Is ITV Racing 'dead on arrival'

ITV4 will continue to broadcast every BTCC race-day live, free-to-air and in high definition in 2017, as well as streaming live via the ITV Sport website and the ITV Hub app. Regular highlights programmes will be screened on ITV4 following each event and are also available via their ITV Hub catch-up service.

Dec 30, 2016 -- 5:10PM, Facts wrote:

' people will watch the 10am show on their mobiles ' Utter nonsense.Where do these morons get their ideas from ?

I liked the bit where he said he thought his wife would like the Pendleton item - as if her opinion is somehow more important than that of any other viewer.

He has loads of feedback on Twitter telling himthe show is on too late, yet chooses to completely ignore it.

Part of the problem is self indulgent production values which focus on the broadcaster as the story rather than the racing.

Imagine how delusional you have to be to think people will tune into Oily Bell on their mobiles !!!

Most people aren't interested in racing, that's the cold hard truth. I'm in my early 30s and feel like a belong in a creche most of the time when I go racing. Aside from the meets that attract the pissheads, the average age must be well into the 60's.
The only way we can get the younger generation back into racing is to get them betting on it, but why would they when they can get their hit on having a couple of £5 accumulators on the football each week.

Agreed , all through my life as a sports fan and a racing fan in particular , I have not had one friend or colleague who is interested in horse racing other than one Saturday in April.

But they all love X Factor,Celebrity Chef,Britains Got Talent, and other crap.
So what does this actually say about them  .

A major part of the problem is the difficulty in getting a decent bet on - you are encouraged to gain knowledge of horse racing so you might just win long term but bookmakers then prevent any opportunity to do so - they only want the habitual losers & they very quickly run out of the necessary cash - racecourses are now only concerned with the saturday p***heads & don't look at the long term prospects of the sport - the figures at the top don't even want to know about the ordinary punter so the inevitable decline continues - I'm 60 so racing will last my lifetime but in 30 years time who knows!!

geordie - I can't agree with you about the difficulty in getting on being a reason why racing fails to attract new young interest. It should be perfectly possible to get the bug long before that becomes a problem to you. You and I are around the same age, and I'd bet you had an acquaintence who was a fan that you followed in with small stakes. Go back a generation earlier and you'd find that racing was ingrained in the social psyche. Big days were national events when illicit betting added to the dark dangerous air of intrigue: pre- 1960 my Dad would bet with a guy who operated from a wash room in the back yard of a terrace house in the shadow of a shipyard. We would be with him as he got his bets on, and even at that young age there was something so infectious as he looked up the results in the football pink stop press. That was the root, the exposure to the slighltly seedy thrill of the chase. TV coverage was gimmick free and to be blooded on the measured tones of a Po'S commentary whilst following your bet was to truly know what this game brings to the soul. We are in a different world, and while for the likes of you and me, a horse race will always have that inextricable link to the past, new media will struggle to recreate the passion in an anodyne setting. Its not about family fun days, jargon busting or "magazine" presentation. A 20th century phenomenon - now lost to all but those who experienced it.

That link whereby father past on the interest to the son has now been broken for good. The generation that first linked betting and LB0's primarily with footy are now in their 30's with children of their own. Racing is pssing against the wind and there is nowt that can be done to halt this decline.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Facts...watching the programme on mobiles whilst travelling ...guy must be out of his mind to suggest that will be the case.

on a slighty different note, isnt ruk free tomorrow as no terrestial racing on saturday ?

you are right m2...early start tomorrow 12.00

Excellent post Steerforth

I don't have sky/virgin etc so tomorrow without terrestrial tv racing in the afternoon is going to be a novelty.

Plunkett and Fitzgerald ? seriously ?  FFS, it really is doomed from the off

Do people really bother watching TV on their mobile phones? OK, admittedly I will watch a race on my phone if I have had a bet and am not home but the idea of watching a morning line style thing on the phone is just laughable, isn't it? The ITV4 channel is a worry. It looks destined to be less successful than Channel 4 to me. Racing needs it to be a success but I could not be confident.

Nick Luck is presenting on RUK from Newbury

Yep, I'm sure we'll all be trying to watch the Opening Show on our mobiles while we're on the train to the races; with railway line signals notoriously poor.  Nothing like draining your battery before you hit the track is there?

the watching on your phones bit just shows how out of touch they are before they've even started

a morning programme might work on itv for things like derby day, the national, cheltenham festival etc but oily bell on itv4 with special expert pundits harvey, fitzgerald and turner if that was april the 1st I would lmfao

After getting over the initial shock I thought the 8am Morning Line turned out to be a good move.  Daft to go back to 9am just as we were gearing up for the winter and midday off times.  The 10am start is a write-off for too many people imo.

agree HM, these days if people want to watch at a later time they can just record it at 8am and watch it back at leisure or there is +1 if you can't record and want a later start time

completely moronic thinking imo and probably a sign of things to come sadly

10am bonkers

10am is purely to suit those people involved in the programme. There is no other valid explanation.

No chance at 10am for me. Wife watches SMK on one, ritual handover.
End of an era. How many kore like me have they let down with this monumental clash?

"more"

The morning line should be something that people can watch while having their breakfast....maybe the ITV media types only have brunch?

If they have largely the same pundits/presenters as the old channel 4 then of course it is finished. You can't do the same thing and expect a different result
A.P.McCoy is no broadcaster good jockeys do not make good presenters

Ed Chamberlain = knows nothing about racing. Thinks because he has watched a few races on a Saturday and is mates with McCoy that he knows his stuff. Nick Luck would kick his backside all day long

Workforce, Itv are not looking to appeal to a racing audience as such. They are looking to appeal to a wider audience, people who will not be looking for 'expert' views. Ed is a very good presenter/braodcaster and a keen racing enthusiast. He fits what ITV are looking for very well. Obviously Nick Luck is a surprise omission as he is excellent and has the knowledge but he isn't known outside racing circles and less likely to attract casual viewers. Those of us who love our racing have to accept that the programme will not be aimed at us. Many of us will have access to atr and racing uk anyway.

Jesus lads, give it a chance. I think racing on ITV will make for a refreshing change and they have made some good signings on the presenting front, although I accept also some not so good.
When I go racing on Saturday's I never watched the morning line, I was too busy getting myself together! When I didn't go racing I'd rather enjoy staying in bed a bit longer than watch the clowns on the ML. So the 10AM start for this new show is absolutely fine with me. But what's more important is the content of the show, if its as dull as the ML was, then I won#t be watching it whatever time it starts!
As for those moaning about ITV4 being an obscure channel? How often was the racing being shoved over to More4 to make way for the incredibly boring F1 racing? I actually like ITV4, its one of the few channels that caters for the working class man type of viewer with good old films, darts and snooker. I think racing will fit in nicely on that channel and after all its only for the lesser high profile meetings.
Give ITV a chance lads, they can't do much worse than what C4 were doing with it that's for sure!

Workforce 31 Dec 16 13:07 Joined: 03 Oct 10 | Topic/replies: 260 | Blogger: Workforce's blog
Ed Chamberlain = knows nothing about racing. Thinks because he has watched a few races on a Saturday and is mates with McCoy that he knows his stuff. Nick Luck would kick his backside all day long

The guys has loved the game since he was a kid and his dad use to take him racing.

Ed once upon a time was an odds compiler for Laddies

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/19/ed-
chamberlin-itv-horse-racing-second-chance-sky-tony-mccoy

Yes, nothing wrong with Ed.  He knows more than enough to be a good anchor, which is what he's been employed to do.

Ed the best part of the programme but fear he can only be as good as the clowns around him

^agree 100%

Ed chamberlain knows nothing about racing since when does that matter the more you know about racing the more baffling it gets.

Am I to believe that many Saturdays will have no freeview racing coverage at all .

If RUK have any commercial sense they'd make their coverage tomorrow free to air

It will help damage the sport even further. In a few years it will make fewer headlines than women's football.

Most are out the house before 10am to get their shopping in, or out for the day with their family. Even in the Summer when there is no footy those that return later to the house are nowadays more likely to watch Grand Prix QUALIFYING as opposed to horse racing. Viewing figs prove this.

verbotene liebe 31 Dec 16 15:12 Joined: 08 Jun 03 | Topic/replies: 1,022 | Blogger: verbotene liebe's blog
Most are out the house before 10am to get their shopping in, or out for the day with their family. Even in the Summer when there is no footy those that return later to the house are nowadays more likely to watch Grand Prix QUALIFYING as opposed to horse racing. Viewing figs prove this.

So by your reckoning nobody watches the 12PM start of Football Focus then because everyone is out shopping or with their family?

Two roughly separate categories; earliesh visit to Aldi or Lidl for the weekend food then back to the house or a full day out with the family. In both cases they'd be out by 10 am.

It is sad to think there will be no more " Morning Line " , even with all the show's shortcomings . It must be a good thing for racing to have as much exposure as possible , and not being marginalised onto occasional ITV 4 showings . The coverage of sport by the main ( free to air ) TV channels has shrunk away to something unrecognisable , compared to 25/30 years ago . I miss out on many sports events because I don't have Sky TV . It all feels very unfair , and a bit of a shambles really .

And no Morning Line for their first ever broadcast

I was checking the itv website for details of which races they are showing tomorrow. It's like looking for a coin down thommo's sofa.

Sorry but that website is a complete joke.

Didn't realize football focus was still on most people watch the soccer saturday on sky these days.

Plenty on here hoping it fails before its even started!

The most commercial channel operating have paid millions for the coverage, and they've allied themselves with the biggest bookmaker in the country.

And racing, who own the product ITV have paid for, get a share of the profits of the betting on the coverage, not the turnover.

I would therefore humbly suggest that anyone expecting an agenda that is in any way to entertain, rather than indoctrinate, misinform and mislead in order to persuade losing punters to part with their money, is going to be very disappointed...

Most punters like to sort out their bets early doors, so 8am is a good time for a racing prog.

Experts on the team include Hayley Turner, Mick Fitzgerald, Jason Weaver, Luke Harvey and Brian Gleeson.

I have come to the conclusion Bookies are selecting the presenters in return for sponsorship money etc...

There is simply no way an intelligent TV producer would appoint those absolute bunch of clowns as "experts"

Ex-jockeys make awful pundits as a rule !

Ex-jockeys make awful pundits as a rule !

Broadcasters these days (and probably always for ITV) like to employ ex-players as pundits in all sports. Some are excellent, most are mediocre, but them's the rules.

Agree with racingqueen they havent selected the presenters for quality debate hetween races.

This is heavily influenced by bookmakers imo who are going to be getting far more coverage
than ever before and on a no subscription channel which a vast pool of mugs can find to blow
more of their cash than ever before. The interview i read on another thread with Matt Chapman
confirmed there is going to be more emphasis in the ring where the bookies want your money.

The 10am start time could also be bookmaker motivated to give time for the informed money to shorten the most likely winners up before the money from the masses goes on.

Smacks of arrogance thinking people will tune in at that time

Ed Chamberlains new favourite record .... Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middle with you.

all the presenters will be the same reading from a script. check this out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVQH-dYIzgg

What is most baffling about Mick Fitz is that when he was riding he would come across as more intelligent than most jockeys in the day to day interviews. Did not expect him to be such a disaster and to be honest, like many of them, it's probably just a half hour look at the RP in the morning.He has made some dreadful blunders that clearly stem from not being arsed doing the homework. Mind you, in the grand scheme of things,when the viewing figs settle down this crowd are going to be talking amongst themselves as they'll be presenting a racing programme watched by the smallest audiences for the sport ever.

were lucky to have it on ITV4. Much as I love the game, we seem to be forgetting that this is regarded as minority sport now

I'm prepared to give it a go.

I'm sorry Nick Luck, Simon Holt and Graham Cunningham ( he grew on me) won't be there

Really looking forward to seeing Matt Chapman and I'm really glad they have kept Rishi and my favourite commentator, Richard Hoiles.

I think we might be pleasantly surprised

Yes, I agree. Lets be positive. Imagine the scenario where no-one had taken up racing.

Indeed, Smartie.

surely anyone that takes racing seriously has to subscribe to RUK/ATR & couldnt care less about the terrestial offerings.personally im pleased fitzgerald been signed by ITV,it means he cant be on the specialist channels that day.

agreed bud .just payed my subs up for the year on RUK £120 let me have it for 10 quid a month cant go wrong

30 mins and we'll know

I agree with Makybe Diva about Cunningham . But as for Holt and Luck , if I never heard them again it would be too bloody soon.

Happy New Year everyone.

what i don't understand is why so many people are needed. One of the best sports shows ever was gazetta football italia on C4 which consisted of James Richardson with one guest and Kenneth Wolstenholme as narrator.

I have zero doubt bookies have way too much input into the production. Not only dire experts but there is little or no proper analysis of races. Rather than preview a race, there always had to be some sob story or emotional guff.

Quite right: give them a chance, However. There is one certainty in all the guesswork.Chapman will be an utter disaster. Did you see his performance on lunchtime ATR last week? Three intelligent guests but they could not get a word in for Chapman's attempts to get his oar in.And his oar is rubbish on most occasions. Almost as much a certainty is that the obsession with "getting an interview" will continue instead of an up to date analysis of the form for the next race with 2 or 3 form experts (none of whom is an ex-jockey). What about a look back at the last race featuring an experienced race reademr looking out for the unlucky ones and the non-triers (they'll need a new name for these). Any decent race commentator will (except Tomo, of course). When Chapman gets the boot (6 months or so?) he can be replaced by Alex Hammond!

my eyes hurt

Switched off to ATR for Southwell

just gonna flick over for a quick look

They all look a bit perplexed..

oh dear, a bit slow

seem more interested in the past...just what they shouldn't be interested in

Anyone switched off yet - not looking good !

007 non runner Matt Cok up

Too many cut scenes hard to digest and a bit pointless..

Confirmed within 3 minutes: even Ed Chamberlain states "What a load of nonsense" following Chapman's first contribution!

I'm not wanting this show to fail , but to start your opening shots of the presenters without cleaning the condensation off the lenses seems a poor move .

Jeez wept, how big is the gravy boat at ITV?

Seems to be a lot of people dipping their bread into it.

When I heard one of there first signings from C4R was Fick Mitz, I spat out my cereal. I'm afraid he would've been the last person on my list to make the move to ITV.

It's noticeable from reading the posts, that few are looking beyond the presenters for the success of the show.

As someone mentioned earlier, it's really irritating for viewers to have to listen to a presenter going on about the merits of a winner as if they tipped it.
Especially when most viewers have backed a loser or a non-trier in that race. 

Yet presenters continually fall into this trap.

Too many cooks

At least weather expert is top totty

chapman

Cringeworthy -hair or no hair

Oh dear Matt, just do the job and instead of creating a ' personality' or 'character' for yourself.

Give each presenter a different illegal high before going on : Plunkett on LSD, Fick Mitz on cocaine, Chapman on high-grade grass, etc. Would enliven proceedings no end. I know the horses can't take drugs, but nothing about the presenters being ripped to the tits on them.

Hair - I'm pulling mine out !!!

9 people on the payroll ( in front of camera ) so far . . . . . . . . . . That's a lot of gravy !!!!

I agree that we should be very happy someone took it on

ITV Missed the two top people out of this production......Frankie Dettori & John Francome

its ok........luke doing surprisingly well

Chapman is gonna be a pain in the a*ass

Oh dear Matt, just do the job and instead of creating a ' personality' or 'character' for yourself.

That's it in a nutshell.

They're cutting their own throats by playing up the presentation when they should be toning it down.

normally dont mind chapman but whats this today?his best thommo impersonation?cringeworthy.

On a positive note , I think the aerial shots of Musselburgh are great . And as far as I remember they are a new innovation .

Why do these TV Racing people think we punters need a clown in the line up. Matt Chapman as soon as he opened his mouth I knew I was not going to enjoy ITV racing. Bad enough they've dragged the Culchie Fitz along but for christs sake ditch Pratt Chapman. Did anyone else notice how Davey Russell told Pratt to piss off when he tried to push the microphone up to him after winning on Whisper, ITV switched the mic to Fitzgerald, that may be the signal that Pratt Chapman's days are numbered. We can only live in hope.

Enjoying it myself, I like Matt but he's trying too hard. Not too keen on the opening credits and theme tune but overall I'm enjoying it.

Pictures 9 seconds behind RUK , welcome to cutting edge technology of 2017

Alice: jesus