Racing is nothing without Gambling

So don't blame it !!!


Qipco blames Channel 4 for 'shrinking' audience
BY LEE MOTTERSHEAD 1:59PM 20 NOV 2015
QIPCO, which this year signed British racing's biggest ever sponsorship deal when extending its support of the British Champions Series and British Champions Day, has delivered a stinging critique of Channel 4's racing coverage and blamed the broadcaster for "shrinking" the sport's television audience.

With Channel 4 understood to face a strong threat from ITV to retain its coverage of racing's crown jewel events from 2017, Qipco's entry into the debate surrounding how racing should be televised, and which broadcaster should televise it, has come at a pivotal time.

The British Champions Series, which Qipco sponsors, was one of four signatories to the four-year Channel 4 deal, the others being RMG, Jockey Club Racecourses and Ascot. Qipco British Champions Day has gone from being watched by 1.1m on BBC1 in 2012 to 367,000 on Channel 4 in 2015, equivalent to a 67 per cent exodus.

David Redvers, speaking in his role as racing representative to Qipco, said: "I do not think it's racing's fault. I believe racing provides the storyline. How the storyline is used, produced and sold to the masses is the job of the broadcaster.

'A complete yawn'

"The problem I have had for some time is Channel 4 seems to be far too interested in portraying racing solely as a betting medium and it thereby marginalises half the audience. We have some of the most fascinating, exciting, hairs-standing-up-on-the-back-of-your neck stories generated by any sport. However, there seems to be a reluctance by some at Channel 4 to tell those stories in its morning and afternoon racing programmes.

"What got Sheikh Fahad into racing in the first place is he loved the chat, banter and storylines on The Morning Line when it was produced by the old team. It was great television and it sucked him into the sport. Now it is a complete yawn as it seems to be almost entirely devoted to the betting on the racing that day.

"Several good and interesting programmes have been produced when presenters have been sent to racing stables and places like Coolmore and Banstead Manor for The Morning Line. That sort of programme involves viewers in the nitty-gritty of our sport.

"There have also been some fantastic racing documentaries and promotional advertising of the Grand National, but not across racing as a whole.

"I understand betting is a large part of racing and must be referenced, but not to the almost total exclusion of the equine and human storyline."

Redvers added: “Channel 4 is racing’s shop window to the world. Unless Channel 4 puts on something attractive and user-friendly to people with a passing interest, it will never succeed in the remit it was clearly given, which was to grow our audience. In fact, what Channel 4 has succeeded in doing is shrinking our audience."

No please not ITV. They will be showing ads leading up to the race, getting back to the track on the off, then have an ad break during the race and straight after the race. They will drive viewers away in their droves.

Chicken.. do you watch racing on a SAT afternoon?

20 years ago its all the working man done was watching the racing and sports on a Saturday.

I think nowadays we don`t get away with it and most have better things to do most saturday afternoons?

Now and again, during the summer season.

I'm not a massive fan of Channel 4's coverage and I don't watch it very often, but the real problem is that most racing fans watch their favourite sport seven days a week on two dedicated racing channels and see no need to switch to Channel 4 for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. It's the fall in racing's popularity on terrestrial television which is at the heart of all this rather than the standard of Channel 4's coverage and whichever broadcaster takes over in 2017 will face exactly the same, if not an even worse, problem.

Steckenpferd wrote: I'm not a massive fan of Channel 4's coverage and I don't watch it very often, but the real problem is that most racing fans watch their favourite sport seven days a week on two dedicated racing channels and see no need to switch to Channel 4 for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. It's the fall in racing's popularity on terrestrial television which is at the heart of all this rather than the standard of Channel 4's coverage and whichever broadcaster takes over in 2017 will face exactly the same, if not an even worse, problem.

100%

I VERY rarely watch a live BPL match these days, OVERKILL

we are poilt for choice

on the contrary, to keep peoples' interest, one cannot only go on and on and on without some let up interval with some variance eg. stories, or interview, or documentary, or behind the scenes, or a review. Watching racing and only betting is banal. 'Tis like eating only mash potato every day, year round. One needs a green, red, or a meat on the plate too?

Non racing people don't respond to the thought of 30 min of waffle and race talk in-between races, for an entire afternoon. I do , but its not something that will attract new fans.

As a kid ,I enjoyed the feature race every weekend with the quick roundup of other races during lulls and at 1/2 times etc. maybe more during a cricket match. Its the sort of minimal attention span thing which gets people to remember the odd good horse and maybe take an interest next time they see its name.

A dedicated racing channel is fine for the racing and betting fraternity but having to pay for it doesn't do the industry any favours either .

I agree that racing needs gambling but it is the form and presentation of that gambling that will swing new interest in future.

Agreed, racing is not just about the punt which, comparatively, is the most expensive punt. Get the hype right and the punt will follow.

Silly example and perhaps off topic - SEABISCUIT made $500 000 on release in SA - Now you would think that would make for an increase in punters and owners just like Finding Nemo led to an increase in people buying or wanting to buy Clown Fish. Did not happen
Funny that as the movie only made $200 000 in Hong Kong where gambling on horses is almost genetic. Either you are primed to punt or not - The fillers on Racing Channels speak to very few people I'm afraid. Gamblers want betting, tips, interviews pertaining to future bets etc . You can create casual event punters but die hards are born not made. I recall years ago I'd get a few calls on the Friday before the July from friends who knew I was a punter asking for tips for that race. They never asked on the other 364 days of the year so a once a year splurge was enough. Now if you could get those types of people to a racetrack 4 times a year that's fine as they will never become gamblers but they would boost pools especially if you make non-Feature days your priority.

Dubai?