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They’re the only meetings that I would attempt to have a conversation about with the people at work.
I keep trying to get people at my work interested. One of the managers asked me how a Lucky 15 works a couple of weeks ago, I was so proud!
I think there is a larger audience for racing out there, they just don’t know it yet!
I did not see the beggining of The Morning Line, but did not see much wrong with it. Some things were said that I did not agree with, but that is what the game is all about.
Racing already has two specialised TV chamnnels and Radio for us racing geeks. We don’t need the Morning Line, Channal 4 Racing or the BBC to be clones of RUK, ATR or Timeform Radio. They should try to appeal to the "wider audience". Quite enjoyed the Arkle debate. Do wish Jimbo would put Francome right when it’s obvious that he has only given the form book a passing glance.
Even with racing folk, we all want different things. On the whole think Channel 4 do a good job.Value Is EverythingI agree that Channel 4 mostly do a good job. The problem they have is timing. Most ‘normal’ people aren’t out of bed at eight on a Saturday & I’d imagine most have ‘better’ things to do of a Saturday afternoon.
I’m going to get slaughtered for this, but I think they should broadcast a few AW evening meetings. Or at least wait until the summer months for a few turf evening meetings. Show the racing at a time when people are free to watch.
If they really want to scrape the barrel, Channel Five could show US racing of an evening instead of that Quiz Call bobbins.
Sorry, but The Morning Line is absolutely appaling, and needs a complete overhaul.
They cannot even generate interest amongst a lot of existing racing fans, and therefore have no chance of doing so amongst casual observers.
The formula is hugely out-dated, and the presenters are given far too much air-time, which is used to perpetuate their chinless glee-club, rather than entertain or inform the viewer.
Not only is The Morning Line not a good advert for racing, it’s a genuinely atrocious advert for racing – especially if the programme is intended to make racing appeal to a ‘wider audience’.
Sky Sports has a racing report every hour or so and I would imagine that a lot of people watch it if only to see that pretty girl presenter. They made a big thing today of Tony McCoy having a ‘crashing’ [??] fall in the Sussex National. As for getting people interested, I took my daughter racing for years and she won’t even let me talk about racing now. She was quite interested in New Approach last year because he was so quirky. She even went out riding years ago on Grand National Day leaving me to entertain her friends who had come round to watch the race.
I keep trying to get people at my work interested. One of the managers asked me how a Lucky 15 works a couple of weeks ago, I was so proud!
I think there is a larger audience for racing out there, they just don’t know it yet!
I’m all for racing living long and prospering, but how would you feel if one day you learn that some of your colleagues have run up crippling gambling debts due to your own infectious enthusiasm for racing/gambling?
I speak from experience, having introduced a friend to punting years ago when I never knew any better.
I’m all for racing living long and prospering, but how would you feel if one day you learn that some of your colleagues have run up crippling gambling debts due to your own infectious enthusiasm for racing/gambling?
I speak from experience, having introduced a friend to punting years ago when I never knew any better.
Well, they’re unlikely to run up cripping debts if they get enthused in the same way that I do. The only reason I did a Lucky 15 in the first place was because I could bet with a 10p unit stake & not get laughed out of the bookies.
Seriously though, most of the people I know like a punt, some of them risk far more money than I’d be comfortable with but none of them do it on the racing. One guy keeps trying to get me betting on the football, another keeps telling me about his exploits in the casino. And more fool them to be honest.
I agree that Channel 4 mostly do a good job. The problem they have is timing. Most ‘normal’ people aren’t out of bed at eight on a Saturday & I’d imagine most have ‘better’ things to do of a Saturday afternoon.
I’m going to get slaughtered for this, but I think they should broadcast a few AW evening meetings. Or at least wait until the summer months for a few turf evening meetings. Show the racing at a time when people are free to watch.
If they really want to scrape the barrel, Channel Five could show US racing of an evening instead of that Quiz Call bobbins.
Not so much gonna slaughter you, just point out the obvious…do you really think channel 4 racing would be given a prime time slot? The only sport that is ever given genuine prime time slots on terrestrial television is Football and thats because its a majority sport.
Channel 4 do well to get a couple hours on a saturday afternoon!
I’m going to get slaughtered for this, but I think they should broadcast a few AW evening meetings. Or at least wait until the summer months for a few turf evening meetings. Show the racing at a time when people are free to watch.
If they really want to scrape the barrel, Channel Five could show US racing of an evening instead of that Quiz Call bobbins.
Why "should" they do that?
I’m going to get slaughtered for this, but I think they should broadcast a few AW evening meetings. Or at least wait until the summer months for a few turf evening meetings. Show the racing at a time when people are free to watch.
If they really want to scrape the barrel, Channel Five could show US racing of an evening instead of that Quiz Call bobbins.
Why "should" they do that?
For the reasons I mentioned in the post (that most people probably have others things to do with their Saturday afternoons). I’d imagine there’d be more potential viewers around in the evenings.
doughino is right though, there’s little hope of C4 Racing getting a better time slot & certainly not prime time (although there is a gap in the schedule following Paul O Grady moving back to ITV). I often think they’d be better off showing racing on Sunday rather than Saturday too. I admit the cards would be of lower quality but that didn’t stop me suggetsing they should show AW racing did it?!
With the invention of sky+ and the red button, internet viewing etc, it actually doesn’t bother me that C4 Racing is on saturday afternoon. Fact is I hardly ever watch racing "live". I usually watch after work, after a saturday trip to asda, or after a night out. As long as I can avoid finding out results until I watch the action online or via sky+ then it still feels live to me.
Granted this is no use if you bet race by race! But as i tend to place all bets in advance of a days racing it is irrelevant for me.
The trouble is society has changed so much in recent years.
I certainly got my love of racing from watching it on television on Saturday afternoons, in black and white as well. With “The Voice” on BBC and Tony Cook on ITV – along with John Rickman, Clive Graham et al. Initially though I watched it not out of choice but because there was little else to do as an alternative but with my Grandads "support" I began to get the bug.
In those days there was little competition for the leisure time – people didn’t go out much at weekends, most families didn’t even have cars – we never had one.
There were only two television channels for goodness sake and both of those had sport on Saturday afternoons – probably racing on both channels at the same time – a monopoly.
Nowadays there are so many other attractions – it is only events like the Grand National and, to a lesser extent, The Derby and Royal Ascot that will probably attract the casual viewer.
Nowadays I think it will be more luck than anything else if somebody is converted to the sport via television – the two opportunities we have are the National because it is so popular and possibly Royal Ascot where we may just catch a few of those tuning in to watch the fashions.
So, although it grieves me to say it, I don’t think terrestrial coverage in 2010 will draw in as many newcomers to the sport – which is why, heaven help us, Racing For Change is going to be so critical to the future of our sport.
Im going to get back on topic here and ask what exactly was Big Mac arguing about and how was he shot down? I missed the broadcast
Just look at some of the FA Cup Matches which had very low turnouts.
OK so we are in a recession and money is tight for many millions of people in the UK but on the other hand Cheltenham and Kempton had 20,000 plus for their race meetings which some of the football grounds would love to have.
Regarding evening coverage, i do remember Ascot doing an evening jumps card one April which had the Sagaro flat meeting the day after and this was a good idea at the time, its a shame they dont cover the Brigadier Gerard to coincide with their Derby coverage.
One idea could be to show 3 live races from Wolves or Kempton on a Sat evening and integrate with the Lottery so people could have a special bet to win decent prizes,although this will never happen.
As for the Morning Line this is a good show for the audience that it is aimed at but it does need a revamp and bringing upto date, although thankfully it wont go down the route and become like Soccer Am it does need things like competitions and quizzed like in days of old before the Phone Quiz scandal.
Racing has always looked Insular, a bit like America i guess, so it does need to branch out, Haydock last year went out to Manchester with a marquee and did a tie up with Harvey Nicholas in the centre for ladies buying outfits and to get race tickets for the ladies evenings and that worked out ok.
C4 on Saturday i didnt really see any of it,but caught the last 30 mins or so, I do agree with what Ted Walsh was saying about the 2m Hurdle and 3m Chase being the elite part of jumps racing but 2m Chases and 3m Hurdle races are still a fabric of the sport and are still admired by the real fans.
Paul, with respect, you’re coming across as a bit negative there.
Racing is absolutely mustard. Pulse pounding excitement. Look at the finishes at Wolver today, an ordinary Monday. I’m climbing on my chair willing them on. The neighbours came round to stop the burglary!
Take football. The Great God Football. I go to football almost every week and apart from my interaction with family and friends, feeling part of a tribe, the company of my son and occasional off field hi-jinks, if I had my time again I wouldn’t bother with a single game because most of it – TV and live – is bo llocks. Nonsense played by plankton. A brutish triviality. The Beautiful Game? Never has a more lyrical description been so misappropriated.
Yet people in this country can’t get enough. Why?
Horse Racing on the other hand is the best, most exciting fun you can have in this country with your clothes on.
You go almost every day, Paul. I’m always racing. With the exception of the odd lunatic, everyone on here must feel the same. How hard can it be to sell the joy?
Answer? We’ve got the wrong people selling it. Bring on the evangelicals.
Although I’ve been mad about racing since I was tiny and don’t really bet a great deal if I think about it in more depth perhaps what got me obsessed rather than interested was backing Team Spirit to win the National at quite a decent price. So, even though I’m happy just to watch racing without having a bet [in fact I enjoy watching it more without having a bet] there is probably that addictive thrill of winning money as well, which could get out of hand if I wasn’t sensible.
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