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I quite agree. I still can’t believe how they’ve just dropped it. I always thought it would be one of the staples of the BBC’s sports output. Imagine 15-20 years ago being told that there would be hardly any on BBC – almost unimaginable.
The thing is as well Andy, how much sport has the BBC lost in those 15 or 20 years? Cricket, Rugby, Football, Boxing etc all to varying degrees. You can see various afternoons devoted to such thrillers as indoor bowling or snooker while horse racing coverage has declined from their choice when you could possibly have expected it to increase with the loss of the other sports over the years.
We are told the viewing figures for racing are consistently low yet any criticism of their coverage is ignored and we are told how wonderful it is by Carl Hicks.
Those in charge must really hate the sport.
Good job the likes of O’Sullevan & Bromley aren’t starting out now, there would be no future for them at the BBC.I quite agree. I still can’t believe how they’ve just dropped it. I always thought it would be one of the staples of the BBC’s sports output. Imagine 15-20 years ago being told that there would be hardly any on BBC – almost unimaginable.
The thing is as well Andy, how much sport has the BBC lost in those 15 or 20 years? Cricket, Rugby, Football, Boxing etc all to varying degrees. You can see various afternoons devoted to such thrillers as indoor bowling or snooker while horse racing coverage has declined from their choice when you could possibly have expected it to increase with the loss of the other sports over the years.
We are told the viewing figures for racing are consistently low yet any criticism of their coverage is ignored and we are told how wonderful it is by Carl Hicks.
Those in charge must really hate the sport.
Good job the likes of O’Sullevan & Bromley aren’t starting out now, there would be no future for them at the BBC.Well, that is what baffles me – the company that ‘produced’ those two Legends of Broadcasting – now has such distaste for the sport. The head of Sport at the BBC must really hate the sport – it’s hardly regular on 5Live either on Saturdays.
There is barely anything I dislike more than modern BBC. What once was a great institution is now a left wing, anti British, pollitically correct, common purpose speakbox.
Its no surprise that its standards have plummetted and that it can’t be bothered with a down to earth largely domestic sport like racing (particularly jumping).
I’m with others that say Haydock and Chepstow should tell them exactly where to go the Beeb is neither needed nor wanted.
So all being well it seems the 2010 North West Racing Masters could well be covered by C4 with Aintree probably having its first ever outing on C4.
I cant believe the huge reduction by the BBC in a sport which was once so fantastic to watch with the paddock reports,betting markets and some lovley features in between races visiting stables and seeing the sport behind the scenes.
What i cannot believe is that the F1 coverage is one of the main reasons for reduction but even in the old BBC F1 days they had a huge portfolio of races being covered.
Just hope that C4 show the Welsh National and the Haydock and Aintree meetings that will be cast aside without any thought.
Racing cannot afford to cut off it’s nose to spite it’s face, that is the easy option and should be thankful for any coverage it receives from the beeb. Sponsors love that their races are on the BBC, they absolutely love it.
The stink of corruption that is always surrounding the sport must be a factor in these decision which is another reason why we must see some exemplary justice for wrongdoers not slaps on the wrist.
Much as I would love to see much more racing on the BBC, the sport has to compete for airtime and not just expect to get coverage as of right.
Apart from the wall-to-wall football, and from next year, F1, it’s a struggle for any sport to get BBC exposure for anything other than 5-star events.
We, in the ultra-insular world of racing, were spoilt for decades getting second and third rate meetings regularly televised every Saturday, fondly imagining they were at the centre of the sporting universe.
Racing needs to make contact with the outside world a lot more if it’s to have any future as a mainstream sport.
Bleating and moaning will achieve nothing.
Agree with you their, The sport needs to go out to the masses instead of thinking that the masses will come in droves.
Why for example did Racing not do a DVD documentary all about the Kauto Star v Denman season with full races, Jockey,Owner,Trainer,Stable Staff interviews for example and even get Ruby and Sam to do their own commentaries with each other over the races.
London has a huge portfolio of racecourses with a brilliant rail service so why not go into the City to adveritize with stalls which have leaflets,DVDs,Ticket Agents and the like.
Racecourses should do TV advertizing for example using the 7" original version of Saltwater by Chicane which is used for the Order of Merit could they not do a collage of horses jumping over fences and hurdles intertwined with battling finishes to promote the sport in a good light.
I just wish someone who is from any of the racing organisations is reading this and use some of their brain power to get the sport being showed in a good light.
Racing doesnt have the funds to promote itself effectively, and the offcourse bookmakers who do, dont give a toss about the sport as evidenced by their conversion into mini casino’s these days.
I prefer Jim McGrath over all other commentators. One of the reasons is he has a fine, fine voice which some will say is neither here nor there but I think it’s important. Simon Holt on the other hand has an unremarkable dull flat voice
.Stewart Machin also has a fine voice as does Catt
Yes John Hunt has a tendancy to voice a winner of a seller at Wolves as if it was Oh So Sharp landing the triple crown but he also does a fine job, at his best when he’s on his mellow days.
Mark Johnston would probably be my least favourite.
I prefer Jim McGrath over all other commentators. One of the reasons is he has a fine, fine voice which some will say is neither here nor there but I think it’s important. Simon Holt on the other hand has an unremarkable dull flat voice
.Stewart Machin also has a fine voice as does Catt
Yes John Hunt has a tendancy to voice a winner of a seller at Wolves as if it was Oh So Sharp landing the triple crown but he also does a fine job, at his best when he’s on his mellow days.
Mark Johnston would probably be my least favourite.
It’s funny you should mention the actual sound of the commentators voice spitfire, I’d been thinking about the same myself and it can often be overlooked.
I must say Barty’s voice especially when shouting really grates on my ears, not keen on the sound of Darren Owens either.
On the contrary with Simon Holt, I think he has a very good sounding voice although I’m not keen on his much quieter style and the constant interruptions from Fitz, Francs & Co on C4 and much prefer him doing the racecourse commentary.The real disgrace here is the money that the BBC has spent on that "sport" F1
Now as anyone knows the average F1 fan watchs this most boring, mindless and charmless activity completely slack jawed, possibly dribbling and with the vacant expression of a window licker.
The WWF is more intellectually challenging and darts has more nuances
I quite agree. I still can’t believe how they’ve just dropped it. I always thought it would be one of the staples of the BBC’s sports output. Imagine 15-20 years ago being told that there would be hardly any on BBC – almost unimaginable.
The thing is as well Andy, how much sport has the BBC lost in those 15 or 20 years? Cricket, Rugby, Football, Boxing etc all to varying degrees. You can see various afternoons devoted to such thrillers as indoor bowling or snooker while horse racing coverage has declined from their choice when you could possibly have expected it to increase with the loss of the other sports over the years.
We are told the viewing figures for racing are consistently low yet any criticism of their coverage is ignored and we are told how wonderful it is by Carl Hicks.
Those in charge must really hate the sport.
Good job the likes of O’Sullevan & Bromley aren’t starting out now, there would be no future for them at the BBC.Well, that is what baffles me – the company that ‘produced’ those two Legends of Broadcasting – now has such distaste for the sport. The head of Sport at the BBC must really hate the sport – it’s hardly regular on 5Live either on Saturdays.
Hope you don’t mind me challenging this final line Andy !! I know this is essential a TV debate but the sport gets very regular Saturday coverage on 5 Live, indeed it would be a challenge to find one feature race on a Saturday that hasn’t been covered during my five years on the station and beyond. Add to that extensive midweek coverage year round and I hope you will happily stand corrected Andy?
Best wishes,
John HuntWelcome aboard John. Loved your commentary of the 1997 King George, although sadly I’ve been deaf since
Tidy as always at Kempton last night as well, John. If you peered out of your eyrie at any stage, we were the five people standing in front of the bookies’ pitches who were…
…actually, come to think of it, we were the five people standing in front of the bookies’ pitches.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Thanks for the welcome Rory and sorry about your hearing. I’m afraid I have seen off plenty of sound engineers in my time! Did you see Challenger win the Murphy’s on RUK last week? What a c…..character eh?
Will have to dig up my review video of that season as I can’t seem to find the race on youtube.
Character would be an understatement to describe Challenger Du Luc,still he won nearly 200k in prize money so not a bad return.Now we know why your commentaries are a little bit more reserved these days!
So you guys did double the crowd last night then gc?
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