Quibbles With the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby will take place in two days, but in terms of broadcast availability and on-site consumer technology, it feels like an event from previous decades. Churchill Downs has already banned drones and so-called remote controlled aircraft and selfie-sticks, though most of us are probably happy about the latter. The race organizer’s safety ban list includes plucky and niche devices such as laptops, cameras with a 6” lens or longer and camcorders.

To their credit, mobile phones and tablets are allowed on the premises. There are most definitely legitimate safety concerns at any sporting event, but here you can bring a stroller with you, only if you have a child in attendance. If you bring that same child on a wagon, you’re out of luck though. Maybe I’m wrongfully criticizing the Kentucky Derby; they are by no means the only sport to to ban drones. It didn’t take an FAA act like the Super Bowl nor a county-wide ban like The Masters, however it’s hard for me to be lenient on a sporting event that ranked in the top-10 in brand value last year at $99 million.

It’s tough to make excuses for the Derby when they’re not even making an attempt to embrace new technology like other race events. Despite my complaints — and animal treatment concerns — viewership for the Kentucky Derby is in a better place than both 10 and 20 years ago. Television views for the Derby have been up and down over the past few years, though they have seen a distinct uptick since NBC took over from ABC in 2001 (click to embiggen).

NBC does allow streaming of the race via their Sports Live Extra service, thought that option  demands a qualifying cable subscription. AppleTV and Roku users now have the option to view the race among other NBC Sports exclusives (again with a cable package), though Sling TV, Chromecast and FireTV cord cutters are still left with zero options.

(Header image via NBC)