Interesting column in Trot magazine by Daryl Kaplan. It is quite an indictment of the status quo in racing. I suspect part of his frustration is the
inability of Standardbred Canada to get the industry to pony up more funds for SC's initiatives to stimulate the industry but the main thesis of his column
is everyone in the industry is happy to grab the VLT revenue but unwilling to invest one penny on developing fans or otherwise saving the sport. He cites the
cautionary tale which is Quebec where one day the government finally sayid 'Enough' and killed the industry off with one decision.
Will anyone wake up and decide to invest in themselves?
Here is the column in question: http//www.standardbredcanada.ca/trot/november-2009/view.html
Interesting Comments from Daryl Kaplan
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 Pacingguy |
Interesting Comments from Daryl Kaplan |
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Posts: 714 11/03/09 8:05 AM |
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moreofless |
I agree with what Mr. Kaplan is saying. | #1 | ||
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Posts: 119 11/03/09 12:19 PM |
As I indicated in this post:
I agree with what Mr. Kaplan is saying. Harness racing is being supported from a financial point of view by a source of funding that is
tenuous at best. Many of the owners of harness tracks are generating far more revenue and profits from casino operations than from racing. Many of them
only keep they tracks operating because that is a requirement for the casino license. That could change at any time and I expect it will change.
Politicians are going to see the money going to harness racing as something they can use to "buy" more votes by spending that money in other
areas.
Harness racing needs to wake up and realize it needs to be more self sufficient. Right now a large portion of the purses are coming
from slots. Indirectly the slots revenue is supporting the prices of yearlings and the fees paid for the services of stallions. If the politicians pull
the plug on that funding or allow the casino operators out of the racing business, it will not just mean the purses will fall. The value of every aspect
of the business will decline. I suggest this is more a case of "if" than "when".
I don't want anyone to think I have a bone to pick with owners. These are the individuals who are risking large sums of money to
purchase horses that have potential. They then spend more time and money to develop this horses. It only makes sense for them to cash in their chips when
the value is the highest.
The owners making the decisions that make the most business sense, could ultimately make it harder to attract new fans. Just like every
sport harness racing needs stars. The problem is by the time we have a recognized star they are retired. This is not the fault of the owners but is
symptomatic of a systemic problem with the industry. We need to keep the stars around for a longer time. The only way that will happen is if the purse
money is compelling enough to encourage the owners to continue racing their stars. To accomplish this purse money needs to be re-allocated from the 2 and
3 year old races to races for older horses. I also think we need to allocate purse money for rivalry type races. Races like Muscle Hill vs. Lucky Jim
have huge promotional potential. Would it not have been interesting to see Somebeachsomewhere race Mister Big?
I would also suggest the sport needs to be promoted more to the general public. I think the average person considers horses to be
magnificent creatures and the top drivers are every bit the athletes as are the superstars in other sports. The general public needs to see how amazing
and hard working the top drivers are.
I would also suggest the need for creative approaches to the sport. For example, if the purse structure was lucrative enough, would it
be possible to race a stallion that is also being used for breeding?
Revenue from slots is only a short term answer to a much bigger, complex, and difficult problem.
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charleybarn |
Kaplan | #2 | ||
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Posts: 947 11/03/09 1:05 PM |
More...good post and this was interesting. But we are all missing the point. We, in the world of Standardbred racing, play second fiddle to the TB's.
When a 5 claimer from Delta Downs handles more simulcast national dollars than a stake from WBN or elsewhere, we need radical changes. Marketing must be
invested in. We need a wealthy sponsor who loves harness racing. Where is our Sheikh Mohammed (Gondolphin) who loves TB racing and has BILLLIONS to invest?
In order to invest in our future (kid's futures) we must invest in marketing our game. I've suggested that a percentage of all purses, and all
yearling sales, or even all horse sales (claimers too) be put aside for radical changes to how we go about our business. I'm not sure what that number
should be. 2%, 3%...something like that. It's can't be squeezed from the bettors who are already participating in an unfair game as it is.
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moreofless |
I don't disagree but... | #3 | ||
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Posts: 119 11/03/09 1:56 PM |
I don't think the industry should count on any funds from anywhere but from the fans / bettors. I believe the real problem is we do
not have enough fans / bettors. It would be nice to have billionaire benefactors but that is not something the industry can control. I also don't think
it is good to count on a small number of large revenue streams. What I think the industry needs is lots of $2 bettors that actually go to the track.
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Lastontothelead |
Great minds think....... | #4 | ||
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Posts: 1739 11/03/09 2:03 PM |
I still have a hard time understanding where all the marketing people are at the tracks? Is it a case of, like DK said, "I can tell you that the annual budget for R & D and Business Development amounts to
less than the purse for that single race."? Is it true that the tracks truly don't give a rat's behind that their fan base is under
siege from outside sources that threaten to cripple our sport indefinitely, except for Jeff Gural and a hand full of other tracks? When us older fans decide
enough is enough, who is going to take our place? The younger generations have so many choices of where to spend their "fun" dollars. Fortunately
for our sport, us older fans got hooked at a time when horse racing was one of the few "games" in town.
It appears no one really cares because like DK said, "Right across North America, despite mounting evidence that the sport is out of touch with the general public, the event is presented in a manner that, aside from the odd superfecta, is virtually identical to what it looked like 15 years ago." What has changed from a fans point of view? The only thing I can think of is the horses are going faster due to improvements in the equipment. I am still waiting for the tax threshold to be raised since it hasn't taken into account inflation in what....the 30 + years I have been playing. What have the tracks done for us other than to raise take-out rates and give us player cards to earn a measly 1-2% or a free hotdog once or twice a year? Let's get real people, the powers to be don't care, I can't take much more of this be-oush slapping anymore. We have to be more fan friendly as many of us have said. Everyone knows there is a problem..."Yet somehow month after month, meeting after meeting, we are met with industry leaders who have no problem distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in purse money without any plan to drive bettors or new patrons to the track." to quote DK again. Like I said before, all we can do is voice our displeasure and when stuff happens, I can look myself in the mirror with no regrets. All of us are on the right track but the tracks are derailed, stuck in the 70's and 80's....to quote Luvs...."Is anybody listening?"....in a word....NO......Luvs....it appears not. Will someone let me know when something positive came out of the recent "Simulcasting Conference", I won't be holding my breath this time cb.
Last Edited By: Lastontothelead 11/03/09 2:46 PM.
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charleybarn |
Kaplan | #5 | ||
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Posts: 947 11/03/09 2:32 PM |
Excellent posting as usual Last. We are doing zilch for the future and I probably won't be around to see the doors close for good. It just seems to me
that we do everything shortsighted and wrong. From our take-out rates (why gamble at 20 to 30% when you can gamble at 5% or less?). to our lack of marketing,
to all the tracks selfishness running their races on top of other tracks at the same time, etc. I am at a loss and we are all correct that nobody is
listening.
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moreofless |
Tracks with slots don't care about racing! | #6 | ||
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Posts: 119 11/03/09 4:36 PM |
From my experience from traveling to different tracks the last two years, with the exception of the Ontario tracks, the tracks with
slots don't care about racing.
When I go to one of the WEG tracks for a special race you know as soon as you walk in the door that it is a special night. At Flamboro I knew I was attending a special race as soon as a drove up. Meanwhile, The Meadows did next to nothing for Adios Day. In the past Adios Day (and week) was an event filled with promotions and pageantry. This year NOTHING! It was just another day of racing. When you look at The Meadows Racino, the casino sign is much larger than the racing sign. The space devoted to racing is very limited and you cannot even watch the live races from an inside vantage point. Even the restaurant that overlooks the track is up the stretch instead of at the finish line. Pocono is basically the same. The Meadows doesn't race on weekends because that we take parking away from the slots customer. I once said to a former employee of The Meadows from after the casino opened that I felt the owners would close the track if they could. She just nodded in agreement with a look of resignation on her face. That is where the industry is heading. Meanwhile places like Northfield and The Red Mile seem to try very hard to promote themselves. After all the fan / bettor is the only significant source of revenue for them. I never get a promotional piece of mail from The Meadows but I get them all the time from Northfield. I do expect the slot revenue stream to dwindle over time and the industry / sport is not prepared at all for that day.
Last Edited By: moreofless 11/03/09 4:44 PM.
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charleybarn |
Comments? | #7 | ||
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Posts: 947 11/03/09 4:53 PM |
I agree with everything that More posted here. It's all been said here many times before. I'm getting a bit frustrated as nobody except all my friends here in the sphere seem to care, or try to come up with any solutions. We've said here that we need an infusion of capital, less take-outs, marketing, less dates that do not overlap, a TV network, etc. So I will now point a finger. Where's our Trainers, drivers, breeders and owners. Our trainers and drivers have reaped the whirlwind of slots and frankly they've never had it so good. Breeders are getting big money for horses eligible to racino state's sire stakes programs. Where are they? Are the Campbells, Pierce's Burkes, Teague's etc only looking out for their pockets? Yes they are all over 40 so do they care about the future? Many have kids in the business too (Mr. Teague). Where's Timmy Tetrick and the younger generation? I think everyone's out for themselves...period. And if they dson't care, why should we? |
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moreofless |
It could happen faster that we think... | #8 | ||
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Posts: 119 11/03/09 5:07 PM |
charleybarn wrote:40 is not very old and the slot revenue could disappear as fast as you can snap your fingers. We are dealing with politicians who are always looking for money to spend on some project that should not be funded but will get them votes. How much would Somebeachsomewhere or Well Said be worth if the PA slots revenue were to go away? How much would the yearlings just purchased be worth? As a fan, I have benefited too. I have some great racing right in my back yard. Now that I have it, I don't want to lose it. I fear that is something and it could happen at any time. On a positive note, I think harness racing is a great sport that is very saleable. |
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Lastontothelead |
Well Said..... | #9 | ||
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Posts: 1739 11/03/09 5:09 PM |
Excellent question cb, I do remember Brian Sears speaking out after the M meet saying something needs to be done but other than him and maybe JC, who else has
come out to say we need to change or lose more of our fan base? I'm afraid the answer is what you stated cb, every man for himself, they have no control
over what tracks do or don't do. I don't buy it either. The drivers/owners/trainers seem content going from one racino to the next.
More, your experience with the Adios is very disturbing as I mentioned earlier. We must break this trend. |
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charleybarn |
Comments | #10 | ||
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Posts: 947 11/03/09 6:00 PM |
Last you are correct that everyone is for him/her self. So going forward I will try to keep my bllod pressure under control and not try to save our beloved
game. I'm 55 so in my lifetime there will always be a DELA meet. A LEX meet. NYSS stakes. Good cards at WEG and PASS in pa. Why should I care if the
leaders of our game don't seem to? I think JC is a stand-up guy in all respects, but he's made tens of millions. Give something back? Get the
horsemen to kick in 1% for a TV channel or marketing? No...y'all are right. Gas up the car and drive to the next racino card at dov, pcd, chst or yr.
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LuvsAHandDrive |
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Posts: 270 11/03/09 7:55 PM |
The solution is for the real fans to stop supporting any track they feel does not have the best interests of racing at heart.
There are a few tracks that I believe care. US tracks as I think all of Ontario cares. Northfield, Vernon Downs, Tioga. Besides that I don't see other tracks really giving the fans any respect. |
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