Breeders' Cup returns to it's roots

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!