This was a very unique year where the subscription model became a "thing". I'd guess these problems get resolved in future years. As a track promoter, I'm of the opinion that the track controls the broadcast rights of the events it holds, and can only give that away by agreement with a sanctioning body that demands it. Let's look at the timing here...
Knoxville and USAC announce this race in on July 9th 2018.
https://twitter.com/usacnation/statu...380675?lang=en At that time there was some tacit agreement that USAC was going to sanction a race at Knoxville. I doubt there was a written contract with dry ink at the time. In July 2018, Flo Racing wasn't even on the radar. Speedshift was doing a lot of USAC stuff and The Cushion was doing Knoxville stuff... and Dirtvision was doing only World of Outlaw stuff.
Fast forward to this past offseason... Dirtvision expands to include Knoxville, I'm sure getting the rights to "everything Knoxville" for a price. Flo Racing does it's deal with USAC getting "All of USAC" for a price... and Speedshift moves more into the subscription game with the All Stars, POWRi etc.
Very few of these sanctioning bodies had any communication with the tracks (which I firmly believe hold the natural rights to the broadcasts) prior to doing their deals. It was more or less assumed that the tracks would fall in line and allow the series to do these broadcasts. Most - if not all - have, but it was done long after agreements and scheduling to host events were made between tracks and sanctioning bodies.
So this year in my opinion the cart came very much before the horse...but that's because this subscription model didn't really exist to any large degree when races were scheduled. Everyone I know or have met doing the PPV stuff are really good people - not out to screw anyone (I don't know anyone at Flo) but now find themselves with their hands tied contractually by agreements that were made without realizing some of the potholes that were going to lie ahead. I'm doubting that when USAC announced or committed that all events were going to be on Flo Racing, that it occurred to them to circle back and talk to Knoxville about this particular event prior to making that agreement/announcement. Maybe they did - but I'm not sure these problems were obvious back then.
Next year I can assure you that most every track when they agree to host a series is going to be asking about what obligations it carries regarding video - and the PPV companies promises to the public will give them more wiggle room to not carry certain events. I know that I much prefer when possible to broadcast our stuff at Jacksonville for Free. There are some events where I now know to even have the event in the first place, I'm going to have to give up that right to the sanctioning body. But I also know that there are other events where my desire not to give up those rights are going to result in the sanctioning body having to race at our track under my rules for video - or not race here at all and I would expect they will know they have to cross that bridge with tracks in the future before agreeing to a rigid contract with a streaming provider.
It did upset me when I had my own video plans in place... had hired people/bought the equipment to do it... and then a month before the season read that certain of my events were going to be part of a subscription service I had no part in negotiating. Again... it was an odd year where this all kind of snowballed after events had been scheduled. Next year all of the interested the players will understand the game better when scheduling shows.