Veteran Scott in to broker TV peace deal

VETERAN broadcaster and journalist Brough Scott has been drafted in to broker peace talks between racing executives and ITV, following

Sportsmail’s revelation of the breakdown in negotiations over a new television deal. The 77-year-old former jockey is supremely wellconnected in racing circles and has good relationships with key figures at ITV, where he was first employed as a pundit in 1971. Racing chiefs held informal talks with their ITV counterparts at Cheltenham this week. This followed Sportsmail’s story on Tuesday about the breakdown in talks, and a formal meeting has been scheduled for next week. Scott (right) is understood to have urged both parties to come together to reach an agreement for the good of the sport, which relies heavily on terrestrial television for exposure. ITV Racing’s deal expires at the end of 2020, with a draft contract having been prepared 15 months ago. The sticking point is ITV’s refusal to guarantee that major events, particularly the Epsom Derby, will be screened on their main channel due to concern about future potential clashes with England football games. ITV have the rights to show England’s European Championship and World Cup qualifiers until 2022, as well as for both tournaments, which could lead to clashes should they sign the threeyear contract to broadcast racing. With football attracting almost 10 times the number of viewers that racing manages, ITV claim they could never offer the sport contractual guarantees over scheduling, although other broadcasters are willing to make such undertakings.