Lab Report: Derby vs. Basketball

[On Spec]

I needed to run some errands today, but planned my day so that I would be at an electronics store for the Derby post time.

Out of about 100 hundred screens, none were turned to the Derby when I arrived with about ten minutes to post. I found a remote for a bigscreen in the back row and found the race -- and instantly the entire back row of bigscreens in the place (about 15) showed the race.

I watched through the post parade, through loading at the gate, through the entire race -- and was the only one watching. Approximately three dozen people went by these screens as the race showed -- none stopped to watch. A few looked to see what I was looking at, and although some stopped for a few moments as the race was being run, they continued on their way, even with the most exciting two minutes in sport being hotly contested.

After the race, even before the horseback interviewer reached Animal Kingdom, one of the mid-twenties-age salesmen comes up to me and asks if I minded if he changed the channel. No, of course not, I say. "Do you like basketball?" he asks, flipping back to the OKC quarterfinal series playoff game.

"Yeah, but I just wanted to watch the race," I said. "That's the Kentucky Derby."

"Oh," he replies, as if to say he's heard of it, and always wondered what it looked like. Not much more.

I guess I thought there would be a little more casual interest.

[nijinski]

How sad is that ??

[toussaud]

i would not make too much of that. the guy obviously was at work and wanted to watch the game.

there is a sports bar I go to about once a week to watch this or that or to shoot pool, they have at least 30 TV's in the joint, and at any given time 5-7 of them are on horse racing.., i don't' care if it's a Tuesday night at mountaineer, dammit they are showing TVG, and change it if you want.

[On Spec]

About half of the other TVs in the store were already tuned to the basketball game. He wanted the race (which, granted, was over) off the sets. Even I don't think a horseback interview is as visually interesting as an NBA playoff game, but the upcoming replays of the race could have been nice.

Just noting a lack of interest of shoppers and those who sell to them.

[cj]

Originally Posted by nijinski

How sad is that ??

Well, it was the Thunder.

[sonnyp]

Originally Posted by On Spec

About half of the other TVs in the store were already tuned to the basketball game. He wanted the race (which, granted, was over) off the sets. Even I don't think a horseback interview is as visually interesting as an NBA playoff game, but the upcoming replays of the race could have been nice.

Just noting a lack of interest of shoppers and those who sell to them.

it is sad, but i think the love of the game clouds the perception of most of the members on this board as to how to little the modern american puplic cares about horseracing.

stand in times square and take a survey by asking the name of this years kentucky derby winner or his jock.

any guesses as to what % would would know either ?

[On Spec]

Originally Posted by sonnyp

it is sad, but i think the love of the game clouds the perception of most of the members on this board as to how to little the modern american puplic cares about horseracing.

stand in times square and take a survey by asking the name of this years kentucky derby winner or his jock.

any guesses as to what % would would know either ?

How long after the race?