players face longer odds of cashing

[trigger]

As fan base wanes, pro horse players face longer odds of cashing (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fan-base-wanes-pro-horse/story.aspx?guid=%7BAC349886%2D6E85%2D4BC8%2DA4C2%2 D36D58B4DACAC%7D)

ht (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fan-base-wanes-pro-horse/story.aspx?guid=%7BAC349886%2D6E85%2D4BC8%2DA4C2%2 D36D58B4DACAC%7D)tp://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fan-base-wanes-pro-horse/story.aspx?guid=%7BAC349886%2D6E85%2D4BC8%2DA4C2%2 D36D58B4DACAC%7D (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fan-base-wanes-pro-horse/story.aspx?guid=%7BAC349886%2D6E85%2D4BC8%2DA4C2%2 D36D58B4DACAC%7D)

[PaceAdvantage]

An even larger obstacle for the pro horse gamers is tied to the declining popularity of the sport from its heyday in the first half of the 20th century.

As Illman explains, "It used to be really cheap for radio and then for television to broadcast the races, and this helped keep up their popularity."

But over the past 50 years, horse racing was displaced by other sports, and today, only a few top events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup get national TV coverage.

With fewer people interested in (and betting on) horse races, there are fewer casual players, and your opponents at the betting window are now more likely to be well-informed racing fans.

"The era of the 'hunch player' -- the old guy, chomping on a cigar, who bets No. 5 in every race -- is over," says Illman. Huh? Did I read this right? Is ESPN not considered "National Televsion?" I thought it was....silly me.....I would venture to guess that more racing is being televised TODAY on a national scale, then say even 20 years ago....what say you?

And let's not even get into TVG, which I also consider to be a national network.

[Indulto]

Huh? Did I read this right? Is ESPN not considered "National Televsion?" I thought it was....silly me.....I would venture to guess that more racing is being televised TODAY on a national scale, then say even 20 years ago....what say you?

And let's not even get into TVG, which I also consider to be a national network.Is this another one of those endeavors that you will subsequently describe as "Devil's Advocacy" ala the "Coulter" thread?

[takeout]

I think I need a ruling on what constitutes “national television”. I’ve got a TV but I never see ESPN or TVG on it. :)
Not complaining, just saying...

[Dan Montilion]

I think I need a ruling on what constitutes “national television”. I’ve got a TV but I never see ESPN or TVG on it. :)
Not complaining, just saying...
Put some tin foil on those rabbit ears...

[thespaah]

Huh? Did I read this right? Is ESPN not considered "National Televsion?" I thought it was....silly me.....I would venture to guess that more racing is being televised TODAY on a national scale, then say even 20 years ago....what say you?

And let's not even get into TVG, which I also consider to be a national network.some people are still locked into the idea that "national" means one of the four major nets broadcasting over the air.

[PaceAdvantage]

Is this another one of those endeavors that you will subsequently describe as "Devil's Advocacy" ala the "Coulter" thread?Careful...no politics in the horse racing section....:lol:

[PaceAdvantage]

some people are still locked into the idea that "national" means one of the four major nets broadcasting over the air.So to them, Monday Night Football is not broadcast nationally?

[thespaah]

So to them, Monday Night Football is not broadcast nationally?Most likely, no.
Preface. I don't like the NBA. Don't watch it.
When the NBA went cable only in a it's last tv contract, there were those in the media who commented that the NBA had gone second rate or words to that effect.
Fact is that ESPN, TNT and other "staple" cable channels are in 90% of the tv homes in the US. I'd say that's pretty good market penetration.

[socantra]

some people are still locked into the idea that "national" means one of the four major nets broadcasting over the air.

Most of those people get paid by one of the four major over the air networks in some fashion or another.

Over the air interference is so bad in most metro areas these days that the only way you get a watchable picture on local channels is to watch them on cable or satellite.

[The Hawk]

That video that accompanies that piece is cringe-inducing.

[equicom]

"The era of the 'hunch player' -- the old guy, chomping on a cigar, who bets No. 5 in every race -- is over," says Illman.

That old guy would have done very well at FG last weekend!


Huh? Did I read this right? Is ESPN not considered "National Televsion?"

1. ESPN is available worldwide, not just in the USA. Possibly some corner of africa is not getting it yet, but if they keep shooting down helicopters, then eventually they'll have enough material to make themselves a satelite dish. Then all they need to do is invent themselves a working television, but where there's a will, I guess there's a way.

2. I think when they say "national television" what they really mean is "free-to-air" television, not a subscriber service.

[o_crunk]

last week's MNF game between the patriots and ravens was the highest viewed broadcast of the night including the offerings for the 4 major broadcasts networks.

[takeout]

Put some tin foil on those rabbit ears...
:lol: :lol: :lol:

I had to take some off to wrap up a sandwich the other day and lost my doggone picture.

[chickenhead]

"The era of the 'hunch player' -- the old guy, chomping on a cigar, who bets No. 5 in every race -- is over".

If you're at the track and you can't find this guy, chances are you are this guy.

And that means you're sitting next to me. Shut up! I don't care about your "theories".

[trigger]

If you're at the track and you can't find this guy, chances are you are this guy.

And that means you're sitting next to me. Shut up! I don't care about your "theories".

Hey, lighten up. Unless you are too cheap, go in the clubhouse and get your own table and avoid mingling with the "great unwashed' and their theories.

[chickenhead]

Hey, lighten up.

Ha! It is you!

if you took your own advice you'd recognize a joke.

And have you been to the clubhouse recently? :eek:

I'm thinking Turf Club.

[trigger]

Ha! It is you!

if you took your own advice you'd recognize a joke.

And have you been to the clubhouse recently? :eek:

I'm thinking Turf Club.

I don't usually get elitist jokes.

[chickenhead]

hey if we can't make fun of ourselves...what is the point?

anyway, I don't have time for this, I'm off to the Opera.

[wes]

hey if we can't make fun of ourselves...what is the point?

anyway, I don't have time for this, I'm off to the Opera.



GRAND OLD OPERA!!!!


wes

[cnollfan]

hey if we can't make fun of ourselves...what is the point?

anyway, I don't have time for this, I'm off to the Opera.

Remember, cans, not bottles.

[thespaah]

Most of those people get paid by one of the four major over the air networks in some fashion or another.

Over the air interference is so bad in most metro areas these days that the only way you get a watchable picture on local channels is to watch them on cable or satellite.Do they?.I fail to see what that has to do with anything? (politely) Can you please elaborate, Thanks.
You correct about OTA channels in some markets. However that is nothing new.
The point I was making is that the mindset of most people is that if a program or event which was once on major network tv that is now on cable only has somehow gone "minor league".
Nothing could be farther from the truth.

[The Hawk]

Most, if not all, of the MLB playoffs this year were on TBS. Obviously, there's nothing minor league about those games.

That said, I can't help but feel there's a little prestige that's lost when it's on cable, but I feel like that's MY problem. As a child of the 70's, I, like many others, still have this subconscious mindset that if it's not on one of the THREE (not even Fox!) major networks it's a little less prestigious. Even watching the World Series on Fox, I feel like it's not as dramatic. Obviously, that's an outdated notion.

Watching the Breeders' Cup on ESPN instead of NBC may to us seem like it's being given short shrift but to a whole (X-Games) generation maybe it's an indication that racing is cool?

[Tom]

Remember, cans, not bottles.:lol::lol::lol:

[socantra]

The point I was making is that the mindset of most people is that if a program or event which was once on major network tv that is now on cable only has somehow gone "minor league".


The point I was making is that the only people in the media who hold that mindset are most likely to be, in some way, feeding at the network trough.

I think most prople are sharper than that.

[classhandicapper]

Huh? Did I read this right? Is ESPN not considered "National Televsion?" I thought it was....silly me.....I would venture to guess that more racing is being televised TODAY on a national scale, then say even 20 years ago....what say you?

And let's not even get into TVG, which I also consider to be a national network.

I don't know about 20 years ago, but before that I used to watch NY racing with Frank Wright and Charlsie Cantey every Saturday afternoon and harness racing with Stan Bergstein every Saturday night on channel 9.

I think that 30 minute coverage every week did more for NY racing in its day than the cable networks do now.

[Tom]

Hey Class, I used to watch those shows....WOR?
Back when Time Warner cable was not as worthless as it is today!

[thespaah]

Hey Class, I used to watch those shows....WOR?
Back when Time Warner cable was not as worthless as it is today!
I watched them as well. Yes. WOR-TV Channel 9. Mets baseball, Rangers Hockey too.

[trigger]

I don't know about 20 years ago, but before that I used to watch NY racing with Frank Wright and Charlsie Cantey every Saturday afternoon and harness racing with Stan Bergstein every Saturday night on channel 9.

I think that 30 minute coverage every week did more for NY racing in its day than the cable networks do now.

Up here in Mass, I fondly remember the NYRA coverage with Harvey Pack every night from 6pm -6:30 showing that day's races.
At the neighborhood bar, we would set up a pool each night where horse's #'s would be drawn and each "investor" would put up $9 ($1 a race) and would have his/her # for all races. The noise practically raised the roof with all hooting and hollering as the horses came down the stretch.....it was great fun.

[toetoe]

Charlsie, Frank, Jack Whitaker(sp.?), and the rest >>> :ThmbUp:

[thespaah]

Up here in Mass, I fondly remember the NYRA coverage with Harvey Pack every night from 6pm -6:30 showing that day's races.
At the neighborhood bar, we would set up a pool each night where horse's #'s would be drawn and each "investor" would put up $9 ($1 a race) and would have his/her # for all races. The noise practically raised the roof with all hooting and hollering as the horses came down the stretch.....it was great fun.
Good stuff!!!!

[The Hawk]

In terms of ESPN being considered "national":

Do you guys who like the NFL consider Monday Night Football to be the even that it was on ABC? I understand you can't compare it to the pre-cable days, but how about the last five years when ABC had the rights?

Also: Is Sunday Night Football more of an event on NBC than the Sunday night game was on ESPN?

[Kelso]

As a child of the 70's, I, like many others, still have this subconscious mindset that if it's not on one of the THREE (not even Fox!) major networks it's a little less prestigious. Even watching the World Series on Fox, I feel like it's not as dramatic. Obviously, that's an outdated notion.


As a child of the 50s, I miss World Series games being played in the afternoon. I almost feel sorry for the schoolkids today who don't know the thrill of surreptitiously listening to a game, via 7 transistor radio with earphone, in class ... only to be asked the score by the teacher! :eek: :blush: :D

[JustRalph]

In terms of ESPN being considered "national":

Do you guys who like the NFL consider Monday Night Football to be the even that it was on ABC? I understand you can't compare it to the pre-cable days, but how about the last five years when ABC had the rights?

Also: Is Sunday Night Football more of an event on NBC than the Sunday night game was on ESPN?

don't forget that ABC had the right to keep Monday night football on ABC. I think ABC and ESPN are the same company nowadays. Both Disney properties?

[racefinder2]

Is it just me or is this too obvious...

This article strikes me as missing an important point---

Instead of bringing in simulcasts from Australia, SA, the far East, etc,
Why arent our major tracks and info providers, etc... EXPORTING the signals, hcpg info, betting platforms, etc... to offshore and beyond ????
(instead of complaining about stagnant growth). Thats what every other business that runs low on growth opportunities does--goes international, markets, etc......either that, or IMO theyre "crying all the way to the bank"....
Also, ''expert heavy pools" at home ? ? ? I dont think so....

[thespaah]

Is it just me or is this too obvious...

This article strikes me as missing an important point---

Instead of bringing in simulcasts from Australia, SA, the far East, etc,
Why arent our major tracks and info providers, etc... EXPORTING the signals, hcpg info, betting platforms, etc... to offshore and beyond ????
(instead of complaining about stagnant growth). Thats what every other business that runs low on growth opportunities does--goes international, markets, etc......either that, or IMO theyre "crying all the way to the bank"....
Also, ''expert heavy pools" at home ? ? ? I dont think so....
The American horse racing business people are either living in the 50' and 60' or they holding on to some kind of irrational hope that ther will be a return to the heydays when 25 or 30 thousand people would show up at Belmont Park or Hollywood on an ordinary Saturday