How the track simulcast feeds can be even better.

by Dean Towers

With the future of television and streaming in flux, horse racing’s customer viewership funnel has potential.

The world of sports and gambling entertainment is changing fast.

Just this past week we read stories about Comcast losing 1.5 million cable customers, and Spectrum almost matching them with a loss of 1.2 million. We learned about streaming being in disarray as it finds its footing, and how S&P Global reportsthat this decline is “irreversible.”

Over in gambling (which has seen huge content growth since sports betting was legalized) the zeitgeist appears to lean towards consolidation, too.

Front Office Sports reports that DraftKings is not renewing any of their in-house on-air talent who provided daily content for their free streaming service channel. This includes popular hosts like Mike Golic and former ESPN anchor Trey Wingo.

Given the proliferation of networks, streamers, free live channels, and gambling content providers on platforms like Substack, YouTube, Twitch, and other outlets vying for viewership and struggling, one might conclude that horse racing’s broadcast prospects are dim.

Perhaps so, but I lean the other way.

This sport, in 2025, broadcasts high-funnel programming of both breeds through TVG and Fox Sports that are delivered via traditional cable mediums. Although (as detailed above) this overall viewership is falling, I’d suggest we shouldn’t care. Horse racing’s demographic still watches traditional cable. Having it “always on” and available is worthwhile.

Where horse racing has untapped potential, in my view, is in the live programming every one of us consumes – the track feed. Each day, thousands of viewers with a program in hand and a mouse ready to click a bet are captured for four or more hours, day after day. Traditional TV networks and streamers from Netflix to Apple TV+, are spending billions to hook you for an hour or two so you pay them $10 or $20 a month. They’d probably kill for our viewership stickiness.

Are we truly maximizing the potential of this opportunity?

In my opinion, horse racing’s in-house product has undergone significant improvement over the years. The Woodbine broadcast platform is professional and provides comprehensive information for both breeds. On the thoroughbred side, I believe Churchill’s team, led by Joe Kristufek, is exceptional. I am certain that you have your own preferences.

Given the necessity of watching the feed, I believe there is an opportunity to enhance the viewing experience even further.

There are thousands of statistics and trends on any given card – trainer patterns, track bias, bad running lines, and first-time starters to name just a few. Does any track feed illustrate these statistics regularly and freely? Do they interview trainers about horses coming off long layoffs, qualifiers or with questionable form?

Updated shoeing changes, surface changes, or claim information are all actionable for a bettor; especially in an ecosystem revolving around multi-leg wagers. Are these discussed each night as a focus of the broadcast?

There are ADWs that offer a glimpse at what the closing odds board will look like. Does the in-house broadcast talk about what the off odds should be, giving players an advantage while helping them understand late odds changes?

For a carryover, has any broadcast ever piped in a professional horseplayer via Skype to talk about how he or she will attack the sequence? Has any track feed ever broadcast someone with the requisite mathematical skill to play pick “n” bets properly?

Woodbine broadcasts their on-air product live on YouTube. This can be particularly important on carryover night. Can others?

I’m sure there are many other ideas that could hopefully enhance the viewing and betting experience each and every day.

Cultivating the customer when you’ve captured their attention is not only beneficial for them — they become better players and enjoy the product more — but it’s also a boon to the bottom line. General Foods’ success in producing hundreds of cheese flavors and packaging options can be attributed to the principle of offering more choices, which ultimately leads to more purchases. Similarly, providing more actionable information encourages wagering in the same manner, and fosters brand loyalty.

This sport doesn’t appear to have the money or will to compete in the gambling space through massive investment, hiring the next hot influencer, or building brand new mediums. The time the viewer is already spending with you is a valuable piece of real estate and it should be enhanced to be the best it can possibly be.