The race track at Newcastle has restarted its summer schedule. And races at Newmarket on June 6 became U.K.’s first competitive sports broadcast since the Covid-19 lockdown began. Both promise a return to normalcy if a Ladbrokes survey is any indication.
The survey, commissioned with research data firm Perspectus Global during the lockdown, asked 2,000 sports fans what they missed most about watching live sports. “Absence has clearly made the heart grow fonder,” Ladbroke found as 56 percent said the lack of sports on TV made them realize how much they love it.
Half the survey participants said they would tune-in to watch racing even without spectators. When quizzed about what they missed the most, 36 percent said they missed watching the racing itself, 17 percent missed watching with friends and nine percent missed the build-up to the races, according to SBC News.
Nicola McGeady, head of Ladbrokes PR, said: “It really is good to have racing back. The crisis hasn’t just halted our enjoyment of sport, whether live or on television, it’s taken away the sociability and sense of togetherness that comes from cheering on a winner, or consoling each other on backing a loser.”
