NBC Coverage

[Alan07]

The Kentucky Derby's television ratings are the highest in 18 years.

NBC says Saturday's coverage of Calvin Borel riding Super Saver to victory for the third time in four years drew a 10.3 overnight rating and a 23 share. That's up 1 percent from last year's 10.2/22, when 16.3 million viewers made 50-1 shot Mine That Bird's win the most-watched Derby in 20 years.

[Riot]

Every year people complain about the network coverage. I think you guys are nuts. First off, the sport is tailor-made for HD with the beautiful animals, the vivrant colors and the environment as a whole. Secondly, the blimp shots, the rail shots, etc. are absolutely amazing. Every year I read some clown saying they should just use the basic single camera shot you watch at home on your ADW site because "that's the best way to watch a race." Are you kidding me? NBC is basically making a two minute movie out there and you'd really rather be watching the grainy track camera? Finally, all the human/animal interest stories, the Top Chef b.s., and interviews with the celebs are what draws the casual fan in.

Well said. The sport has taken terrible public hits in the recent past (Eight Belles), and had been forced out off into cable oblivion. Glad to see it back on the national networks. NBC obviously loves the sport, respects the sport, and they do a great job treating racing as a major, important sport deserving of more than an hour of coverage, even when it isn't nowadays.

What benefit does that type of sugary presentation give us? It helps with our continued existence. It helps the average somebody who doesn't care about racing to view the sport in a positive manner when confronted by some PETA person wanting to ban the sport due to an Eight Belles, or when having to vote on legislation to restrict gambling. It does help bring people out to a day at Arlington, a day at Keeneland.

Geesh - if people want nothing but the gambling aspect, read the DRF, watch at the OTB or your ADW site, go to the horse racing TV channels. Displays of futures and exotic payoff boxes would bore the general public to tears. I think NBC does a great job, and I'm thrilled to have horse racing back on that particular network. Calling that show "garbage" is unfair.

[PeteMugg]

Just watched and actually thought it was pretty good. I don't even mind the celebs and hat stuff. Think I'd lose the Top Chef segment, though.

[fpsoxfan]

Originally Posted by Riot

Well said. The sport has taken terrible public hits in the recent past (Eight Belles), and had been forced out off into cable oblivion. Glad to see it back on the national networks. NBC obviously loves the sport, respects the sport, and they do a great job treating racing as a major, important sport deserving of more than an hour of coverage, even when it isn't nowadays.

What benefit does that type of sugary presentation give us? It helps with our continued existence. It helps the average somebody who doesn't care about racing to view the sport in a positive manner when confronted by some PETA person wanting to ban the sport due to an Eight Belles, or when having to vote on legislation to restrict gambling. It does help bring people out to a day at Arlington, a day at Keeneland.

Geesh - if people want nothing but the gambling aspect, read the DRF, watch at the OTB or your ADW site, go to the horse racing TV channels. Displays of futures and exotic payoff boxes would bore the general public to tears. I think NBC does a great job, and I'm thrilled to have horse racing back on that particular network. Calling that show "garbage" is unfair.

Very well said.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Alan07

The Kentucky Derby's television ratings are the highest in 18 years.

NBC says Saturday's coverage of Calvin Borel riding Super Saver to victory for the third time in four years drew a 10.3 overnight rating and a 23 share. That's up 1 percent from last year's 10.2/22, when 16.3 million viewers made 50-1 shot Mine That Bird's win the most-watched Derby in 20 years.

I love this, that TV ratings go up year after year and we get less and less national TV coverage.

As for NBC, it wasn't ideal but it was a hell of a lot better than Bravo's abomination on Friday.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

I love this, that TV ratings go up year after year and we get less and less national TV coverage.

As for NBC, it wasn't ideal but it was a hell of a lot better than Bravo's abomination on Friday.

I totally agree. Friday's coverage was unbelievable.

[letswastemoney]

I just want them to do away with the disorientating blimp view during the race. I cannot tell which horse is which from that angle, nor do I see how a casual fan can tell where their horse is.

[Rudeboyelvis]

My Wife, who could care less about horse racing, watched the entire ESPN broadcast, formulated her own opinion based on what she saw... and hit the Exacta and Tri.... She went to the track with me (for the first time as a horseplayer) today for the closing of TBD... Just sayin'....

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

My Wife, who could care less about horse racing, watched the entire ESPN broadcast, formulated her own opinion based on what she saw... and hit the Exacta and Tri.... She went to the track with me (for the first time as a horseplayer) today for the closing of TBD... Just sayin'....

That's awesome... I love it.

[Buckpasser]

From the NY Post:

And yet NBC took this big, evolving story and repeatedly ignored it. For the next 90-plus minutes, instead of leaving the odds up along the top or bottom of the screen, NBC posted them once in a while, occasionally, now and then, seldom.

But NBC annually does this to Derby viewers and to itself. Imagine if the folks who run CNBC decided to keep the screen free of the latest stock market prices?

And so, once again, when we need no graphics, the screen is loaded with them; when we need 'em, there's nothing there.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_...MAg9T4kXvnbUMP

[JohnGalt1]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

I just want them to do away with the disorientating blimp view during the race. I cannot tell which horse is which from that angle, nor do I see how a casual fan can tell where their horse is.

That's my big complaint about NBC and ESPN when showing races.

Use a normal view or track feed of the live race, then they can use the blimps and other tricky camera angles for the replays.

[Riot]

Derby Wagering, Attendance Up Despite Weather
By Blood-Horse Staff

Wagering on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) rose 7.8%, Churchill Downs reported, and attendance increased by 1.5% even with heavy rain prior to the start of the May 1 program along with scattered thunderstorms and showers during the day.

All-sources handle improved to $112.7 million on the first jewel of the Triple Crown compared with $104.6 million last year, the track reported. All-sources wagering also was up by 4.3% for the full Kentucky Derby card, with $162.7 million wagered on the 13-race card compared with $156 million in 2009.

The figures were especially encouraging given the equipment failure at AmTote’s Oregon hub, which led to lost wagers and customer service problems for TwinSpires.com, XpressBet, Arlington Park, Fair Grounds and other wagering outlets.

On-track attendance was reported to be 155,804, an increase over 153,563 last year. Combined attendance for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and Derby rose from 258,430 to 271,850.

“After setting attendance and wagering records on Oaks Day, we can’t say enough about Kentucky Derby fans who didn’t let the rain dampen their enthusiasm, said Kevin Flanery, Churchill Downs racetrack president. "The Louisville community and the entire nation of Derby fans again lent tremendous support for this great event. We were very pleased with the level of wagering on the Oaks and Derby race cards and see the overwhelmingly positive responses of our customers, both on and off track, as validation of our efforts to present our product in new and innovative ways that can be embraced by core and casual fans alike.

"We are sorry customers throughout the country experienced difficulty placing wagers on the Kentucky Derby and the undercard and we promise to get a full and complete accounting from AmTote of the failures today.”

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by Alan07

The Kentucky Derby's television ratings are the highest in 18 years.

NBC says Saturday's coverage of Calvin Borel riding Super Saver to victory for the third time in four years drew a 10.3 overnight rating and a 23 share. That's up 1 percent from last year's 10.2/22, when 16.3 million viewers made 50-1 shot Mine That Bird's win the most-watched Derby in 20 years.

Well that's good news, any way you cut it.

My biggest gripe was, as usual, how they didn't show the finish order or payouts until much later. I used my phone to go to my adw site and get the pays.