it out....the current site would be worth paying for (until they started leaving bits out in preparation for this) so if there are additional features then all the better.

The email:

Dear web user,


We will soon be launching a significantly improved version of the Racing Post website – racingpost.com. We believe it will be the best racing and betting website we or anyone else has ever produced.

We’ll be bringing you exclusive new features, including the fastest, most comprehensive racing news service – updated throughout the day – improved odds comparison and fast results.

There will be a host of new services, including Racing Post TV, and exciting new tools for form study and analysis. Our new cards will allow you to assess each race in the way that best suits your racing and betting needs.

As part of racingpost.com, we have created a new members’ area which allows you to access:

Our complete database containing more than 20 years of form, including Racing Post Ratings (RPR), Topspeed and Postdata
Spotlights
Post-race analysis
The news archive

In addition, once you have racingpost.com membership, you’ll have the option of accessing a range of new services, including:

1. Insight

Pricewise (race-day update): Tom Segal and Mel Collier find the value in the morning prices for the afternoon’s races
Key statistics: Race-by-race statistics that point the way to likely winners
In-running pointers: Our experts highlight the horses whose style of running makes them a back or a lay in-running
Trading update: Midday analysis of the latest betting trends on the exchanges and among the leading bookmakers
Early access to betting forecasts
Live reporter: The latest quotes, news and market moves direct from our reporters on every track
2. Racing UK Live to your desktop


3. RUK Race Replays

We’d be very grateful if you would help us with our online research. As part of this, we would like you to take the time to read through the following racingpost.com membership options and answer the accompanying questions.

Please return your answers by:


Selecting reply to this email
Watching the preview video which will guide you through the new site and membership features.
In the reply email, go down into the copy of the email we sent you and view the membership details by clicking the relevant links.
Write your answers against each question in the email.
To view the racingpost.com video preview please click on this link.
http://www.racingpost.co.uk/members_club/demo.sd?flag=1665141813

To view racingpost.com membership packages please click on this link:
http://www.racingpost.co.uk/members_club/demo.sd?flag=4563563913

1. racingpost.com membership


Would you be interested in buying racingpost.com membership at £7.95 per month (£79.95 annually)?

(Yes or no)

Would you prefer to purchase racingpost.com membership on a monthly or annual basis?

(Monthly or annually)

Please give each item in the membership package a rating between 1 and 5 (1 being low) in relation to how much you value each item, and if possible, explain why.
The complete database –
Spotlights –
Post Race Analysis –
News Archive -
Please explain any other thoughts or comments you have on racingpost.com membership.







2. racingpost.com Insight and extras

Would you be interested in buying racingpost.com Insight at £7.95 per month (£79.95 annually)?

(Yes or no)


Would you prefer to purchase Insight on a monthly or annual basis?

(Monthly or Annually)


Please give each item in the Insight package, the Racing UK Live package, the Racing UK Race Replay package and the Ultimate package a rating between 1 and 5 (1 being low) in relation to how much you value each item, and if possible explain why.

Insight

Pricewise –
Key statistics –
In-running pointers –
Trading Update –
Early access to betting forecast –
Live reporter -
Racing UK Live to your desktop for £5.95 per month (£59.95 annually).

RUK Race Replay – 50 race replays for £4.95 per month (£49.95 annually).

Ultimate package – Membership and Insight with Racing UK Race Replay for £21.95 per month (£219.95 annually).


Please explain any other thoughts or comments you have on the Insight, Racing UK Race Replay and Ultimate packages
 
I was part of a focus group on this last week - they've already completely changed the pricing model they were thinking about then...
 
If they charge for the cards and form database I suspect they will see a backlash. As mentioned there is a recession taking hold and whilst I understand they would wish to protect their own interests, is a recession the time when people will consider forking out £80 for something that was previously free? Whilst I agree the RP online is by far and away the best resource don't forget Sporting Life and ATR websites still offer decent alternatives.

If the RP follow through with this I for one won't pay on principle, and I'll spend as much time as I possibly can encouraging others to look elsewhere.
 
They have plenty of options open to them regarding charging - one thing would be to offer a subscription which people can only gain access at weekends, or if people want to buy a subscription to the database for the duration of a racing festival.

I think the proposed price will put many off though, it should be as cheap as possible in an effort to get as high a conversion of current users to paying users.

Having said that, none of us have yet seen the produce so it's hard to put a value on it.
 
For what it's worth, Maruco, I made it as clear as I could to them that if they charged for access to the database in it's current state there would be a huge backlash. I suggested that if they were going to charge for it, they would have to seriously enhance the user's ability to query it, that they would have to remove all the stupid errors and omissions in it, and that they would have to overhaul the French data.

The line they were using was "if we've printed it, it's in there" - which doesn't suggest to me that they're willing to go that extra mile.

I think a decent compromise would be free access which provides the raw data, and paid access which offers the ratings, analysis and those other enhancements that I mentioned above.
 
There will be a backlash unless they can offer something that is not yet available. The ability to query the database would be worth paying for. To judge from Betfair turnover figurse there is increased interest in Irish racing and they should start giving it the same degree of analysis as UK racing.
 
I only want a basic service from the online version - the race card (with owners' colours) and access to the previous races the horse has run in, with esp going a dn distance data. I don't want to pay for someone else's interpretation of them!

Also I'd like the sire/dam record, but I guess I could live without that - tho if it's in the database they are not paying anyone to supply that on a daily basis

I always buy a copy of the RP if I go into a course - even if I'm working that day - as I feel that paying for the copy helps to keep the show on the road and the website free.

I hope if they start to charge for the website, they make that a two-tier thing, so those who don't want a lot of flimmery and flummery - least of all 'tips' from their writers who let's face it know no more than most of us do - are not subsidising those who want more than just the basic data
 
Just had a browse on the new RP site, launching Saturday. I couldn't find any trends data (last 10 years winners). Can anyone enlighten me?

For me its too bright, too complicated - if its not for serious form users then who is it for. I spent 20 minutes clicking various options simply to get expert views from people I have no interest in.

Looks like I might have to try timeform.

MR2
 
I certainly couldn't afford the prices the were originally proposing. I don't tend to use any of the tipping sections, which is mainly why I hardly buy the newspaper these days, mainly I look at the bloodstock news and mare's progeny or to look to see if/when a particular horse has sold and who bought it. A two-tier payment system might be a good idea or maybe pay-as-you-go?

I know I can get the cards from irish-racing.com if I need to but might just have to look elsewhere for sales data.
 
When did the RP go up to £1.80? I was unpleasantly surprised when I went to pay for it in my local newsagent on Saturday. I reckon that's enough to put me off buying it every week. Maybe Derby and Grand National Days only for me from now on.
 
new r/p

i agree with all of whats been said...it's just been revamped..same features but more 'clutter'..does anybody reading this need the amazing addition of...............wait for it.....'shade the hoss you don't like'.........cynical attempt to screw us for more money..for the same info..i already download the news=£1..buy the paper(you don't get stable tours with the download)..subscibe to ruk through their site...and now they balls it up..with a 'premium' members site...............great way to attract newcomers to the sport boys...............for the last 6 months racing has been asking how can we do this.........the racing post has just alienated most of them.....i'm off to the sporting life.

p.s...the only way i would pay for the site is if (like people have suggested) you could interrogate the data..you can't..they've added nothing new thats worth having.(IMO).
 
pauloon said:
i agree with all of whats been said...it's just been revamped..same features but more 'clutter'..does anybody reading this need the amazing addition of...............wait for it.....'shade the hoss you don't like'.........cynical attempt to screw us for more money..for the same info..i already download the news=£1..buy the paper(you don't get stable tours with the download)..subscibe to ruk through their site...and now they balls it up..with a 'premium' members site...............great way to attract newcomers to the sport boys...............for the last 6 months racing has been asking how can we do this.........the racing post has just alienated most of them.....i'm off to the sporting life.

p.s...the only way i would pay for the site is if (like people have suggested) you could interrogate the data..you can't..they've added nothing new thats worth having.(IMO).
Click to expand...

And yet you rate the Sporting Life. Laughable.
 
Hardly laughable - I can see plenty being put off by the RP's approach and putting up with the Sporting Life's inadequacies.
 
Gareth Flynn said:
Hardly laughable - I can see plenty being put off by the RP's approach and putting up with the Sporting Life's inadequacies.
Click to expand...

Indeed...if you want to hear or read about a breaking news story I would always go to the sporting life website as it is. Obviously the Racing Post database is superior but in terms of fresh storys, racecards etc...the SL generally has it up before the RP.
 
Results too - a point I made to them when I was telling them that if they're going to charge they need to be the best (UK/Ire) racing site around in every aspect.

Edit: quick results, that is. Race times specifically.
 
Cr*p, Sh*te, designed by software engineers who have no idea about what a punter wants.

Tried the new RP site out again, glad to see I could access trend information and historical results, but when looking at the racecards I seemed to be having to click different pages for information I would expect to see immediately.

e.g. click for betting forecast ........ should be right beneath the bloody card

e.g. last few outings form ...... should be right beneath the bloody racecard

e.g. goto next race .......... should be one bloody click (took me three)

e,g, pages should be fast in refresshing .... took me half an hour to analyse one bloody race (normally takes me 3-4 mins).

e.g. goto racecard ... needed the help of a dropdown calendar (there's software engineers trick if ever I saw one).

Cr*p and Sh*te - I'm someone who appreciates improvements but this aint.

Gone to look at sporting life - MR2
 
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