Crowd Noise

[smartybadger]

Is there any particular reason why tracks don't have a crowd microphone or two to add to their feed? The crowd was supposedly going nuts at Saratoga during Rachel's Woodward, but one would have no idea by watching the replay. One of the great parts of Zenyatta's BC Classic is the crowd when Zenyatta was taken to the outside, and one could hear it because ESPN televised it. Tracks don't need to have ESPN broadcast their races in order to give the feeds some atmosphere. Just seems like it would be an easy addition.

[andtheyreoff]

Some tracks place microphones on the track and some don't. With the tracks that do, you can hear the crowd noise. NYRA does not, which explains the silence during the Woodward (the crowd was definitely going nuts, BTW).

[Steve 'StatMan']

Arlington Park uses canned fan noise. Both AP & Hawthorne use canned/simulated hoofbeats.

[FenceBored]

Is there any particular reason why tracks don't have a crowd microphone or two to add to their feed? The crowd was supposedly going nuts at Saratoga during Rachel's Woodward, but one would have no idea by watching the replay. One of the great parts of Zenyatta's BC Classic is the crowd when Zenyatta was taken to the outside, and one could hear it because ESPN televised it. Tracks don't need to have ESPN broadcast their races in order to give the feeds some atmosphere. Just seems like it would be an easy addition.

Having been in the car during the 2008 Breeders Cup I can say I hate the crowd microphone. Listening to the race calls on the radio you want to hear the announcer's voice clearly and cleanly. When the horses turned for home the crowd would start screaming and Trevor's voice would start creeping upward in pitch. By the final 1/16th I couldn't understand a word he was saying. There were at least 3 races, including the Classic, where I had to wait for the broadcast crew of HRRN to come back on and tell me who had won the race.

[smartybadger]

Fair enough...not for everyone

[wisconsin]

Arlington Park uses canned fan noise. Both AP & Hawthorne use canned/simulated hoofbeats.

And they are both stoooopid........hated watching TVG because of those stupid hoofbeats. They serve no purpose.

[illinoisbred]

Arlington Park uses canned fan noise. Both AP & Hawthorne use canned/simulated hoofbeats.
It's funny when its out-of-sync. How about when Hawthorne starts the Starting gate sound effect early?

[Quagmire]

Some tracks place microphones on the track and some don't. With the tracks that do, you can hear the crowd noise. NYRA does not, which explains the silence during the Woodward (the crowd was definitely going nuts, BTW).

I don't know if they still do it but ABC used to set up microphones along the rail on Belmont Stakes day.

[joanied]

I like hearing the crowd too...and the hoof beats...and, the jocks vocalizing...the entire package...it adds to the excitment...
IMO, anyone that finds it annoying, isn't intersted in the thrill of a race, just where the horses are that they bet on.
:)

[smartybadger]

I like hearing the crowd too...and the hoof beats...and, the jocks vocalizing...the entire package...it adds to the excitment...
IMO, anyone that finds it annoying, isn't intersted in the thrill of a race, just where the horses are that they bet on.
:)

Exactly. The sport is more than gambling. Could not have said it better myself.

[jballscalls]

there are some crowd noises that sound alright, and some that are plain bad. Sunland Park's hoof beats are over the top, Arlington on the other hand uses the same loop of tape for their crowd noise and I think it does add a little something.

I think Santa Anita is the only one that uses the actual crowd noise. I do recall when a horse broke down at the 1/16th pole in a race there, you could hear the crowd gasp and stop cheering. Where as at Arlington, same thing happened, and they kept cheering.

[FenceBored]

I like hearing the crowd too...and the hoof beats...and, the jocks vocalizing...the entire package...it adds to the excitment...
IMO, anyone that finds it annoying, isn't intersted in the thrill of a race, just where the horses are that they bet on.
:)

:confused: Oh, Joanied, it has nothing to do with wagering. The first purpose of a broadcast of a sporting event is to convey what happens in the contest, not how the crowd feels about what's happening. If the broadcaster can do both without undercutting their primary responsibility, fine. If they can't, then they need to focus on the event, not the crowd.

[smartybadger]

:confused: Oh, Joanied, it has nothing to do with wagering. The first purpose of a broadcast of a sporting event is to convey what happens in the contest, not how the crowd feels about what's happening. If the broadcaster can do both without undercutting their primary responsibility, fine. If they can't, then they need to focus on the event, not the crowd.

I respectfully disagree. The purpose of a broadcast is to give the listener a feel for not only what's happening on the field/track/ice/court, but also the general atmosphere of the game, and how the crowd is reacting to it. A broadcast in which in announcer accurately portrays what is occurring on the field is very good...a broadcast in which the listener can get the sense from both the announcer and the crowd/sounds on the field of what exactly is happening is even better. It's no coincidence that any professional radio broadcast for any sport has crowd/field mics to capture everything that's going on.

[46zilzal]

Horses have enough noise to contend with.

We have no microphones in our televised coverage other that those in the hands of interviewers. You want to hear a bunch of inebriated clowns yelling?

[joanied]

:confused: Oh, Joanied, it has nothing to do with wagering. The first purpose of a broadcast of a sporting event is to convey what happens in the contest, not how the crowd feels about what's happening. If the broadcaster can do both without undercutting their primary responsibility, fine. If they can't, then they need to focus on the event, not the crowd.

First of all...I am not talking about 'canned' noise...
but, I do agree that the crowds cheering should not interfere with the call...
now, this is 2010, fer cryin' out loud...if the tracks can't set up a couple of mics so folks watching on TV or listening on the radio can hear the crowd and still be able to hear the call...then I guess technology hasn't come as far as I thought....at least not at the tracks.

[FenceBored]

I respectfully disagree. The purpose of a broadcast is to give the listener a feel for not only what's happening on the field/track/ice/court, but also the general atmosphere of the game, and how the crowd is reacting to it. A broadcast in which in announcer accurately portrays what is occurring on the field is very good...a broadcast in which the listener can get the sense from both the announcer and the crowd/sounds on the field of what exactly is happening is even better. It's no coincidence that any professional radio broadcast for any sport has crowd/field mics to capture everything that's going on.

Which is more important, the race or the crowd? I don't tune in to hear the crowd, I tune in to see/hear how the horses run the race.

Maybe the broadcasters should put the cameras down low, behind the first few boxes of fans, so that when the crowd jumps onto its feet it'll block the tv audience's view, just like if they were really there.

[Marshall Bennett]

Arlington Park uses canned fan noise. Both AP & Hawthorne use canned/simulated hoofbeats.
Arlington is excessive , sounds like a episode of Rawhide during a stretch run .

[Dave Schwartz]

JoanieD,

I like hearing the crowd too...and the hoof beats...and, the jocks vocalizing...the entire package...it adds to the excitment...
IMO, anyone that finds it annoying, isn't intersted in the thrill of a race, just where the horses are that they bet on.

Let me tell you the coolest sound... From the roof of the press box at Saratoga you get the hoof beats as they come to the stretch - kind of like the coming of an army on horseback.

When in Saratoga for PA's get away get someone to pass you up there. You'll just love it.

Dave

[DeanT]

The track feed for the BC Classic had a roar I have not heard in a long time and it was awesome. The ESPN had a terrible crowd noise mic.

I watched it a bunch of times on youtube, but I just went back to look for it and it has been removed for copyright or something.

[Cardus]

there are some crowd noises that sound alright, and some that are plain bad. Sunland Park's hoof beats are over the top, Arlington on the other hand uses the same loop of tape for their crowd noise and I think it does add a little something.

I think Santa Anita is the only one that uses the actual crowd noise. I do recall when a horse broke down at the 1/16th pole in a race there, you could hear the crowd gasp and stop cheering. Where as at Arlington, same thing happened, and they kept cheering.

Chicagoans have always been a tough, tough crowd.