New Poll, Jock Series Good for Racing?
It’s a mainstream media extravaganza for horse racing these days!
A few weeks ago there was Leverage and the Real Housewives of Orange County.
Already this week there was a CSI Miami episode and tonight features Churchill’s marketing coup of American Idol auditions, no doubt to help bolster some of their new lines of business.
And then there’s the upcoming series Jockeys on Animal Planet. The news has been out about it for awhile but beyond little clips and sound bites we haven’t had a chance to see what they’re gonna do with it.
The wait is over, hat tip to Powercap for finding an embedable promo with some substance. The full site is finally up too… Jockeys, Win or Die Trying.
They weren’t kidding, that’s their angle! We all know danger is a part of the game, we all know breakdowns are a part of the game but I’m not entirely sure I wanna to see 2.5 breakdowns per scene under of the guise of the breakdown being glamorized.
There’s no doubt there’s a market for this angle, as Powercap points out, this series has the potential to “convince that masses that racing is more exciting than team sports and more extreme than the X games”. On the other hand, it also has the possibility of alienating potential fans who might already be uneasy with the danger associated to the game or worse yet, inflame those who already think horse racing is dog fighting for white people (one of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog’s best lines!).
Commenter Gib pointed out the approach of the CSI Miami episode did racing a disservice, reinforcing stereotypes that racing is always fixed (and that CSI Miami is a horribly acted show!). On the other hand commenter Walter pointed out the “out of site out of mind” principle and that having racing front and center can’t be all that bad.
Perhaps this sneak isn’t totally indicative of what’s to come for Jockeys, Win or Die Trying… it is marketing after all. But let’s say the majority of the series is like the sneak peak. Is this good for racing? Some will love it, some will hate it (and us) even more.
I know I’ll watch the show and probably love it, but I’m not going anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Animal Planet’s job to market racing but the series won’t exist in a vacuum either. I’m curious to know if you think it will help or harm racing… or potentially worse, do nothing!
Posted by dana on Jan 21 2009
Filed Under: Poll, 2009, Jockeys TV Show, Mainstream Media, TV, Fans, Jocks, Marketing, Racing
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It will help racing. The CSI Miami show was a disservice that only reinforced the perceptions that horse racing is only cheating and drug usage-but that is a scripted show so what do you expect.
The Jockeys show is reality, albeit edited reality. The gambling sector of the aisle will probably dislike it because it won’t feature long examinations about takeouts, ROI’s and other such language, but I suspect the “sports fans” sector of the aisle will like the show. From the promo, the editors of the show look to highlight the jockey competition, the danger and sex (sutherland/smith romance).
I think it go either way… if the jocks come off as only caring about winning and putting horses in harm’s way it could come off REALLY bad for racing.
It will be interesting to see how they balance the competition, danger and personal story lines! I’m looking forward to it + the camera work looks pretty incredible.
I agree dana. I hope they don’t portray it negatively toward the animals. It is on Animal Planet after all, not Animal Cruelty planet… so I think they have a service for their viewership to show the animals in a positive, athletic, and relatively safe light.
The preview (and the ads, to this point) seems really distasteful… The jockey’s work is dangerous and exciting, and the breakdown-after-breakdown certainly makes for riveting television, for those who don’t mind watching animals suffer catastrophic injuries.
The focus, as far as I can tell, is solely on the jockeys: the dangers to them, the potential successes. Very little mind seems to be paid to the horses that come tumbling down underneath them - who, unlike their riders, weren’t given the option of choosing a less dangerous career. Where’s the “we do this because we love horses” that has become the constant refrain of racing enthusiasts?
The show looks terrible, and terrible for racing.
I’m just pissed Chantal and Smith are a thing. When did that happen? He is no good for her.
nickL - it’s a real head scratcher because the sneak peak seems more like SpikeTV fodder than Animal Planet, but then again it wouldn’t be the first time a channel tried to drum up new viewership by straying out of the comfort zone of their current audience. AP has definitely been having more “extreme” shows recently… I’m sort of fond of the ones where unsuspecting idiots act like wild animals are pets and get attacked.
Megan - I think many, many people will share your reaction. Let’s hope they can strike a good balance and not manage to portray racing as if no one cares for the safety and outcome of the horses.
WG (nice new twist on the moniker btw) - no kidding! I remember being somewhat dumbfounded when I found that out.
As far as Mike and Chantal, I disagree, SHE is no good for him.
lance - sounds like you know something we don’t, care to share?
FYI, in Episode 1 alone:
~In the Ralph M. Hinds, they cut to reaction shots of people…at Santa Anita.
~There are shots of multiple races mixed into what is supposed to be the Ralph M. Hinds, and the shots from the Hinds are all mixed up and not chronological.
~In the race voice-over, it is Freesgood pushing Booyah, not Sensational Score.
~Matto Mondo, not Motto Mondo.
~The loose horse they show being caught is not the horse who fell (it was a turf race and that’s not even the crossover). Easy on the Eye was caught on the turf course.
~In The Morvich, they cut to a reaction shot…at Fairplex.
~There also seems to be a staged race in the silks they’re shown in on the profiles. Also, the two jockeys throwin’ down near the end - totally staged.
I also have seen episode two and it’s even worse about breakdowns. And the race voice-over guy is driving me nuts. “And it’s young Joe Talamo…blablabla.” This is very deceptive editing, but not surprising. It’s a typical reality show.
thx for the scoop MH!
kind of reminds me of how on Law & Order when they say they’re going to a particular part of town but end up not in that part of town at all. only new yorkers pick up on it, but then again, L&O isn’t a reality show!!