Why Racing is losing its appeal ........

I had a look earlier today at the viewing figures for RTE's racing coverage. The rate of decline is almost unbelievable. The big meetings are losing 30-40% of their audience year-on-year.

Only around 50,000 people watched the Champion Stakes. And probably 49,000 of those have a bus pass.

The game really is on its last legs.

On the contrary, it's the direct €50m a year subsidy from the taxpayer that's keeping the game afloat.

How long can that be justified if no one is watching?

YOu don't seem to be a believer in any sort of viewing figures gant

Tbh Workrider if you want to make money at betting you have to put in the hours, no easy way even if you have models, no matter if it's fooball, racing or any other sport.

Good crowd that Tony.

The public interest in the turf has been on the wane for a long time now (particularly the flat),the Irish Classics used to be major TV events with the BBC covering even our Guineas meetings but now our major Classic- The Derby,will only get a passing mention on RTE news bulletins on TV and Radio,it's all about image and perception and racing looks like an "old folks" sport to the uninitiated that has little appeal to the younger generations,even when they run student days most of them just get pi$$ed out of their brains and most get back on their bus and don't even see a racehorse for the whole day they're at the track.

Think an interest beyond an occasional punt is something that has to take hold of you at a very young age or you'll never get the "bug".

I think your comment about the racing establishment saying "the punters don't pay the bills" is shortsighted of the establishment.
The racing public pay a little in entry fees, in bookie profits, buying racing newspapers and publications, sponsorship indirectly as targets of the sponsors advertising, and targets of television and newspapers.
When I look at race photographs in my Timeform annuals (1954 to 2007) I see large crowds at race meetings.  Sponsors and advertisers will realise there is no interest now.  Sponsors of big races tend to be media and finance companies.  Selling racing to financially literate management will become an increasingly difficult sell.
I think Leopardstown is very lucky that the Luas stops close by, and will attract the casual racegoer.  The Curragh is isolated from the Dublin population.

How much does it cost to go racing on average?
Fuel, entry fee, racecard/newspaper, bookie margin, food.  My guess is a minimum of €30, and possibly up to €100.

good thread workrider....the absence of good (any!) racing subjects here is lamented

I virtually gave up park racing some years ago and now go if I can only be guaranteed a very good day out i.e. meeting drinking friends, punter friendly, competitive racing and maybe an interest in something running. The days of me looking for an edge at the Currgah are long gone with wall-to-wall television coverage even if most of the broadcasts are of a very poor standard-cameras too few and too far away from the action etc.

point-to-pointing is what I now my love and it offers a camaraderie and "product" that is still relatively fresh and a million miles away from the single trainer domination we now have to endure. The joy, still, for a syndicate winning a 7yo and up maiden has to be seen to be believed.

The game depends on the big owners now more than ever and they (or some of them) offer a disservice to the game by supporting a few trainers to the exclusion of many capable others. Ricci a case in point-no real love of the game and his money can seemingly buy a version of success far removed from what the NH game was all about.

the punter is excluded and the sop of the Racegoers' Consultative Forum is an insult to our intelligence. Either the racegoer/punter should be represented on the HRI board or not at all. Its an utter waste of time and RCF is simply a pat on the head to those willing to make an effort.

HRI is peopled by civil servants playing a tune to the Minister and pulled and pushed in every direction by owners, trainers, breeders, bookmakers and an assortment of vested interests. (I expect all their time recently is trying to solve the hegemony conundrum of the Turf Club/HRI, something demanded by a Minister who's only previous experience of racing was a euro bet on the Grand National) For example, I think the Champions Weekend was a typical example of trying to keep everyone happy. Two days populated with some crap races and it should have been a single day at the Curragh with Ireland on show-not an airy-fairy effort to oversell the hype and two individual tracks. (I think neill d did a splendid critique on this earlier)

Racing has a place as a showcase for the industry but without punters/racegoers it will die a slow, lingering death as current fans expire. It needs new efforts, new disciplines, less cowardice (bookmakers) and the whole concept of the racing experience has to be reimagined from the bottom up. One example of old, 20th century thinking would be Tote Ireland's efforts to interest/lure its customers by offering a free share in a crap horse in training reminiscent of 30 years ago-I ask you!!

PS Off The Ball is still the best example of covering and selling sport in Ireland today. Its original creators are doing a fantastic job with their new Second Captains. The former covers racing (thanks to Ladbrokes) where the latter virtually ignores it. What is apparent is that bar Donn McClean valiantly trying to offer form as an engaging narrative (!!!!) no-one else has a notion what's going on. Even in a programme like OTB we get Hayley's inanities about the market and her fancies and all wrapped up "sweet as apple pie". (Can you imagine O'Neill's having a PR stooge offering primary opinions on football and hurling?) Geoff Banks now sells his product on track hiding behind Page 3 girls and this is what we have to look forward to. (His blog on market dynamics is well worth reading).