After spending the past couple of years on ABC and ESPN, the Breeders' Cup is returning to it's orginal television home. NBC who had shown the BC up to 2005 (with ESPN starting in 2006) will be the "new home" for the BC. Well technically speaking, NBC will be showing just the Classic, with the NBC Sports Network (formally known as OLN and Versus) will be showing the rest of the races. This is the big boost for a network whose been struggling lately with it's scripted shows (the very much hyped Playboy Club was a bust, Whitney isn't funny and Up All Night hasn't lived up to it's early high ratings).
So what went wrong at ESPN? The producer who had brought the BC to the station left shortly afterwards. I also think that putting Football specialist Chris Fowler and then Boxing specialist Joe Tessitore instead of Basketball specialist Reece Davis as the main anchor also hurt (before Chris and Joe where part of the racing coverage, Reece was the second host behind Kenny Mayne). It didn't help that Jim McKay (RIP) and Al Michaels, both who worked racing on ABC where no longer part of the Disney family. Lastly, many people don't like Trevor Denman.
While many people are happy that the BC is returning, NBC Sports Network is not as well known as ESPN. The station is a baby (started in 1995), and up until a few years ago was not really that well known station (at the time Comcast's OLN (which now owns NBC, but didn't at that time) and NBC teamed up to secure US tv rights for the NHL). However, thanks to the success of last year's Saratoga meet (ratings where good) and the fact that NBC's crew will be used is a win (although someone will have to fill in for Tom Hammond that weekend at Notre Dame as the Irish are home).
As for ESPN, it's obvious that they have moved on to focus on football, basketball, baseball, tennis and soccer (although for the latter they will also have comp. from the said NBC Sports Network). As disapointing as that is, the hit on losing viewers for them won't be great.
The biggest plus of all though? No more Hank!
I disagree with the comments about Trevor Denman in your article because the truth is that Trevor Denman is a very good horse racing announcer, and his style of announcing is very accurate, and the description that he uses is accurate as well. When you say many people don't like Trevor Denman, that is not true. Most of the horse racing fans love his commentary, and I think NBC should continue to have this legendary horse racing announcer to announce the Breeders' Cup, and I guarantee Trevor Denman is going to do a good job announcing the 2012 Breeders' Cup races at the Santa Anita Autumn Meet, that way, it will not disappoint the devoted horse racing fans who love his commentary.
ReplyDeleteMatthew, I said many people don't like Trevor. I never said that I didn't. Yes he can be repeative with his stretch calls, but he is one of the best. As for him calling the BC, he had handled doing both the track and ESPN feed announcing this past BC. So there is a good chance that he won't even be doing the track if NBC decides to bring in Larry Colmus like they did this past TC season. However, if Tom Durkin is up to the trip to Cali, then my guess is yes he'll do the track and Tom will do the NBC feed.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I hope that NBC hires Trevor Denman to announce the Breeders' Cup races because those races are legendary big stake races which you would need a professional and experienced announcer in delivering an accurate, precise, and exciting announcing to a big crowd of enthusisastic horse racing fans nationwide as well as across the globe. Second, Trevor is considered to be the top announcer in the country, his firm, accurate and precise description always add more excitement to the racing fans while watching the race running. Third, Trevor is a very experienced announcer who also announces races in Santa Anita Racetrack, this give him much preference over other race caller who have less experience announcing races at that racetrack. Fourth, like any other horse racing fans, I am very contexted listening to Trevor's announcing because in our hearts he is the number 1 announcer across the United States.Please, let's hope the network will not disappoint the devoted horse racing fans who love the commentaries of this legendary horse racing announcer.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope NBC hires Trevor Denman as the Breeders' Cup announcer, that way it will not disappoint the devoted horse racing fans like us, who love his commentary.
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope NBC hires Trevor Denman as the Breeders' Cup announcer because first of all, those races are legendary big stake races which you would need a professional and experienced announcer in delivering an accurate, precise, and exciting announcing to a big crowd of enthusisastic horse racing fans nationwide as well as across the globe. Second, Trevor is considered to be the top announcer in the country, his firm, accurate and precise description always add more excitement to the racing fans while watching the race running. Third, Trevor is a very experienced announcer who also announces races in Santa Anita Racetrack, this give him much preference over other race caller who have less experience announcing races at that racetrack. Fourth, like any other horse racing fans, I am very contexted listening to Trevor's announcing because in our hearts he is the number 1 announcer across the United States.
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI personally hope they use Larry Collmus
track announcer at Gulfstream Park and Monmouth Park,
and the triple crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes,
and Belmont Stakes). Besides to prove that he
is a good track announcer their was a race last year at
Monmouth with the two fillies named
Mywifeknowseverything and Mywifedoesntknow and they came
down to the wire one with Mywifeknowseverything beating
Mywifedoesntknow and Larry said the
following: "Mywifeknowseverything more than
Mywifedoesntknow". That particular race was on every
newscast and is on youtube. Also we know that he can
handle fields that are bigger than 12 because the
Kentucky Derby has a 20 horse field and he didn't have a
problem.
Sincerely,
Kyle Stasierowski
27-year-old loyal TVG viewer,
HRTV Live Feed viewer, TVG Community
member, and horse racing fan
from Alden, New York
I received the news from Mr. Gluckson of the Breeders' Cup Limited during the Opening Week of the Santa Anita Autumn Meet, and he said that Trevor Denman will be calling most of the Breeders' Cup races on NBC Sports Network. Trevor will also be announcing the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and the Breeders' Cup Classic on the Breeders' Cup Simulcast Network while Larry Collmus calling those two races on NBC Sports.
ReplyDelete