Racing Post Charge

A good point was made elsewhere about the fact we already pay for fees to our ISP and for phone lines, so you're paying twice over for this.
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That's a bit like saying that all food and drink at a racecourse should be free, because you pay to get in.
 
It's not just pedigree information I was talking about, it's stuff like sales returns and the likes as well as other stuff they have on the RP. Saves trawling through several different sites for bits of the information. I'll pay it I'd have thought although I'd have rather paid on a more pay-when-you-use-it basis.
 
I've opted for the basic package as I really won't need the other stuff until later in the year, and I have a plus box for that! The charge is really not as bad as I had expected.
 
Shadow Leader said:
It's not just pedigree information I was talking about, it's stuff like sales returns and the likes as well as other stuff they have on the RP. Saves trawling through several different sites for bits of the information. I'll pay it I'd have thought although I'd have rather paid on a more pay-when-you-use-it basis.
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Im in the same boat as you, have been trying to find out about a particular horse to see if the person trying to sell him to me is telling the truth:lol: can u tell i dont trust the ex MIL!!! But not knowing where or when it was sold makes things pretty difficult. So if anyone is able to view the sales bit on the horses page then please will you look him up for me!!
 
The sport is getting more elitist by the month...at a time when they want to encourage more folk in..middle of a recession etc

I'll be interested to see which way it goes - its not worth paying for and thats clear to me..the database is very un user friendly for a start..they can't stop changing the layout because they can't get it right...most of the pedigree info has bits missing that free sites have complete.

its a pile of mediocrity really..only a hardcore will pay..will be free again soon ..then all the 12 month payers will go barmy

best of luck to them I say
 
I doubt very much it will be free again. Quite the opposite. It's more likely that they'll extend the tariff by way of creep, and those of you who are queuing to say what great value it is, won't be to impressed to find youself paying £25+ in a couple of years for the database. The other thing that occurs to me is whether Trinity Mirror (or whoever it is these days) aren't looking at trying to create a temporary glut (possibly around the 2010 festival) and then sell the web business as a going concern and off-load the RP altogether.

Racing isn't that important to me and it's something that although I take an interest in, I can do without. In the current climate I'd be more likely to simply walk away and watch racing consume itself in its own greed. It remains to be seen how typical I am, but if my attitude is replicated across the country then the BHA needs to be worried, as it's us, the floating casual sportsfan who can apply ourselves to racing if we choose to, who they can ill-afford to lose. The sport simply isn't strong enough to lose it's middle ground and casual interest, and with this loss will follow prize money, sponsors, gate revenues, jobs - the whole lot

To be honest, we should be bashing the email of the BHA over this, as they don't seem to have recognised the potential gravity of the situation and the damage that this is going to do if the next generation of race goers are going to be required to shell out money just to decide if they're interested or not
 
not sure about the more expensive bit Warbler..would really like to think they will drop it..common sense prevailing...but I suppose your scenario is as likely

its just not good enough to charge for..and as you say..it should be being looked at as it is a totally negative exercise at a time when folk are least likely to pay, even current racing fans..little chance of anyone paying that is on the fringe or just getting in to racing as an interest

there is a poll on another board showing that very few racing fans will pay..like you say..if that is representative then who do the fools think are going to pay?

If it was like Raceform Interactive I would have paid..something decent...as its is...its a lightweight piece of work that is rank bad value.

People will pay because they got used to using it..they probably can't put a figure on just how much having access makes them..but are more concerned with keeping a familiar portal available. There would still be people paying if it were £30 a month..just because they have the money and don't want to lose it..not because its any good or worth the money.
 
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Firstly, bottle of wine talking ....

I too believe that RP will find out that their commercial product does not attract enough cashflow.

But, and sorry to use the title again, the numpties who could not figure out a commercial package 18 months or so after buying into it will obviously need an equivalent timescale to realise their mistake..

Musing the future:

Firstly, the reason 95% is still free is probably because the current sponsors would walk away. Should BHB or whoever set up a free to use service, the sponsors will migrate anyway.

Within a short time, and a losing run, the tipping section will fold.

Longer term, the video customers will instigate a competition war between RP and the video suppliers, RP will lose.

Oh bloody hell, that only leaves one section of any value that I will have to pay for ‘previous winners’ – sh*te.

MR2
 
I think it terrific value and the Pricewise Extra will pay for the subscription many times over .
 
I dont know about many of ye, but I can remember at the turn of the century, just as I was getting into racing, spend hours on the racingpost reading reports, results, searching horses. I had an interest in racing and this kick started it into serious mode. I wouldnt have been able to do that had there been a charge for it. So I can imagine other youngsters being put off having to pay for something like this..
 
maythehorsebewithyou said:
I dont know about many of ye, but I can remember at the turn of the century, just as I was getting into racing, spend hours on the racingpost reading reports, results, searching horses. I had an interest in racing and this kick started it into serious mode. I wouldnt have been able to do that had there been a charge for it. So I can imagine other youngsters being put off having to pay for something like this..
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That my friend is the real point, without new-blood ant sport starts to diie so they would be far better giving a basic free package in the long run. There is to much short term quick buck atti. going on here I think it will fail as there are juss not that many people willing or able to pay it's bad bad time to start it after all are they looking to sell the paper that lost reader coz of price as well.
 
maythehorsebewithyou said:
I dont know about many of ye, but I can remember at the turn of the century, just as I was getting into racing, spend hours on the racingpost reading reports, results, searching horses. I had an interest in racing and this kick started it into serious mode. I wouldnt have been able to do that had there been a charge for it. So I can imagine other youngsters being put off having to pay for something like this..
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This is a very good point (and something I experienced too!), and whilst you can still access much (most?) of the info in the database for free, it's difficult to get a handle on the context of it without access to the ratings and analysis.
 
As someone who's really just starting to get a grip on time and speedfigures etc., one thing that would be helpful would be a link from the race result pop-up window to the analysis of the winning times for the rest of the card. Is this provided in the new package by any chance?
 
you should all boycott the charge, it wil then be free again..selfish paying of it is just that..selfish

and yes I can afford it

its no use moaning about racing not appealing to the masses then paying for this rubbish..you will be the few that pay..no new blood...think about it eh?

just for once lets stop thinking about ME
 
Oh, I don't know -- it's just the RP trying to come up with a business model that pays in the digital age. At least they have a particular product sector where they could make it work.
Pity the newspapers -- they're struggling; their product is so generalised that no-one will subscribe for the web version.

As to racing losing new blood: it's run for the benefit of the thoroughbred breeding industry anway, so they don't particularly care about the absence of punters.
 
I'm confused... I thought that RUK (sorry, this is a wander away from the main road of the RP into a bye-way of tv now) charged a subscription to its viewers because it is not funded by advertisers? But there are ads all the time on it, from Blue Square to Highclere Thoroughbreds. Okay, they're not for Stannah Stairlifts or pre-paid funeral plans, but they're still advertising, so what's all that about?
 
It is hard to get away from advertzing when in sports it's on everyting even M Jackson's send off turned into a Kentuky Fried Chickem add. most of the meatings or races carry a sponcers name
 
Anyone having problems with the new site?

I signed up for the basic package when it opened (yes, I know, EC1) because I do need certain aspects of the records and it is good to have them all together in one place.

Got problems immediately and had to call Customer Services on the first day - who were jammed solid, not surprisingly.

Still having problems and following is text of e-mail sent this morning:

Dear RP

I subscribed to Members Club on the day that you opened it.

Since then I have had trouble with the results section every time that I have accessed it.

Everything is fine until I open the third result, (either through the Horse Records or through a Meetings records)then I am shut out of the Members Club and told to subscribe.

What happens is:

I open a result, all is well, the analysis and ratings are visible.

I use the red arrows to either go to the one before or after the resultthat I am looking at. Again all is well and the analysis and ratings are visible.

I use the red arrows again to move backward or forwards through the records and,the ratings and analysis are blocked and I am told to subscribe.

This happens both in a Horse Record and in a Meeting's records.

In order to get around this I have to log out and leave the site. Not ideal.

I spoke to your Customer Services on Thursday night and followed their advice to remove temp files and cookies. This has been done and still I am being shut out.

At the moment it is quicker going through the paper version. Not ideal and not worth paying for.

I have paid for a month, but will stop the subscription if it is not sorted as, working for nearly 10 hours a day, I really don't have the time or energy to prat about with papers or multiple sites.
 
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