Horses on TV? Maybe Not! :(
Whenever there is a major event like the Olympic Games, I read time and time again about how outraged horse fans are that there is not more TV coverage of our sports. Naturally, I too would love to see more horses on TV,
so much so that I produced my own show, The Search For America’s Next Equestrian Star - Dressage. It not only was very difficult to stage and produce, it was amazingly difficult to finally get picked up by a network.
I thought for sure that Animal Planet would jump at the chance to air this very well produced series. But they had previously aired a horse-related show for which the numbers did not come back very high. Therefore, they passed as did most of the networks we hoped for. Finally, we got Fox Reality to air the show and received quite good numbers and were happy. The whole thing almost killed me but my determination to see horses on TV and bring our sports into people’s living rooms was worth it. For us to create a wider acceptance from the world for horse sports we must get them on TV every chance we get.
So, the Jumping and Dressage World Cup Finals is coming in April again to Las Vegas. It is a fabulous event and for the first time has the chance to be televised all over America LIVE as well as to be viewed again and again as repeats on an NBC affiliate. The sad reality is that this may never happen because nobody so far will step forward to sponsor it. Can you believe it? Not one horse related company or major breeding farm that sells to the U.S. market thinks that there is value for them to sponsor this amazing event! And the thing is that for what they would get, the amount for the sponsorship is extremely inexpensive. For less than $100,000.00 the sponsors can receive a package that would make them the official sponsors of the FEI Jumping and Dressage World Cup Finals. They may receive valuable live and taped commercial time throughout the week’s competitions as well as banners, ads in programs, announcements, and premier suites and tickets for the show.
So with all this, I just can’t believe there is not anyone out there who will step up to the plate to ensure our horse sports get on TV. Please, if you or anyone you know is interested in becoming the World Cup sponsor, get in touch with me immediately and I will connect you with the folks at Las Vegas Events. I, Along with so many horse enthusiasts will be so sad if we miss yet another chance to watch are wonderful sport on TV!
JB — February 18, 2009 @ 6:51 pm
Yes, I can believe it. I agree the $100,000 sponsorship is a bargain, but the economy has tanked and people are afraid to commit large sums of money or no longer have it. I believe the next few years will be “lost years” for many seeking sponsorships. It will be interesting to see if the World Cup Finals breaks even. Just today it was announced that Disney is restructuring which includes layoffs.
Lovely website/blog. I wish you good luck. BTW,loved watching America’s Next Equestrian Star-Dressage.
Niki — February 19, 2009 @ 11:01 am
I also loved America’s Next Eq. Star, unfortunately many of my friends did not have Fox Reality on their cable providers so they missed a great show. ESPN does show a weekly series called the Spruce Meadows Chronicles which I enjoy but actual events are shown few and far between. The last posted is correct in saying the economy will no doubt scare away sponsors for televised equestrian events, which is too bad!
FlyingChangesFarm — February 19, 2009 @ 11:35 am
My family loved the “Dressage Star” program. It was entertaining and educational. We watch all the Chris Cox and Clinton Anderson shows as well. I wish there were more shows that focused on dressage and eventing.
S. — February 19, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
I miss seeing horses on TV. My favorite shows were on RFD, with Kyra Beth Houston’s excellent program “Dressage Unlimited” and I STILL have the symposiums they aired on “Dressage Connection” on my Tivo from like 5 years ago. I miss those programs very much.
HOWEVER- I saw so much more of the last Olympics, thanks to the fantastic online videos. I was able to watch hours and hours, and see not 1, but as many as 3 FULL performances for each pair.
It is a little sad to see horses disappear from television- I remember being able to watch Grand Prix showjumping occasionally as a kid, and I never see that now.
But the internet is actually more convenient and accessible, and it’s so much cheaper to provide content (and so much more content!) that way - so I hope that we will be able to see more coverage of world class events on the internet- this may be a more realistic way to cover our sport and present it to its fans.
Emily — February 19, 2009 @ 8:21 pm
Oh why are we not more like Europe when it comes to TV coverage?
Anecdote: I was covering (as a journalist) the World Equestrian Games in Aachen for several magazines; On the night of the jumper (I think) final, I became horribly ill and had to leave. How could I possibly miss it? Horrors!!! I was talking to a German friend in the press room and she said, Oh, you’ll have a better view from your hotel room any way. The whole thing is broadcast live on German network TV.
Indeed, I went “home” (which after 15 days a tiny European hotel room is definitely NOT) and cuddled up in bed and watched the whole thing. Start to finish. And yes, I had a better view than many of the other journalists.
The fundamental problem with equestrian sports and television in the U.S. is many people just don’t understand what’s happening-including the network execs who make the decisions about programming. I think it’s really important to mobilize the equestrian community to pressure and educate the sports networks about our sport BEFORE WEG in 2010. And to convince them that they need to hire equestrian journalists (or journalists alongside experts like RD) who understand the disciplines to do the commentary. I’ve been somewhat horrified by NBC’s choices when they do try to cover our sports. The woman who covered WEG was an ex-jockey. I watched her interview Heidi White after her stunning CC round and I thought, Jeez, I could do better than that!) WEG is a huge opportunity to gain visibility for our sport going forward. And we should work to make sure we’ll get coverage, and lots of it. Just my $0.02
While the Animal Planet reality show (with the H/J riders) certainly had some appeal, it really didn’t do enough to explain the rigors or the sport of riding…and the American public has some idea that it’s elite–yes, at the top levels, of course. The Animal Planet show did nothing to bring the sport to the “proletariat”–it was just a bunch of rich teenagers that had to get up early to ride in circles. I don’t think that show spoke to either horse lovers, horse interested people or enthusiasts like us–so they missed it on three fronts.
I think there’s an opportunity there, but it’s up to us to convince the networks that we’re worth taking a risk on–after all that terrible show Wildfire ran for 4 seasons on ABC Family (I was an extra–the actors couldn’t handle the horses). If they’re willing to spend money on something that horrible, maybe there’s hope yet. (PS: It was canceled, finally, after the writers strike).
RDover2 — February 19, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
Emily, everything you said was right on the money. What makes this even more sad is that we have the network on board, we have the producers ready, and I and others have already agreed to commentate for no fee! What
We are lacking is a presenting sponsor or sponsors to come up with less than $100,000.00 to pay for the TV time. Four $25,000.00 sonsors could each have valuable commercial time, banners around the arena, ads in the program, and other sweet perks
Which I think is the deal of the century. I can’t believe that a major breeding farm or tack company hasn’t jumped at the chance to have
a monopoly on the US market for the week of the biggest event for jumpers and dressage in 2009.
I still hope someone comes forward very soon and ensures we will see the World Cup from Vegas on TV!
RD
Katie C — February 21, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
Where are the Malones?!?!?!??! I am pretty sure the Malones own Harmony Sport horses. They sponsor riders and own world class stallions. John Malone’s Liberty Media owns DirectTV and they’ve just bought Sirius/XM….after that purchase,100K would be a small investment…besides,I would think that Direct TV would be a great channel for the World Cup. If anyone can convince the Malones- it is probably RD!
JB — February 23, 2009 @ 11:28 am
I woke up this morning thinking about this. The issue is - there are not enough americans watching horse sports. They don’t watch because they don’t understand what’s going on or there is nothing to watch . . . it’s all football, basketball, etc. In order for americans to appreciate and love our horse sports they much be educated. It’s not about sponsorship to the same crowd of people, it’s about gaining a bigger crowd, expanding your base.
Start with a 20 year (it has to be long term) education program, through the media, in the U.S. educating americans on the Olympic disciplines and horse racing. This subject alone can be another conversation. The interest is there, look at the movie Seabiscuit! Americans love horses and put them in the same category as dogs and cats.
If all the organizations which promote jumping, dressage, eventing and horse racing would come together to develop a 20 year education fund, horse sports have a good chance of being televised. If these organizations continue on the same path,then horse sports will always operate as they have in the past . . . fighting for television coverage. This is where we need sponsorship dollars, money for education.
RDover2 — February 23, 2009 @ 2:32 pm
I totally agree that the sport needs to sell itself to the wider public by making better, more fun commentary.
If it workks out that we find a sponsor out there to bring the World Cup to live TV and I’m the commentator, I promise to do my very best to deliver on that thought!
Cheers!
RD
Susan — February 23, 2009 @ 8:08 pm
I was so excited to read about The Search For America’s Next Equestrian Star - Dressage. Then I was very disappointed when I learned that I wouldn’t be able to see it on my cable network. It would be wonderful to see things like this on TV.
Nicole — February 24, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
This subject absolutely drives me crazy! The fact is, the most highly attended spectator sport in this country is not football or basketball, it is horse racing. Yet, only the Triple Crown is covered on network TV, and with the rash of breakdowns in racing horses, I believe that coverage may also go away. Dressage is virtually unknown outside horsey circles. When we do get coverage (like the Olympics), the judging is eerily reminescent of Figure Skating, and the scandals that have plagued that sport.
I think our sport needs to highlight the positive, grass roots elements to attract a wider base of support, as well as freeing up the fun side, like Freestyle.
By grass roots, I mean show things like:
1. The many therapeutic riding centers that give their horses basic dressage training so that they can better carry unbalanced, challenged riders (I volunteer at such an organization).
2. How dressage training benefits the horse, developing their minds and muscles to enable them to stay sound longer.
3. Many retired racehorses have been successfully retrained as dressage horses.
Also, I think our Grand Prix riders should be allowed more artistic freedom in the Freestyle. This is an area where we could really appeal to the romantic, dramatic, colorful elements in our society. Not everyone appreciates half passes to Stravinsky - but who will ever forget Debbie and Brentina passaging to Brick House and RESPECT?!! Maybe the time has come for a little lycra and rhinestones…
Our sport is growing by leaps and bounds in this country, but I fear we will never get the sponsors we need, and get more TV coverage, if we are not willing to evolve. I think we could look at the dog shows and figure skating to see what has broadened their appeal for clues to what will work for us. We don’t need to “cheapen” our sport, just make it more easy for non-horsey people to appreciate:-)