Grand National TV viewership plummets - is Phumelela to blame:D

THE wisdom of handing Channel 4 exclusive terrestrial rights to British racing looks set to come under further scrutiny after Friday's Aintree viewing figures suffered another major hit.

A 16 per cent fall in audience compared to the corresponding day twelve months ago piled on the misery for the commercial broadcaster after Thursday's numbers produced a 19 per cent drop.

The average number of viewers on Friday was 643,000, equivalent to a 9.2 per cent audience share, while the peak of 985,000 for the running of the Topham Chase represented a 12.9 per cent market share.

Channel 4 claims the decline reflects an audience drop of 11 per cent on Friday was caused by SA viewers no longer being allowed to watch british racing as part of a media black out in the country, having offered the same explanation for the fall in audience for last month's Cheltenham Festival before the Gold Cup coverage bucked the trend.

With Friday's Morning Line figures also making dismal reading, down 18.5 per cent on 2013 with an average audience of 158,000, Channel 4 executives were left hoping the Grand National - for which data is due to be released on Sunday - would again ride to their rescue.

Last year's coverage of the world's greatest steeplechase produced a peak of 8.9 million viewers, beating three of the four previous runnings screened on the BBC.

Sly is there any chance that P could be trying to put pressure on overseas "racing" with our viewership in a bid to change protocols ?

The fact is no one gives a fuck about racing world wide now,when the few generations that love racing now, die or grow old ...........racing is gone

@Hibernia couldn't agree more you hit the nail on the head

hibernia Wrote:

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> The fact is no one gives a @#$%& about racing
> world wide now,when the few generations that love
> racing now, die or grow old ...........racing is
> gone


Racing is dying because of the people that participate in it. Jocks not trying, trainers sending out runners that are not fit, horses given drugs resulting in trainers been banned and fined, and so on and on. Its no wonder people are more interested in sports betting nowadays. I personally have reduced my horse betting by 50% .

chicken 'n chips Wrote:

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> hibernia Wrote:
>

---

>

---

> > The fact is no one gives a @#$%& about racing
> > world wide now,when the few generations that
> love
> > racing now, die or grow old ...........racing
> is
> > gone
>
>
> Racing is dying because of the people that
> participate in it. Jocks not trying, trainers
> sending out runners that are not fit, horses given
> drugs resulting in trainers been banned and fined,
> and so on and on. Its no wonder people are more
> interested in sports betting nowadays. I
> personally have reduced my horse betting by 50% .

Spot on CnC

I also concentrate on sports betting more these days

Really ?

You mean you'd rather have a punt on those cricketers that have been shown to be 'less than honest' at times - or those soccer 'heroes' who blatantly look for penalties by taking a dive - or those at best 'inconsistent' rugby refs :S

I'm not saying that racing is any cleaner, but for me the thrill of the race remains my thing (tu)

Frodo Wrote:

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> Really ?
>
> You mean you'd rather have a punt on those
> cricketers that have been shown to be 'less than
> honest' at times - or those soccer 'heroes' who
> blatantly look for penalties by taking a dive - or
> those at best 'inconsistent' rugby refs :S
>
> I'm not saying that racing is any cleaner, but for
> me the thrill of the race remains my thing (tu)

The way I see it - none of the sports are clean - MY OPINION

:Di am currently saving alot with no overseas racing...but then again was i addicted to racing or gambling...thanks MR Operator i am cured...

I had a post on here a few months ago about how bent sports is compaired with racing

Racing is dieing because it is an animal thing - many non racegoers believe even flat racing is cruel. Today we have circuses without animals. Horseracing Arrivederci ...