37% Decline in TV Ratings For Belmont

[Merlinsky]

Of course there's the pesky problem that one network doesn't own all 3 race rights. Is it next year we could have that again? Makes the likelihood of a bonus easier. I don't blame them for not being enthusiastic about watching the Belmont. I mean it wasn't exactly clash of the titans, and a lot of kids are out of school so people that can find better things to do just might take the opportunity. June's harder for tv viewing, period. Not everybody thinks about the Belmont by name, they just know there's a 3rd race if you have a Triple Crown, so that's another problem. I tried to tell someone I couldn't come with them because the Belmont was on Saturday, they looked at me like I'd said "I can't come with you because I need to learn to play the nose trumpet."

[Travis Stone]

How can horse racing expect the average person to sit there with 30 minutes in between races? That's 8 or 9 halftimes a card. I'm never surprised when ratings come back low, it's a brutal sell.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

How can horse racing expect the average person to sit there with 30 minutes in between races? That's 8 or 9 halftimes a card. I'm never surprised when ratings come back low, it's a brutal sell.

Halftime in football is 15 minutes

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

How can horse racing expect the average person to sit there with 30 minutes in between races? That's 8 or 9 halftimes a card. I'm never surprised when ratings come back low, it's a brutal sell.

Uh... What are you talking about? There was only one race.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Halftime in football is 15 minutes

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Uh... What are you talking about? There was only one race.

I'm talking more about the all day broadcast, not necessarily the ABC portion... but even then... 90 minute broadcast for a race that lasts the time for a 94 Beyer. Lots of dead time, Manhattan or not. Really hard sell.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

I'm talking more about the all day broadcast, not necessarily the ABC portion... but even then... 90 minute broadcast for a race that lasts the time for a 94 Beyer. Lots of dead time, Manhattan or not. Really hard sell.

I like this idea more than the human interest crap, this was an abysmal year for the triple crown and this is coming from a horseracing fan. How are they going to sell the game to fairweather fans when the race I was looking fwd to was the Manhattan on Sat? Something has to be done, whether this is to find this generation's Jim Mackay, Charlsie Canty, and Whittaker. There is no more people recognition that used to make this a special event. They definitely should show more races or atleast sprinkle them in between the human interest stories.

[MaTH716]

I personally just think that as long as there is no TC on the line, people just view the Belmont as another horse race. And with the weather being what it was in the NY area (and I'm guessing it was pretty decent around the rest of the country), people just preferred to be out and about as opposed to be in front of a TV watching hours of coverage waiting for a race that's going to take a couple of minutes.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

I personally just think that as long as there is no TC on the line, people just view the Belmont as another horse race.

Exactly.

In my office full of non-horseracing fans, the monday after the Derby I was asked by several people if I had Super Saver. The monday after the Preakness I was asked, "What happened to Super Saver?" Yesterday? Crickets.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

How can horse racing expect the average person to sit there with 30 minutes in between races? That's 8 or 9 halftimes a card. I'm never surprised when ratings come back low, it's a brutal sell.

But its being compared to the same setup as the year before, or did they have 10 minutes last year?

Its pretty much apples to apples, except for the great Mine That Bird was not in the event.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

But its being compared to the same setup as the year before, or did they have 10 minutes last year?

Its pretty much apples to apples, except for the great Mine That Bird was not in the event.

Last year's Triple Crown had more appeal... impossible longshot, Calvin Borel became a household name and then Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness. This year, no where near the same.

[richard]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Last year's Triple Crown had more appeal... impossible longshot, Calvin Borel became a household name and then Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness. This year, no where near the same.

Last year's triple crown was one of the best ever . This year all people see is the NYCOTB robbing horse racing and the 10th year of no vlt at Aq. It turns a lot of people off .