Horse Racing Coverage: you are the producer

[Chompy]

Thx Tanya

Never gonna please everyone in these spots. I like Rishi for example. In terms of racing knowledge, Luck and Willoughby should both be in, even though I think they had a big fall out one evening on RUK.

[Marky147]

I like Nick Luck, and of the RUK lot, I think Mellish & Lydia are probably the ones I prefer overall.

[rinswun]

I'd have a regular feature: Steve Palmer's Nightingale System. Get him putting on every race. Was comedy on that BBC documentary a while back, "this will not be beaten, this will not be beaten...oh, it lost."

[Marky147]

I'd have a regular feature: Steve Palmer's Nightingale System. Get him putting on every race. Was comedy on that BBC documentary a while back, "this will not be beaten, this will not be beaten...oh, it lost."

Started reading his book last month when I was in having my infusion, and he's com.

[rinswun]

Didn't realise he had a book out, will have to get that! Love the degeneracy.

[Marky147]

Didn't realise he had a book out, will have to get that! Love the degeneracy.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=born+to+punt

[RED-DOG]

I would hire a bloke to throw a custard pie at at someone every week, preferably a winning trainer or visiting dignitary.

The viewing figures would go through the roof. Even I would watch.

[Tal]

I would hire a bloke to throw a custard pie at at someone every week, preferably a winning trainer or visiting dignitary.

The viewing figures would go through the roof. Even I would watch.

Would you watch if there were more horse racing history pieces? Maybe more about how horses have been critical to the development of western civilisation?

[RickBFA]

You can change the presenters, contents, channel as many times as you like but it ignores and wont solve the underlying issue.

Week to week horse racing just doesn't interest 99.5% of the population. They may have a small mug bet on the National or Derby but they have no real interest and have no desire to either.

I take people/arrange trips to racing perhaps half a dozen times a year but they go for the socialising, drink and food. They have zero interest in racing other than having £2 e/w on races because they are there.

None of those people (and they are the ones who come to the racing once or twice a year) have any interest in the sport or TV coverage.

Even guys who love poker. The vast majority of those don't give a toss about racing even though it involves betting.

Don't know how the sport changes that fundamental issue.

[tikay]

^^^^^

Nail & head, 100%.

There are just not enough genuine horse racing fans to get the required ratings.

So it either gets dumbed down with fashion nonsense & the like, or it disappears.

BBC tried, Ch 4 tried, & now ITV are going to try. Unless they change it radically, it'll disappear from ITV in due course, too.

ATR & UK Racing both do "proper" horse racing coverage, but the viewing numbers are eye-wateringly low.

[Doobs]

You can change the presenters, contents, channel as many times as you like but it ignores and wont solve the underlying issue.

Week to week horse racing just doesn't interest 99.5% of the population. They may have a small mug bet on the National or Derby but they have no real interest and have no desire to either.

I take people/arrange trips to racing perhaps half a dozen times a year but they go for the socialising, drink and food. They have zero interest in racing other than having £2 e/w on races because they are there.

None of those people (and they are the ones who come to the racing once or twice a year) have any interest in the sport or TV coverage.

Even guys who love poker. The vast majority of those don't give a toss about racing even though it involves betting.

Don't know how the sport changes that fundamental issue.

99.5 is a proper fact?  Good use of the 0.5 to give it a bit of accuracy.  

Think it is more an ageing support base and the fact we can watch races differently now.  I was at a kids party for the stewards cup so watched it on the phone.  I caught up at night by watching a couple of races again on the sporting life site.  Much of the time, I am doing stuff and just watch the actual races.  I simply don't watch tv as much as I did.

[PokerBroker]

I think there is too long between races for the general public, I took my other half to both horse and dog racing recently she would previously have treated oth with the same contempt at the  horse racing she hated it too much faffing around she said.  With the dogs much more action she wanted to go back.  

On TV she just says it's very boring too many pompous posh twats.  I guess you can't change that element though as they have the money and invest in the horses to the plebs can bet.  

For the TV coverage I'd like to see more behind the scenes stuff what do the jockeys do, what do the trainers do what's a typical day not for the big earners but for guys just scraping a living in the game.  

I'd try and get pro gamblers up against the books so it wasn't just PR.  

[Chompy]

Yuh, don't think there's a need to racing on TV aside from RUK. Wish ATR would gtfo too. Surprised more didn't follow the likes of Exeter and Ascot, and jump ship. Awful channel.

[BigAdz]

You can change the presenters, contents, channel as many times as you like but it ignores and wont solve the underlying issue.

Week to week horse racing just doesn't interest 99.5% of the population. They may have a small mug bet on the National or Derby but they have no real interest and have no desire to either.

I take people/arrange trips to racing perhaps half a dozen times a year but they go for the socialising, drink and food. They have zero interest in racing other than having £2 e/w on races because they are there.

None of those people (and they are the ones who come to the racing once or twice a year) have any interest in the sport or TV coverage.

Even guys who love poker. The vast majority of those don't give a toss about racing even though it involves betting.

Don't know how the sport changes that fundamental issue.

99.5 is a proper fact?  Good use of the 0.5 to give it a bit of accuracy.  

Think it is more an ageing support base and the fact we can watch races differently now.  I was at a kids party for the stewards cup so watched it on the phone.  I caught up at night by watching a couple of races again on the sporting life site.  Much of the time, I am doing stuff and just watch the actual races.  I simply don't watch tv as much as I did.

This is very true.

Try playing a round of golf with a gambling mate and get through 18 without someone telling you a result.

You don't need to be at home on the tv to enjoy it.

[RickBFA]

You can change the presenters, contents, channel as many times as you like but it ignores and wont solve the underlying issue.

Week to week horse racing just doesn't interest 99.5% of the population. They may have a small mug bet on the National or Derby but they have no real interest and have no desire to either.

I take people/arrange trips to racing perhaps half a dozen times a year but they go for the socialising, drink and food. They have zero interest in racing other than having £2 e/w on races because they are there.

None of those people (and they are the ones who come to the racing once or twice a year) have any interest in the sport or TV coverage.

Even guys who love poker. The vast majority of those don't give a toss about racing even though it involves betting.

Don't know how the sport changes that fundamental issue.

99.5 is a proper fact?  Good use of the 0.5 to give it a bit of accuracy.  

Think it is more an ageing support base and the fact we can watch races differently now.  I was at a kids party for the stewards cup so watched it on the phone.  I caught up at night by watching a couple of races again on the sporting life site.  Much of the time, I am doing stuff and just watch the actual races.  I simply don't watch tv as much as I did.

Ok 99.5% isn't a proper fact but you get my point.

Within the circles I mix in, basically work, friends and poker, I can list on one hand the people into racing on a regular basis.

I'm taking 20 people to the Ebor on the Saturday. There are 3 people including me who have any really interest and I mix in circles where I'd expect the interest to be a lot higher. And these are people who are actually bothering to buy a ticket to the event.

I know its not a scientific study (and I know you like to be analytical) but its clear the vast, vast majority of people have no interest in horse racing. They certainly aren't going to watch a horse racing programme or racing whether its live or on the internet.

You and I might watch a race again on sporting life site but joe bloggs just isn't interested.

The large race horse meetings have had to find other ways to get people through the door. Racing for a lot of people who go now is purely a social event sometimes with a band thrown in at the end of the night. The racing itself is almost secondary even to the people who actual attend.

Anyway, back to the original point, nothing the TV programme does will change the current trend.