TV coverage

Not sure about that mate - and they're showing racing on ITV4 anyhow - but I would have (perhaps naively) expected a bit more of a commitment, at least to begin with.
 
Cruella said:
I've warmed to Chapman a fair bit since he's toned down the worst excesses of his Yeeehaaaa! sh!te. Towcester used to be my local track and he often did some decent paddock interviews in between races. I think he now brings a bit of much-needed colour to an otherwise fairly grey line up.
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A very close friend of mine went out with him(admittedly a few years ago) and I had the unfortunate experience of knowing him. What I have to say about him would be unprintable. My OH at the time nearly decked him in the middle of a restaurant.
 
To quote a former politician, 'he's a barsteward, but he's our barsteward'. Having seen the positive comments about him, then read Jinny's experience, this looks like the crux of the matter.
Although I'm not sure his personal life should play a big part in racing publics judgement on him.
 
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ITV racing will show 40 days of racing on its main channel, the broadcaster has announced.
The commercial broadcaster, which takes over from Channel 4 as the sport's exclusive terrestrial partner from New Year's Day, had already committed to showing a minimum of 34 days on its main channel.
Sandown's Tingle Creek meeting, the Coral Welsh National and Cheltenham Trials Day are three of the most high-profile absentees from the schedule and will instead be broadcast on ITV4.
ITV will not broadcast a day of racing on its main channel between Cheltenham on New Year's Day and the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, almost two-and-a-half months later.

The July Cup plus valuable meetings from Ascot and York will all be shown on what ITV have billed 'Super Saturday', for now ending the possibility of any of those fixtures moving to a different date on one of the most congested days of the season.
Another winner is Newmarket, whose Craven meeting in April, not shown by Channel 4 in recent years, will be broadcast free-to-air on ITV4.
Newmarket has also benefited with two of its key days, the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, May 7 and the Saturday of its Future Champions meeting on October 14, among the six added to ITV's original roster for its main channel.
Cheltenham's New Year's Day fixture, Sandown's jumps finale, Super Saturday and Haydock's Sprint Cup are the other four days added to the original schedule.
A total of 14 days of jumps and 26 days of Flat racing will be shown on the main channel.

ITV main channel schedule for 2017
January
Sun 1: Cheltenham & Musselburgh
March
Tue 14: Cheltenham Festival - Day 1
Wed 15: Cheltenham Festival - Day 2
Thu 16: Cheltenham Festival - Day 3
Fri 17: Cheltenham Festival - Day 4
April
Thu 6: Aintree - Grand National meeting Day 1
Fri 7: Aintree - Grand National meeting Day 2
Sat 8: Aintree - Grand National meeting Day 3
Sat 22: Ayr & Newbury (Scottish Grand National)
Sat 29: Sandown & Haydock (Jumps Finale)
May
Sat 6: Newmarket & Goodwood (2,000 Guineas)
Sun 7: Newmarket & Hamilton (1,000 Guineas)
Sat 20: Newbury & Newmarket (Lockinge)
June
Fri 2:Epsom - Derby meeting Day 1
Sat 3:Epsom - Derby meeting Day 2
Tue 20:Royal Ascot - Day 1
Wed 21:Royal Ascot - Day 2
Thu 22: Royal Ascot - Day 3
Fri 23: Royal Ascot - Day 4
Sat 24: Royal Ascot - Day 5
July
Sat 8: Sandown & Haydock (Eclipse)
Sat 15: ‘Super Saturday' (Newmarket, Ascot, York)
Sat 29: Ascot & York (King George)
August
Tue 1: Glorious Goodwood - Day 1
Wed 2: Glorious Goodwood - Day 2
Thu 3: Glorious Goodwood - Day 3
Fri 4: Glorious Goodwood - Day 4
Sat 5: Glorious Goodwood - Day 5
Wed 23: York Ebor - Day 1
Thu 24: York Ebor - Day 2
Fri 25: York Ebor - Day 3
Sat 26: York Ebor - Day 4
September
Sat 9: Haydock, Ascot & Kempton (Sprint Cup)
Sat 16: Doncaster & Chester (St Leger)
October
Sat 14: Newmarket & York (Dewhurst)
Sat 21: Ascot - British Champions Day
November
Sat 18: Cheltenham & Lingfield (Open meeting Saturday)
Sat 25: Haydock & Ascot (Betfair Chase)
December
Sat 2: Newbury & Newcastle (Hennessy/Fighting Fifth)
Tue 26: Kempton & Wetherby (King George)
 
To be honest, ITV4 is fine by me, as it's an HD channel. I confess I'm surprised that the Betfair Hurdle won't be carried on the main channel though, given it is one of the best (and best betting) races of the entire year.

As you would expect, IDGAF about what they show between May and October.

I'm generally softening my position about terrestrial coverage being important to the sport - though this is almost wholly down to the fresh (in parts) blood being injected by the new broadcaster. Terrestrial coverage on C4 was simply awful, and in no way showcased the sport, imo. I hope the new-breed can generate greater interest - though it is very much hope over expectation.
 
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I watched RTE's coverage of the Irish greyhound derby tonight, which put me in the position of being a casual viewer of a sport I know nothing about.

I'd have liked to be told some simple stuff like where to find race cards to be looking at during the coverage, to know something about the relative class and conditions of the various support races and their place in the calendar, and some idea of who are the current big names, canine and human, in the sport at the moment. But I didn't find myself wishing the coverage could be about fashion or celebrity interviews instead.
 
I have RUK and of course ATR but still tend to find myself watching the terrestrial coverage instead when it's on - out of old habit probably.

With the switch to ITV I guess that habit may be broken but does anybody know when the ITV4 coverage dates will be announced ?
 
Grey said:
I watched RTE's coverage of the Irish greyhound derby tonight, which put me in the position of being a casual viewer of a sport I know nothing about.

I'd have liked to be told some simple stuff like where to find race cards to be looking at during the coverage, to know something about the relative class and conditions of the various support races and their place in the calendar, and some idea of who are the current big names, canine and human, in the sport at the moment. But I didn't find myself wishing the coverage could be about fashion or celebrity interviews instead.
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The presentation kept me interested for 3.72 minutes and I switched back to Modern Family. Had no idea what was going on other than the bookies round to about 150% at the track.
 
Good read that.

paddock side is an important part of presentation.

if he is let off the leash so to speak, it will be good to view.

Have ITV announced a commentator yet?

id be happy with Holt
 
not sure if Holt will want the gig, knowing he is not first choice

Would like to see David Fitzgerald given a chance
 
The biggest change I would like to see is an end to the uncontested spots for bookie reps-RTE are equally bad for this and practically give Leon Blanche a tipping spot -his interpretation of form means nothing to me because essentially he doesn't understand horse racing.I would make them work for their publicity -utilising Skype do live interviews with traders mid Saturday afternoon when serious liabilities have built up -obviously there would need to be some way to verify the claims that are being made -and the flip side is you need to be prepared to call them on refusing bets for two and sixpence in the morning.
 
Cruella said:
I've warmed to Chapman a fair bit since he's toned down the worst excesses of his Yeeehaaaa! sh!te. Towcester used to be my local track and he often did some decent paddock interviews in between races. I think he now brings a bit of much-needed colour to an otherwise fairly grey line up.
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He certainly does liven things up and asks interesting questions rather than the standard nonsense most interviewers ask. Looking forward to racing on ITV.
 
Question for fellow Irish forumites, how can one access itv, as opposed to utv Ireland, it appears that you can't get it via upc/virgin. Is it possible to get it via sky in Ireland??

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Must be my fav commentator, is Richard. Good news. Doesn't sound as righteous as one or two others.
 
I hope Richard Hoiles accepts. I don't mind Simon Holt and hope he finds a decent gig somewhere but Hoiles is my favourite commentator by far, and having met him a couple of times he seems like a genuinely nice bloke.
 
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