According to an Essential Poll, just 11 per cent of Australians say they have a high interest in the Melbourne Cup, which is down 5 points from last year.
Despite some states even shutting down for race day (we are looking at you Victoria), the poll said that 27 per cent said they had “low interest” in the race and 35 per cent said they had “no interest”. This means that a total of 62 per cent had little or no interest.
About a quarter said they had moderate interest and 3 per cent said they didn’t know.
Most Aussies do agree – at 65 per cent – that the cup is a unique part of Australia’s national identity. However this was down seven points year-on-year and only 50 per cent of people in the 18-24 age demographic agreed with the statement.
Men had higher interest in the Cup than women, with 13 per cent of men reporting “high interest” compared with 9 per cent of women.
The Cup is more popular with an older demographic – just 9 per cent of those aged 18-34 reported high interest compared to 13 per cent in the over 55s.
About two-fifths of Aussies said they will bet on the race, with 26 per cent they rarely bet on horses but will make an exception for the race.
What Does This Mean For TV Ratings?
This will be the last year that the famous horse race will be hosted by Network 10. Earlier this year the broadcaster withdrew its bid to broadcast the Melbourne Cup, meaning the landmark five-year $100 million dollar deal it signed back in 2018 will not be renewed.
Network 10 said the shift towards a more wagering-focused product meant it had to walk away.
The race usually scores highly with viewers – last year the race pulled in a total of 1.053 viewers, making it one of the most-viewed events of the year. It was down on the year before, however, when it pulled in 1.7 million punters.
Despite the depressing figures B&T‘s on the ground team are sending in reports of a packed Flemington.
Our reporters will be on on the ground to cover all of the action, controversy and marketing mayhem at this year’s Melbourne Cup!
