NBC's Derby coverage even harder for horseplayers to watch this year

[goatchaser]

You know the coverage is bad when you turn over to TVG until they say The horses are at the gate and then change back to NBC.

[SandyLoam]

I'd like to see statistics on the osmosis of any of the party hearty crowd, whether at the track or at home, into the ranks of even casual horseplayers. The growth of the horseplayer crowd might just be diametrically opposed to the shortening attention spans in our society.

Nevertheless, with this NBC stuff this year and FoxSports1, there's a lot more racing on TV lately. Wasn't there one year not long go when coverage went from The Belmont to black to the Breeders Cup?

NBC's approach calls for horseplayers to watch either at a track or OTB or at home. Watching in a sports bar is impossible because NBC hardly recognizes that there is wagering on the races. Getting the odds is supremely frustrating. Just thank goodness for iPads, smartphones and computers for the skinny, and the TV for the fluff.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by SandyLoam

NBC's approach calls for horseplayers to watch either at a track or OTB or at home. Watching in a sports bar is impossible because NBC hardly recognizes that there is wagering on the races. Getting the odds is supremely frustrating. Just thank goodness for iPads, smartphones and computers for the skinny, and the TV for the fluff.

That's funny, my home 'lounge' has 2 TVs, one of which is exclusively for wireless connection to my computer for wagering and tote info.

[fmolf]

I am glad they are showing all the celibrities and having commentators like Weir and Lapinski.Hopefully this willget some fat walleted athletes and actors/entertainers into horse ownership.If this happens then their friends the bettors will follow!This reason could be why S.A. handle was up for the meet.It certainly isn't because they raised the takeout or the "throw us a bone P5" they offer!!

[Tom]

I wish they would not cover the Derby at all.
Let the racing channels host the races for race players and let the hat people go wear their hats somewhere else.
Or better yet, have the telecast but just skip the Derby and let us watch it live on HRTV live. WE support the game 365, let US have our coverage.

I bet in all the years NBC has covered it they have not brought 2 people to the track more than once.

[soupman2]

Originally Posted by fmolf

That is just fine with me.I do not need them to give me any info on the race.The fact that they are trying to get more entertainment people involved should be good news for all!These are the everyday people who can grow the sport.The Jim Romes and Bobby Flays and the Joe Torres are the people we need in this sport now and all anyone wants to do is bash NBC i do not get it!My wife and a lot of the woman i know like the fashion stuff.Lapinski and Weir are fresh and recognizable from their olympics work.I will not be betting because of the takeout raise but i give CDI and NBC credit for at least trying to promote racing in a positive light!

I'm fine with it too. How much time do you actually spend watching their coverage? They are only going to give you "scratch the surface" information anyway because THE TELECAST IS NOT FOR HORSE PLAYERS.

Bob

[andtheyreoff]

Originally Posted by Tom

I wish they would not cover the Derby at all.
Let the racing channels host the races for race players and let the hat people go wear their hats somewhere else.
Or better yet, have the telecast but just skip the Derby and let us watch it live on HRTV live. WE support the game 365, let US have our coverage.

I bet in all the years NBC has covered it they have not brought 2 people to the track more than once.

Yeah, let's drastically lower the amount of national exposure racing gets. Brilliant!

[tanner12oz]

Drastically lower it by the 2 minutes of racing NBC shows?

[Tom]

Originally Posted by andtheyreoff

Yeah, let's drastically lower the amount of national exposure racing gets. Brilliant!

What good does it do?
Squat. Seeing all those hats will put how many fannies in the seats at Parx?

[Tom]

Originally Posted by tanner12oz

Drastically lower it by the 2 minutes of racing NBC shows?

About right - there's is basically no racing coverage on the NBC telecasts.
Hats, celebs? Covered.
Racing?

[duncan04]

Originally Posted by SandyLoam

NBC's approach calls for horseplayers to watch either at a track or OTB or at home. .

Don't most horseplayers do that anyway? At least that is what I hear when the ratings come out as why it's so low.

[duncan04]

Originally Posted by goatchaser

Think your wrong on this one JB..The ones who comes to the track where you are and your not open are people I would think attend that track on a reg basis. Can't see non racing people say let's go to the track and party...Right?

Think JB nailed it on the head and you are wrong goatchaser. Lots of tracks have derby parties which brings out the non racing fans. They come for the beer and to make a few bets and just have fun.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by duncan04

But the gambling dollar here in the U.S. is being competed for by poker, casinos, etc. I don't know why people are surprised at what NBC is doing. Trying to get ratings by catering to the non-horseplayer. They know a lot of horseplayers will be at a track or watching through their ADW's or will tune in at post time. What do you expect?

Good point. However, the attendance and handle fade dates back to early 90's. That's long before the casino boom began and well before the first racino was ever built.
Casino gambling was still mainly confined to AC and Vegas.
I am not surprised at the move NBC is making here. Comcast which owns NBC has taken the Weather Channel and turned into a fluff channel for stay at home mommies.
Anyway....

[Just a Fan]

Many of us (horse racing fans) hated NBC's coverage last year, but the ratings were very good. So NBC isn't a bunch of idiots, and I'm all for trying to attract non-racing fans to racing, rather than trying to appeal to people who are already going to watch the race no matter what. And 98% of the TV audience won't know the difference between Art Sherman and Art Garfunkel.

I just think that when you introduce Johnny Weir, Kentucky Derby field reporter, it officially gets to the point where the 2% of the audence like us just can't bear to watch.

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by Just a Fan

Many of us (horse racing fans) hated NBC's coverage last year, but the ratings were very good. So NBC isn't a bunch of idiots, and I'm all for trying to attract non-racing fans to racing, rather than trying to appeal to people who are already going to watch the race no matter what. And 98% of the TV audience won't know the difference between Art Sherman and Art Garfunkel.

I just think that when you introduce Johnny Weir, Kentucky Derby field reporter, it officially gets to the point where the 2% of the audence like us just can't bear to watch.

These telecasts are geared to the people who MIGHT watch, not for the people who are watching no matter what. If you don't know racing, but you like Johnny or Tara, you might watch...if you love racing and are already a fan, you're watching even if they show very little racing and the rest is just fluff.