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If the purists cling to the ‘it’s all about the horse’, the sport will never grow beyond the confines of the narrow tranche of those blessed enough to ‘get it’. The others need a very strong hook.
The "others" will not be tuning in whatever way it’s presented.
Why’s that then, Eddie?
Is racing unique amongst all the things that can be portrayed on television?
So what’s
your
solution to the problem of pitiful TV ratings and the decline in interest in the sport (other than as a jolly day out)?. A return to the 1950s by time machine?
It’s not as if there’s been a shortage of equine stars in recent years – Kauto Star, Denman, Sea The Stars, Frankel etc.
You have been ably answered by CrustyPatch & betlarge.
I do not share your negative views about the declining interest in the sport and ratings, why have C4 decided to show it for the next few years if that was the case?Attendances have been healthy and not just when there’s a concert , this despite the high prices.
How many sports have 2 dedicated television channels?Frankly, Steeplechasing’s recipe would bore me to tears nevermind not attract any more viewers. If I or others want to know someones life story we will watch something like the Biography Channel or Who Do You Think You Are, not live horse racing.
As you seem to agree with C4’s Head of Sports plans I presume you will be expecting a substantial increase in the viewing figures in the New Year?
I do not share your negative views about the declining interest in the sport and ratings, why have C4 decided to show it for the next few years if that was the case?
Very good point, Eddie, about the continuing and, indeed, expanding commitment by Channel 4 to racing for the next few yers.
I don’t think there’s now any reason to fear for the future of Channel 4 racing.
Within the last week or so, we have heard that Channel 4 has made a packet by auctioning off the best prime advertising slots on the revamped and expanded coverage of racing from next year.
We are told that Channel 4 has already gone a long way to offsetting its huge outlay on costs for televising racing.
But it’s still a minority interest sport, likely to be watched by still a relatively small, if not miniscule, audience by comparison with mainstream programmes and more mass-appeal sports.
Racing fans should be very grateful that Channel 4 is, despite the relatively small TV audiences, guaranteeing a weekly Saturday fix of solid racing, with extra days in the week for the many bigger meetings covered.
These will be boosted next year, of course, by the Grand National, Royal Ascot and the Derby, not to mention other new meetings.
There is also Racing UK and At The Races, not to mention racing programmes on Sky.
And for those who want to spend all day in a betting shop, there is wall-to-wall televised racing from late morning until night, with British, Irish and numerous foreign courses covered, and it can all be watched for free, if you just want to sit and watch it without betting, as I have been known to do occasionally for a few hours.
I don’t think racing does at all badly for TV coverage. But it is still a minority sport. No point trying to pretend otherwise.
It will always be a small-audience, limited-appeal market for televised racing. But, for the enthusiasts, there is plenty of television coverage available.
Forumites logic – Football should only be the actual football, nobody cares about the managers or the players. Let’s stick a microphone on a mita delta and ask it how the game is going to go.
Some of us don’t even care about the football either!!!
Sky TVs contract ensures that Premiership games are shown all across the weekend rather than squeezing all games into 3-5pm on a Saturday afternoon. Racing PLC now have all major races within a 2 hour period on Sat afternoons.
Which sport is on the up and taking a greater share of betting turnover?
It’s about time Racing looked to the wider sporting world and learned some commercial lessons from the real experts.
Forumites logic – Football should only be the actual football, nobody cares about the managers or the players. Let’s stick a microphone on a mita delta and ask it how the game is going to go.
Some of us don’t even care about the football either!!!
I know that, Paul. I just used football as an example of the importance, in a sporting context, of relations between the men in the sport, and the people who watch/follow football. There is nothing wrong with any channel wanting to create better opportunities for the viewer to listen, and possibly even learn from the people whos horses they watch. I don’t care about new people being attracted to racing, but it could help preserve the interest of the people who currently watch racing. Nobody is going to force certain trainers or connections to talk, i’d imagine there are perhaps some trainers or people connected to the horse who would perhaps like to be on television, and would be more than willing to share their opinions. Believe or not, i’m not bothered either way. However fair is fair, and the racing fans who do care should be catered for.
Forumites logic – Football should only be the actual football, nobody cares about the managers or the players. Let’s stick a microphone on a mita delta and ask it how the game is going to go.
Some of us don’t even care about the football either!!!
I know that, Paul. I just used football as an example of the importance, in a sporting context, of relations between the men in the sport, and the people who watch/follow football. There is nothing wrong with any channel wanting to create better opportunities for the viewer to listen, and possibly even learn from the people whos horses they watch. I don’t care about new people being attracted to racing, but it could help preserve the interest of the people who currently watch racing. Nobody is going to force certain trainers or connections to talk, i’d imagine there are perhaps some trainers or people connected to the horse who would perhaps like to be on television, and would be more than willing to share their opinions. Believe or not, i’m not bothered either way. However fair is fair, and the racing fans who do care should be catered for.
It comes down to whether making a free-to-air racing programme is economically viable for the television company. Given that those wishing to watch live Premier League Football, Test Match Cricket etc have to have a Sky sports subscription and the interest would be many times greater racing is extremely fortunate. For Racing fans to argue that they should be catered for without having to pay for the privilege is unrealistic in the current climate. Online betting firms will provide a live stream providing you have a bet, video replays are available of every UK race for free via either the ATR website or sportinglife.com. Even without CH4 coverage horse racing is accessible for those that want to watch.
I response to Eclipse’s post, as TRF doesn’t allow to copy and post numerous comments at the one time…. grrrrrr.
I never read any articles related to the OPs thread. I assumed it was about implementing changes to racing that’s already on Chanel 4, and not actually creating a separate racing chanel ? If it’s a separate chanel, then yes that changes things. However if it’s about changing the current routine to introduce trainers, jockeys or connections to their racing slot, then i think it’s fine it it’s what viewers want. I also assumed, perhaps wrongfully, that when if racing figures appear more on television, that they would be doing so to talk about the horses, in terms of training or how they came across the horse etc…and not what they are having for dinner or who they got drunk and argued with 40 years ago. I would also imagine, that if it was about learning more about the trainers life, that it would be a trainer who is a willing participant, and not someone who has been kidnapped, thrown in a caged carriage and dropped off in front of a television camera and forced to speak.
Forumites logic – Football should only be the actual football, nobody cares about the managers or the players. Let’s stick a microphone on a mita delta and ask it how the game is going to go.
You make a valid point in a way but football players are individuals who depend on their own personal skills and not the balls. In horse racing the horse is the star of the show 90% of the time and the logical thing to concentrate on if selling the game is the horse.
The big star at the moment is Frankel and he does share the limelight not with his jockey but with Sir Henry Cecil who is one of the most loveable/popular characters in racing……however Tom Queally who comes across as a nice guy doesn’t have his charisma and to concentrate on him rather than Frankel wouldn’t do much for viewing figures.
There are people who come across well that possess charisma like Nicky Henderson, Jonjo, John Gosden, Barney Curley, Paul Nicholls who can hold a viewers attention but stick Sir Michael Stoute in front of a camera and he’ll bore viewers to death.
I know what they are getting at, we all do but when I was a kid and racing became my fav pastime if racing was on I’d stay glued to the telly hoping they might show a clip of Arkle or Persian War. Not Pat Taffe or Jimmy Uttley.
I’d scour the racing papers like the Outlook, Sporting Chronicle, Weekender and even buy Horse and Hounds in the hope I could read about one of my heroes like Rondetto or What a Myth and I never gave Bob Turnell, Jeff King, Capt Ryan Price or Paul Kellaway a second thought….
Some good points you make there HGM. I buy the Weekender every week and frankly the same old articles from the same writers are boring. Peter Naughton’s notebook column is a joke for example. I’d love to see a p&l for the column but I won’t hold my breath.
In contrast I receive the ROA Thoroughbred magazine each month and in recent months it has contained interesting articles with the likes of Roger Charlton and Keith Dalgleish.
There are racing "stories" out there that deserve to be told to a wider audience and hopefully the likes of C4 can bring these to our screens on a more regular basis. It’s a shame Johny Francome is moving on as he’d be ideal as the Roving reporter given his background and the respect he has within racing.
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