Short-term agreement reached on New York City television contract

ELMONT, N.Y. - The New York Racing Association and New York City have agreed to a short-term extension of a contract that will permit races to be shown on the city’s cable access channel throughout the five boroughs through July 6, NYRA officials said Saturday.

The contract between NYRA and the city that allows the races to be broadcast on the New York City government access channel (1994 and 71 on Time Warner Cable, 27 on FIOS, and 74 on Cablevision in Brooklyn and the Bronx) expired on June 16, though the city, in a good-faith gesture, has permitted the races to be shown since then while negotiations continued.

“This gives us a few weeks to see if we can work out a long-term deal,” said David O’Rourke, NYRA’s vice-president of corporate development.”We’ve agreed to compensate them through [July 6] and our hope is to come to some conclusion before then.”

The Belmont Park meet continues through July 13 before racing on this circuit moves to Saratoga beginning July 18.

NYRA took over paying the city for that channel in early 2011, shortly after New York City OTB ceased operations.