WIRE TO WIRE CANCELLED.

[44PACE]

Randy Moss announced on todays show that Wire to Wire a horse racing recap and info show will air its last show next tuesday. Horse racing will not have a weekly show on ESPN in 2007.


This is really sad that ESPN canno't spare a 1/2 hour per week to cover horse racing. 50 hours a week covering Poker just must not be enough for them.The hell with ESPN, I am done with them. :ThmbDown: :mad:

[KirisClown]

It was a much better show when it was called Racehorse Digest, back in the days of Chris Lincoln...

[JimG]

I was surprised to hear it as well considering ESPN is broadcasting quite a bit of horse racing in 2007.

[joeyreb]

Look how ESPN ruined BASS.... They got lucky with Poker. Now their looking for the quick fix and rating boost instead producing a good program and promoting it and letting the ratings come afterwards.

When VS was OLN, they did well with their Monday Night Fishing Shows, but that makes too much sense

Look at ESPN's logic, let's run 5 hrs of Fishing related programs Sat. morning.. when anyone who is interested it in would be on the lake fishing...



ESPN has 6 channels and puts all kinds of crap on it [including Spelling Bees], but can't find a place in the line up for a weekly Horse Racing after it has spent Millions on broadcasting rights to races...... Wise move

[Tom]

I wish they would get out racing altogether -their coverage of racing sucks.
Kenny Mayne is the only bright spot.
They area far better suited to covering little league anyway.:rolleyes:

[delayjf]

I prefered the older version whereby they recapped all the weeks stakes races. They often skipped some to include quarter horse racing which I could have done without. Hopefully either TVG or HRTV will produce something simular.

[raybo]

[QUOTE=44PACE]Randy Moss announced on todays show that Wire to Wire a horse racing recap and info show will air its last show next tuesday. Horse racing will not have a weekly show on ESPN in 2007.


This is really sad that ESPN canno't spare a 1/2 hour per week to cover horse racing. 50 hours a week covering Poker just must not be enough for them.The hell with ESPN, I am done with them. :ThmbDown: :mad:[/QUOTE

I agree that they have spurned the horse racing community. However, poker is another of my vices and I dearly love watching all the big hands on TV, as a matter of fact I wouldn't mind seeing even more, especially the less spectacular "grinding" hands. I spend more time online playing poker than horseracing. Where else can you wager and win money without ever investing any money of your own? Maybe they could stop rerunning all the old Ali fights on ESPNCL and put some past poker tournaments in those slots instead, and free up some "live" spots for more horseracing programming. After all, most of the poker tournaments they show have been over for months or years.

[Stevie Belmont]

El Sucko. If you have Comcast you can catch Lets Go Racing with Kieth Jones and Dick Jerardi. They are the only game in town now, or should I say nation?

[joeyreb]

I prefered the older version whereby they recapped all the weeks stakes races. They often skipped some to include quarter horse racing which I could have done without. Hopefully either TVG or HRTV will produce something simular.

TVG does, it's called the Finish Line

[ELA]

Of course, this is just another part of the problem. The "product", so to speak, for TV needs to transformed. It's not an easy "product" to sell. You had flirting with the Triple Crown for Funny Cide and Smarty Jones, and the Afleet Alex high was short lived when he didn't win the Derby. Yes, that can work. But there is more. Sure, there is much more to it than that, but that's part of the problem.

I've always found that this business is unique -- in many ways. Just one thing unique about our great game is "how close" the public can get to the players, both equine and human. The backstretch is nothing like the dugout or the locker room. The players in our game are right up close to the spectators. This past summer up at the Spa, I'm walking along, heading back to my seats from the race office, and there is Michael Matz eating a hotdog. I never met him but certainly wanted the seize the opportunity to introduce myself, meet him and shake his hand. As a side note -- I mean, come on, the guy is a hero (from the plane crash). Anyway, why not more pieces like Jerry Bailey with a helmet cam and a microphone, walking people through what a race is really like. Why not have more behind the scenes stories. We need more of the great things in and about our great sport and business. Look at the elderly gentleman who owned the horse that Baze recently broke the record on. He said after the race he was so glad to win because he checked that morning and only had a couple of hundred bucks in the bank!

So -- here is my great story. There truly are some incredible stories in our industry. Did anyone hear D. Wayne Lukas' speech a few years ago at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony? It was nothing short of incredible.

Lukas tells the audience of the great stories we have in our industry. He looks out over the section of the crowd where Hall of Fame members are sitting and talks about how people can meet and talk to the people who made history. Then, in a way nobody else can, he tells the stories. Please forgive me as I might mess up some of the details, and perhaps there is a bit of embellishment as Lukas was painting to the dramatic.

Lukas told the crowd about a trainer who had a terrible accident and suffered a severe brain injury. The trainer met a doctor who he bonded with and who was committed to helping him -- and the doctor saved his life. They developed a friendship -- a friendship that lasted a lifetime and would become part of history. The trainer promised to name a horse after his friend, the doctor, who saved his life -- and he did. Boy did he. Lukas then hesitated and told the crowd -- "ladies and gentlemen -- today we have Mr. John Nerud and Dr. Fager in the Hall of Fame"

Lukas then told the crowd about a young boy from Colorado. He developed an affinity for horses very early on and people discovered he had a gift -- a gift of of having incredible hands and being able to communicate with a horse. He told how the young boy grew up and as a young man started riding at bush tracks throughout the midwest. He became very successful very fast and when he hit the big time he started living life on the edge, living in the fast lane. He developed problems with drugs and alcohol. So one night, when he was in a hotel room he awoke to the sound of the TV. A television evangelist was preaching. Right then and there that man became transformed. He found God and his new found faith became an integral part of his life moving forward -- and still to this day. Then, in a way that only Wayne Lukas could, he said "and ladies and gentlemen, today, we have Mr. Pat Day in the Hall of Fame"

His last story -- for those of you who know me -- you know was of course my favorite. It was nothing short of incredible. Lukas told the story of a young man with a huge, charasmatic smile, who came to the United States. This young man had a dream -- a dream to be a jockey. He ended up in NY on the backstretch of Belmont racetrack, and the only English he spoke was the words "hamburger" and "ham-n-egg". He met everyone he could, shook their hand and got to know them -- initially not looking for rides, but looking for a place to sleep. He had talent -- incredible talent. And he had determination -- a competitive streak that would never die. And then Lukas hesitated. He leaned in toward the microphone and said -- yes, like only Wayne Lukas could say the words -- "and ladies and gentlemen . . . today . . . we have Mr. Angel Cordero in the Hall of Fame"

This is a dead medium. And unfortunately words from me or anyone could not do Lukas' words justice. But let me assure you -- Lukas' speech touched, moved and inspired people. That's it. It is that -- those stories, and the innumerable more that happen everyday in our great sport and industry -- we need to build upon that and make that "the product"

This is a very, very global problem and needs global solutions.

Eric

[BlueShoe]

So what can we expect the bean counters at ESPN to broadcast in place of Wire to Wire?Perhaps we will get womens field hockey,or maybe even monster truck destruction derby,or,hold your breath--curling.Now curling,thats a real exciting sport,ratings will be just smashing if they show curling,far higher than those old horse races.ESPN;Bah Humbug!

[DJofSD]

No more WTW - I'm bummed.

I guess racing will survive. And for that matter, I guess I will too.

Time to update the old TiVo Season Pass list.

[alysheba88]

Did anyone really watch the show? If you watched it, what did you find on that show you can't find anywhere else?

[Trax21]

Did anyone really watch the show? If you watched it, what did you find on that show you can't find anywhere else?


I used to watch and still TiVo it. Looking back, I probably haven't watched it but a couple of times in the past year. Just not that interested in a recap show, I guess. Usually I've seen several of the races already anyway. Thought the show was pretty well done but would be more interested in a show about the upcoming weekend's racing from a handicapping perspective. Wire to Wire seems to be aimed more towards horsemen and people within the industry rather than handicappers.

[PaceAdvantage]

I used to watch it almost every week, but over the last year or so, I haven't watched it much at all.....

Then again, I have always considered myself somewhat of a trend setter.....sorry WTW!!! :(

[FoxTrot]

The ratings for Wire To Wire were poor – but they were diminishing in part because of all the information that is available world-wide.

Despite a total drop of about 40 hours of coverage from a benchmark in 2006 of nearly 140 hours, a senior ESPN executive says the network is still dedicated to horse racing.Most of the coverage reduction will come in the form of eliminating Wire To Wire, which accounted for 53 hours annually.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36786

[Stevie Belmont]

I did this back in March. ESPN should have done better.


Racing fans get shafted again by ESPN
March 25, 2006







It’s 5 o’clock eastern time. Do you know where the horseracing is? I grab my remote, and switch to ESPN2. Another disappointment. Tennis is on. I was expecting to see some horseracing. ESPN2 sends it to Kenny Mayne reporting from a cold dreary Turfway Park in Kentucky. He has a confused look on his face, wishing the show could start. He tells us we will see racing “if and when tennis ends” The Lanes End and Rushaway Stakes is scheduled to air on ESPN2 at 5 pm ET. Instead we are shafted again. Last week it was the World Baseball Classic preempting the Gotham Stakes,Tampa Bay Derby and the San Felipe. Is it me, or is something wrong here? This has been going on for a while now. All through last year, and in years past, there has been one preemption after another before we saw any horseracing. Remember the Little League World Series? I know these other sports have rights to be aired, but it really seems racing gets the least priority. ESPN is supposed to be the network of horseracing. Maybe we can call it the home of the preemption.[/font]

Enough is enough already. Horseracing has been put on the back burner for way to long now, both the fans of the sport, and the sport itself is being shafted by the powers that be. Something needs to be done. Sponsors take a beating as well. We are a little over a month away from one of biggest sporting events in the United States. The Kentucky Derby. Yet we can’t even get to see a full production. How the hell are we supposed to know who might be a participant on that first Saturday in May? Long time fans, will find ways to see what’s happening, either through an internet connection or replays on shows such as “Wire to Wire". And just take a good look at what time that show is scheduled for. 2:00 pm ET on Wednesday and a replay at 5:30 am ET on Saturday morning. Not exactly prime viewing hours. In fact the times are horrible.

We finally did get to see a race. At 5:44 we were back at Turfway Park. ESPN2 crammed in the Lanes End Stakes. We never saw the Rushaway Stakes, or were told who won! How many fans bailed for good while waiting? ESPN2 aired 15 minutes of coverage that was supposed to be a one hour show. Once again, something is severely wrong here. Why are racing fans being deprived the right to see full productions, that were scheduled months ago, if not years ago? This is a sport that has an identity crisis. And the crisis is growing. Horseracing is in desperate need of new blood. How can fans be exposed to horseracing if it’s not even on the station it’s supposed to be on? Does the NTRA think that this is good business? If they do, then they have a huge problem on their hands. Horseracing is the redheaded step child of televised sports. Its bad enough NBC lost the Breeder’s Cup to ESPN. One wonders if the Breeder’s Cup will be preempted by the Worlds Strongest Man competition.[/font]

ESPN and ESPN2 needs to come up with some type of solution to solve this problem. It would not be fair to the viewers of the other sporting events to be switched either. I would think with the money and power of this network, they could find a way to avoid these situations. A picture in picture would even be an upgrade from the current situation. ESPN possibly could have shown the races, don’t get me wrong, but figure skating had its moment a few weeks ago in the Olympics. The figure skating was a reun. Adding insult to injury. ESPN opted to show a repeat of a program, over a live horseracing telecast. Just think, ESPN has two channels, and they still can’t find a way to televise the races without conflict. The NTRA and the networks that show races must come to a solution to correct the problem. There won’t even be a tape delay of the show in its entirety. The Winstar Derby and Winstar Oaks is scheduled to air next Saturday at 5 pm ET on ESPN. You can also bet there is a strong chance it will be preempted, leaving us once again frustrated. Enough is enough. I would encourage fans to let you’re opinion be known. Below are some links to some of the powers that be.[/font]

[JPinMaryland]

Well I watched the show every week I could and it certainly worked for me. I dont watch/bet every stakes race or even many tracks. I really only go to the track or OTB when a big event is coming; Ky Derby, BC, or it could be the Wood. Whatever, I dont play or watch every day. So that show really worked for me in order to keep track of the top tier of horses.

I would think that this is the type of viewer that ESPN will lose out on, casual players who dont watch all the races on HRTV or TVG. Dont know how much of a market that is.

I do have comcast and I have seen Let's GO Racing, it would seem to fill in the apparent void here.

[lurker]

Maybe I am missing something here. If they were making money on the show it would have stayed on the air. I wouldn't expect ESPN to run money losing programing. Don't get me wrong, I can't imagine who watches half of the crap that they put on the air, but if they are making money at it then good for them. I find it strange that the industry hadn't stepped up to buy ad time on the show, or produce their own show and televise it on bought time.

[toetoe]

I still think a radio show, I don't know ... thirty minutes a day, hell, FIFTEEN minutes, would be great. ESPN have the "news" every 10 minutes, same basketball scores, blah, blah blah ... then the "show" has people talking about this fight, that spitting incident, this postmortem on the Iverson trade, that prediction on the Drano Unstoppa Bowl. These guys are pushing stuff so hard, and I wonder whether even the dumbed-down American male longs for something fresh and new ... NAH, never mind, guess not.

Actually, the Derby Trail/JJ Gracie show is too much for too few, whereas on ESPN, racing's not even considered a real sport. NASCAR have their own network radio show. Hell, I've heard network FISHING shows. Racing is one rung below home improvement on the radio ladder. :blush:

[Robert Fischer]

Maybe I am missing something here. If they were making money on the show it would have stayed on the air. I wouldn't expect ESPN to run money losing programing. Don't get me wrong, I can't imagine who watches half of the crap that they put on the air, but if they are making money at it then good for them. I find it strange that the industry hadn't stepped up to buy ad time on the show, or produce their own show and televise it on bought time.

That is true. The fanbase of racing is largely untapped. Sponsers aren't going crazy over a horse racing show. We laugh at that x-games stuff, but they have a whole market agenda supporting it. Racing needs to create that.

Nothing wrong with going into the fan aspect of popular star horses and also going into the wagering aspect. Lets see Bernardini, Barbaro etc.. running in cinematic action clips, in between the dry coverage, and lets see a handicapper go through the work of an upcoming race. What about a short segment of competing handicappers going through wagering strategy with a set bankroll?? We(or those who)watch poker , because they actually play poker!
-not enough in my opinion to simply review the results of a horserace.

[dav4463]

viewermail@espnwiretowire.com

email concerns to espn. maybe they will listen.

[Bruddah]

Kroger (Food Stores) sponsored a weekly horse racing show on T.V.. When you shopped in their stores you would receive various game tickets. As I remember, those tickets had horses entry numbers, race numbers and tracks listed. The weekly dinner time broadcast would show 3-4 races from various tracks. If you had a winning ticket from that track, with the selected race and the winning horses number, you won $50 in groceries. (A lot of groceries, in those days, and hardly one plastic sack full today) Anyway, it created a tremendous weekly audience of enthusiastic customers watching horse races on T.V.

Now to my point. Surely, there are some creative marketing geniuses, which could build, from this simple concept. The Irish did it, with the Irish SweepStakes.

Why couldn't some of the tracks work with their local T.V. stations and produce weekly drawings for weekend trips to the track. Show a few races weekly in local markets. Get the product shown and educate todays novice players. AT LEAST DO SOMETHING EXCEPT WHINE ABOUT NO FAN INTEREST. The decline of the fan base lies directly at the tracks feet. They do little advertising and NO fan education. Their ads are basically, 'our season is here and we are racing again'. 'Come see us'. No creativity and no educating of novice players:bang: :bang:

[pressman]

El Sucko. If you have Comcast you can catch Lets Go Racing with Kieth Jones and Dick Jerardi. They are the only game in town now, or should I say nation?

The only problem with that is they moved it to 1am Friday mornings due to lack of viewership and/or sponsors.

[ponyplayerdotca]

Bruddah wrote:

"Surely, there are some creative marketing geniuses, which could build, from this simple concept. The Irish did it, with the Irish SweepStakes.

Why couldn't some of the tracks work with their local T.V. stations and produce weekly drawings for weekend trips to the track? Show a few races weekly in local markets. Get the product shown and educate todays novice players. AT LEAST DO SOMETHING EXCEPT WHINE ABOUT NO FAN INTEREST. The decline of the fan base lies directly at the tracks feet. They do little advertising and NO fan education. Their ads are basically, 'our season is here and we are racing again'. 'Come see us'. No creativity and no educating of novice players."

====

Track management won't do more than the minimum they must because they believe "any money spent is profit lost".

It was California super trainer Jeff Mullins who spoke the immortal words in 2005 (paraphrasing), "the betting public are idiots".

I believe it is with that same contempt that most tracks view their clientele. They see us as addicts who will always be there betting money and serving their purpose. They have no impetus to do otherwise (especially since they have all that easy slot money lining their coffers and doing the work for them).

Sad, but true.

[cj's dad]

ESPN has 6 channels and puts all kinds of crap on it [including Spelling Bees], but can't find a place in the line up for a weekly Horse Racing after it has spent Millions on broadcasting rights to races...... Wise move[/QUOTE]

ESPN actually aired the National "Scrabble" tournament this week. What next, "speed reading" ???

[Valuist]

ESPN has 6 channels and puts all kinds of crap on it [including Spelling Bees], but can't find a place in the line up for a weekly Horse Racing after it has spent Millions on broadcasting rights to races...... Wise move



Don't forget the Eating contests. Reportedly, speed toe nail clipping will be next.

[JPinMaryland]

Suduko.

[46zilzal]

It was a much better show when it was called Racehorse Digest, back in the days of Chris Lincoln...
I still have some of those old shows. Where is Pete Axthelm when we need him?

[JPinMaryland]

PEte's been dead for quite a few years if I recall...

[jma]

The only problem with that is they moved it to 1am Friday mornings due to lack of viewership and/or sponsors.

It's on at midnight early Saturday (or in about an hour and a half from this post). It might still be on sometime during the day Friday, but I'm not sure. I think the racetrack pays for the show, since it says "paid programming" on the screen. I don't know who picks the airtime, but I imagine to Comcast its just another infomercial. Not knocking the show itself---it's nice to have around.

[Stevie Belmont]

I heard they changed the time. I usually watch the replay at midnight or tape it. Would not be shocked if that gets canned oneday.


The only problem with that is they moved it to 1am Friday mornings due to lack of viewership and/or sponsors.

[Tom]

ESPN has 6 channels and puts all kinds of crap on it [including Spelling Bees], but can't find a place in the line up for a weekly Horse Racing after it has spent Millions on broadcasting rights to races...... Wise move

ESPN actually aired the National "Scrabble" tournament this week. What next, "speed reading" ???[/QUOTE]

Holy Cow!
If they do, talk to Craig about doing figs for it! :lol: