I really wish I could see prep races on TV...
 

Just venting. Caught the Illinois Derby and Wood Memorial on TVG, but not many other people did.

How are we supposed to build interest when nobody else can see an important race like that?

If they showed some of those prep races to prisoners in Guantanamo Bay - it would be right up there with Waterboarding in terms of torture.

Realistically Joey, anyone who wanted to see the race either live or on replay will/have found a way to do that. I just doubt that any potential racing fans were going to derail their regular Saturday afternoon plans (especially with signs of spring finally showing up on the east coast) even if these races were shown on network TV.

As far as building the intrest, many people stop caring about racing seconds after the Derby. What makes you think that they are going to care about a prep leading up to it, especially if they have no action on it? Unfortunately I just feel like this weekend was a non event for newbies and most of mainstream America. There are other ways to build intrest, while prep races on TV would be nice, personally I don't think it's that big of a hook into the sport.

I don't disagree. It just makes me a little sad. I do love this game.

I don't disagree either. But, maybe (and I'm probably dreaming) if horses ran more and if the same stake race wasn't being run at 3 different tracks on the same day we might see some actual competitive racing. Competitive racing will help attract gamblers and fans.

I know when I first starting following, there were more races on TV and I looked forward to watching the ones that I couldn't see at OTB. Even now when a network carries the Derby, they don't show the Woodford Reserve beforehand. That would have been unheard of 15 years ago.

Obviously us as serious players and fans want competitive races. But I really think what the sport needs to draw from that once/twice a year player or total new fan base is a real star.

I'll use Zenyatta as an example, whether you liked her or not at least there was a public awareness about her. I'm not sure how many of these new fans actually pumped some money through the windows, but at least they were exposed to how great of a sport it can be. Hopefully it piqed their intrest to watch other races, maybe make it out to a local track as well. Hopefully a few of them became hooked and continue to watch and play now that she is retired.

You're right, horses need to run to become stars. I just think people want to see something special and become attached to that. I think Uncle Mo had a chance this weekend to possibly captivate the country if he would have demolished the field in the Wood (even though it didn't seem that the field was that good). Unfortunately I really believe that people want to see dominance, they want to be part of that next Secretariatesq like moment when the hero wins in a rout. Unfortunately those moments are so hard to come by. The moments that our sport captivates the country are just too far and too few between.

Everyone watches the Derby with the hopes of making money and seeing a potential TC winner(next possible star). I want to believe that the majority of people at least tune into the Preakness. I'm not saying they are betting it like the Derby, but at least they are aware that it's going on, still holding on to that dream of seeing something special. Then the Belmont, unfortunately the majority of people only care if there is a TC at stake, if not it's just another Saturday afternoon for the majority of them. If they are home maybe they will watch it, if not maybe they will read about it in the paper the next day. The perception is that nothing memorable will happen, so there's no reason to watch . It's just another competitive race. But when you think about it, there are lots of competitive races everyday, but they just lack the star power giving the public that next special moment people crave to see.

It's dominance, but it's also the underdog. People love a good underdog story.

I agree with much of what's said in this thread, but there is still a disconnect...

Zenyatta, Big Brown, Triple Crown attemps, Rachel etc. are all great, and yes, they get people to watch. But watching and participating are two different animals, especially when participation is really what we need.

I think herein lies one of racing's biggest problems, yet no one wants to talk about it because they obsess over issues like takeout: horse racing is too hard to learn, too scary to jump-in on and is perceived, by many, to be fake or dappled with cheaters (this reason being third on the list, and well below the other two).

Slot machines have historically done well because there is no barrier to entry. There is no "logic" needed, there is no special terminology needed... heck, you're trying to line-up cherries, and when you do, there's an easy to read chart that tells you how much you will (and can) win. It doesn't get any easier than that.

Pull the lever vs. key this horse in that bet and it'll cost you this much, but if you take him off then it's only this much. But I wouldn't do that because of the pace in the race, and the track bias and the furlongs and this is allowance, not claiming, and oh man, the track is sloppy not fast... etc.

Why are the V64 and V75 bets so poplular? It's not like Sweden doesn't have other casinos. Horse Racing in our country needs to tap into what makes those bets so popular and try to replicate it.

They are easy to bet. You don't need to understand racing.

Here is an excerpt from Bill Finley's article...

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...ill&id=2940196

You have to walk before you can run. Hopefully tuning in intrigues people enough to want to spend a day at the track. It's much more enjoyable than sitting in a casino pulling a lever all day. Hopefully after enjoying a day there, they would want to go back soon and try betting something else, say exacta's. Maybe on a third visit, triples and or pick 3's and the cycle would continue until they had the fever and became a regular. Maybe they would eventually open an account so they could bet from home. But the sport needs to set that original hook.

I do agree that the learning to handicap obstacle is a very big hurdle for the sport to get over. Let's face it, handicapping is a very time consuming thing and that's even after you learn how to read the form or sheets. We have discussed it before, but the sport needs an easier introduction plan for novices/newbies. There is so much available information that it could become intimidating to the point where people think it's hopeless to pick up.

I also wish I could see prep races on TV :(

Why arent races shown on regular tv anymore
 

I remember ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN and even FOX/ROOT/TVG, used to show these races. WTF HAPPENED?

Superb point..................This is the essence of constant battle with fan interest (and staying power), maybe this is a bad comparison but each year as many people quit golf that take up the sport. It is difficult to master as is horse-racing. I realize the big difference is that if you pay to play golf you get to do it no matter what your handicap. I like the challenge of the puzzle of racing, many people just don't have the determination to stick with it. I feel I have some control over my selection as opposed to the mindless pulling of a handle and truly letting 'luck' control my fate.

The aticle is from 2007. Where is this V75, V64 lotto in the US? I think it's a good idea.

Right... I don't think it ever really took off, and I think there were/are logistical issues. I do know of one ADW that was specifically looking to offer it, but for whatever reason, it fell apart.