No horse racing during the Super Bowl?

[thaskalos]

Few things surprise me any more...but one of these is the baffling policy that the horse racing industry has adopted of canceling the races scheduled to be run on the night of the Super Bowl.

I don't know what OTBs look like in other states...but in Illinois, they resemble bars and restaurants. Would a bar or a restaurant elect to close down during the running of a sporting event? From what some racing industry leaders have been spewing off in recent years, one could conclude that they consider sporting events to be in direct COMPETITION with horse racing in the "entertainment" business. Why would they choose to just close up shop on a Sunday night...and leave the sporting audience solely in the hands of a competing enterprise?

Hasn't it ever occurred to the horse racing industry that the horseplayers would much rather watch the Super Bowl while also enjoying their favorite sport?

Do they think that we are so fascinated by football...that we cannot do anything else at the same time?

[Robert Goren]

I have believe that in the early years of the super bowl they ran. Over the years they came to the conclusion that it was worth it.

[Clocker]

Hasn't it ever occurred to the horse racing industry that the horseplayers would much rather watch the Super Bowl while also enjoying their favorite sport?

Do they think that we are so fascinated by football...that we cannot do anything else at the same time?

That's fine for people playing off-track, but I would imagine that they have found from experience that the Super Bowl kills attendance.

There was a discussion here a while back about Laurel not running on Sundays. Folks from that area said that a big reason was that they couldn't compete for attendance when the Ravens played.

[thaskalos]

That's fine for people playing off-track, but I would imagine that they have found from experience that the Super Bowl kills attendance.

There was a discussion here a while back about Laurel not running on Sundays. Folks from that area said that a big reason was that they couldn't compete for attendance when the Ravens played.

I thought that on-track attendance was dead already.

[duncan04]

If you really needed action there were a few harness tracks running as well as New Zealand/Australia. I'm sure there wasn't much demand for live racing as tons of people go to parties and such

[Stillriledup]

Not only do they shut the entire industry down, but they do so for a form of entertainment (I.e "the big game") that believes nobody gambles on their sport. If ONE track opened and raced with a 6pm eastern post on SB sunday, the pools would be just as big or bigger than they would normally be....horseplayers find ways to "get down" no matter what it takes.

This football company believes that the entire world shuts down so US residents can bow down to their product, and sit thru their 3 million dollar commercials, that's not the case....racing would be wise to revisit this issue as opposed to just "doing what they normally do".

[cj]

Few things surprise me any more...but one of these is the baffling policy that the horse racing industry has adopted of canceling the races scheduled to be run on the night of the Super Bowl.

I don't know what OTBs look like in other states...but in Illinois, they resemble bars and restaurants. Would a bar or a restaurant elect to close down during the running of a sporting event? From what some racing industry leaders have been spewing off in recent years, one could conclude that they consider sporting events to be in direct COMPETITION with horse racing in the "entertainment" business. Why would they choose to just close up shop on a Sunday night...and leave the sporting audience solely in the hands of a competing enterprise?

Hasn't it ever occurred to the horse racing industry that the horseplayers would much rather watch the Super Bowl while also enjoying their favorite sport?

Do they think that we are so fascinated by football...that we cannot do anything else at the same time?

To be fair, no other sports compete against it any longer either. No NBA, no NHL, nothing. Since there has been competition in the past, I would assume it didn't go very well or it would still be there.

[PhantomOnTour]

You think that's rough...bad weather in NY forced Aqu to cancel today and their new 4 day a week Feb schedule kicked in and means no races until Friday.
What's a guy to do?

[Predator35]

You think that's rough...bad weather in NY forced Aqu to cancel today and their new 4 day a week Feb schedule kicked in and means no races until Friday.
What's a guy to do?

I know NYRA is my main circuit. Going to be a long week. Stinks they didnt run today I really liked the card.

[iceknight]

Hasn't it ever occurred to the horse racing industry that the horseplayers would much rather watch the Super Bowl while also enjoying their favorite sport?

Do they think that we are so fascinated by football...that we cannot do anything else at the same time? Has it ever occurred to you that football is almost a religion in US and people who work at the track want to be with their families and enjoy the big game? Maybe that is why they wrap up stuff a few hours before the game starts and do not try to compete directly.

There was enough racing during Sunday in several tracks. Not sure why someone is even complaining about this lack of horsebetting action for a few hours.

[Stillriledup]

Has it ever occurred to you that football is almost a religion in US and people who work at the track want to be with their families and enjoy the big game? Maybe that is why they wrap up stuff a few hours before the game starts and do not try to compete directly.

There was enough racing during Sunday in several tracks. Not sure why someone is even complaining about this lack of horsebetting action for a few hours.

Horse betting is also a religion.....so the "religious" horseplayers are forced to practice someone else's "religion" on this particular Sunday? Horsebettors find ways to "Get down" even if they are in the company of family and friends. You can always excuse yourself to the rest room and call in a bet. :D

[Al Gobbi]

Has it ever occurred to you that football is almost a religion in US and people who work at the track want to be with their families and enjoy the big game? Maybe that is why they wrap up stuff a few hours before the game starts and do not try to compete directly.

There was enough racing during Sunday in several tracks. Not sure why someone is even complaining about this lack of horsebetting action for a few hours.
111.5 million households agree with you

http://static.foxsports.com/content/fscom/binary/2014/02/03/n.Super_Bowl_XLVIII_Breaks_Audience_Record13914598 71068.pdf

[thaskalos]

Has it ever occurred to you that football is almost a religion in US and people who work at the track want to be with their families and enjoy the big game? Maybe that is why they wrap up stuff a few hours before the game starts and do not try to compete directly.

There was enough racing during Sunday in several tracks. Not sure why someone is even complaining about this lack of horsebetting action for a few hours.

No...I admit that it had never occurred to me that football is a religion.

I thought that football was just a game -- to the vast majority of us, at least -- and I was under the obviously mistaken impression that businesses, which asked to be taken seriously, did not close down in anticipation of mere games. Don't the employees of the other businesses, that choose to remain open during the Super Bowl, have families too?

But you are probably right about the frivolity of my complaint; perhaps I should not bother to waste the brandwidth of this site by posting insignificant topics.

Maybe I could take lessons from you...since the threads that YOU start here are always of such a high calibre.

[cj]

I'll say this, when I worked for NATO, Americans would get to come in the next day after lunch due to the late hour the game would end in Europe.

[thaskalos]

I'll say this, when I worked for NATO, Americans would get to come in the next day after lunch due to the late hour the game would end in Europe.

It has always been said that NATO is a great place to work for. :)

[cj]

It has always been said that NATO is a great place to work for. :)

I definitely had shorter hours and more days off in Europe, no doubt about it.

[NTamm1215]

I definitely had shorter hours and more days off in Europe, no doubt about it.

I loved spending a few months in Italy. When public employees wanted a day off, they scheduled a strike. Their big cause when I was there (2003) was that the retirement age for pension-eligible state and city employees was being increased to 58!

[iceknight]

No...I admit that it had never occurred to me that football is a religion.

I thought that football was just a game -- to the vast majority of us, at least -- and I was under the obviously mistaken impression that businesses, which asked to be taken seriously, did not close down in anticipation of mere games. Don't the employees of the other businesses, that choose to remain open during the Super Bowl, have families too?

But you are probably right about the frivolity of my complaint; perhaps I should not bother to waste the brandwidth of this site by posting insignificant topics.

Maybe I could take lessons from you...since the threads that YOU start here are always of such a high calibre. Not sure why you are getting all personal just because I disagreed one single thread/topic with you.
When you post any thread be ready for comments of all sort, not just people trying to flatter you.

End of the day, for the track management, it is a question of how much can they earn by competing directly with superbowl and the economics seem to point that they won't make much. Heck, even traffic on the roads was down to a minimum between 7-900pm.

Also, America is a free country so businesses that choose to remain open/employ workers do it with their own profit motive. A lot businesses also make money from the event - some employees choose to work those shifts out of their own profit motive while some are "forced" by supervisors but you missed the main point. It was not like betting was shut down for the whole day.

[the little guy]

Forgetting about both the lack of business sense it would show to race during the Super Bowl, the game is played on Sunday night. Tough to find a worse time in terms of handle.

[thaskalos]

Forgetting about both the lack of business sense it would show to race during the Super Bowl, the game is played on Sunday night. Tough to find a worse time in terms of handle.
I guess the casinos are lacking in "business sense" then...

[thaskalos]

Not sure why you are getting all personal just because I disagreed one single thread/topic with you.
When you post any thread be ready for comments of all sort, not just people trying to flatter you.

End of the day, for the track management, it is a question of how much can they earn by competing directly with superbowl and the economics seem to point that they won't make much. Heck, even traffic on the roads was down to a minimum between 7-900pm.

Also, America is a free country so businesses that choose to remain open/employ workers do it with their own profit motive. A lot businesses also make money from the event - some employees choose to work those shifts out of their own profit motive while some are "forced" by supervisors but you missed the main point. It was not like betting was shut down for the whole day.
I didn't get overly personal. Your original reply to me here was direct...and I answered in kind.

You suggested that my thread might have been too frivolous to post...and I just reminded you that you have started threads that have been even more frivolous than mine.

And another thing:

No reward comes to me from praises...nor do criticisms harm me in any way.

[the little guy]

I guess the casinos are lacking in "business sense" then...

I sincerely hope you don't think that was a clever response.

[thaskalos]

I sincerely hope you don't think that was a clever response.

No...I am just saying that people can easily watch the Super Bowl while doing other things.

I see evidence of this at my OTB every Sunday afternoon during the football season.

[PhantomOnTour]

The World Cup is being held in Brazil this summer. If the home team makes the final we will settle this once and for all...will they be running at Gavea that day?

[andtheyreoff]

I find this to be little more than more phony outrage. Who runs on Sunday nights this time of the year anyway- Dover, Pompano, and Los Alamitos? Did you really need to wager on them that badly?

[Stillriledup]

No...I am just saying that people can easily watch the Super Bowl while doing other things.

I see evidence of this at my OTB every Sunday afternoon during the football season.

Not only can you easily watch the "Big game" while doing other things, but theres this little contraption that everyone in america owns, its called a clicker and that clicker has the ability to put a game on pause while you "call or click" a horse racing wager.

One track has the ability to be the "only game in town"......and everyone says "i'll pass".

[HuggingTheRail]

2 Canadian harness tracks started their cards near the start of Super Bowl - Flamboro at 6pm Eastern, and Rideau Carleton at 630pm Eastern


Flamboro Super Bowl Sunday

Handle 370,354
Races 12
Horses 93

Avg/Race 30863
Avg/Horse 3982


Flamboro previous Sunday

Handle 245122
Races 12
Horses 95

Avg/ Race 20427
Avg/ Horse 2580

------------------------------------

Rideau - Super Bowl

Handle 246393
Races 11
Horses 84

Avg/ Race 22399
Avg/ Horse 2933

Previous Sunday

Handle 177908
Races 11
Horses 76

Avg/Race 16173
Avg/Horse 2341

-------------------------------

Not an apples to apples comparison obviously, but the two Canadian harness tracks did see a bit of a lift thanks to no other competition. Note: Fraser Downs last 3 races were after SB kickoff, I didn't dig up those numbers

[Stillriledup]

2 Canadian harness tracks started their cards near the start of Super Bowl - Flamboro at 6pm Eastern, and Rideau Carleton at 630pm Eastern


Flamboro Super Bowl Sunday

Handle 370,354
Races 12
Horses 93

Avg/Race 30863
Avg/Horse 3982


Flamboro previous Sunday

Handle 245122
Races 12
Horses 95

Avg/ Race 20427
Avg/ Horse 2580

------------------------------------

Rideau - Super Bowl

Handle 246393
Races 11
Horses 84

Avg/ Race 22399
Avg/ Horse 2933

Previous Sunday

Handle 177908
Races 11
Horses 76

Avg/Race 16173
Avg/Horse 2341

-------------------------------

Not an apples to apples comparison obviously, but the two Canadian harness tracks did see a bit of a lift thanks to no other competition. Note: Fraser Downs last 3 races were after SB kickoff, I didn't dig up those numbers


Proof in Numbers.

Its a "Math Thing" :ThmbUp:

One thing also to throw in there....these large computer whales have computers bet FOR them, so they can have the computer placing thousands of dollars of wagers while they are watching the "big game" ....computers don't need a "day off" to watch sports, they can churn out bets at any time!

[thaskalos]

I find this to be little more than more phony outrage. Who runs on Sunday nights this time of the year anyway- Dover, Pompano, and Los Alamitos? Did you really need to wager on them that badly?
"Outrage" is too strong a word. I am just thinking out loud.

I guess I can see closing down the OTBs for Easter Sunday...but Super Bowl Sunday?

C'mon...

[iceknight]

2 Canadian harness tracks Canada has no teams in the NFL, right? unlike the NHL... not overly personal fair enough Los Alamitos Not sure about Thask, but I actually did want to wager at LosAl, but I was hoping they might run races from 10pm EST (which is their Sat post time), but they did not :(. But I wanted to play LosAl only after the superbowl was over officially, although this year the big game was over at half time and 1 min into the 3rd Qtr! :lol:

[HuggingTheRail]

Canada has no teams in the NFL, right? unlike the NHL...

That's correct, there are no NFL teams in Canada.

[BlueShoe]

In SoCal we were done when the last race at GG went off, 2:47 PST. SA started at 11:00 and GG at 11:15, and each only carded 8 races, not the usual 9 or 10 for a Sunday. Los Al did not race Sunday, dark. They even chopped off the 9th at FG, could not bet it because it went after GG was done. Would have also chopped off the last race at OP had they not canceled early. All this in deference to the Super Bowl.

[thespaah]

Few things surprise me any more...but one of these is the baffling policy that the horse racing industry has adopted of canceling the races scheduled to be run on the night of the Super Bowl.

I don't know what OTBs look like in other states...but in Illinois, they resemble bars and restaurants. Would a bar or a restaurant elect to close down during the running of a sporting event? From what some racing industry leaders have been spewing off in recent years, one could conclude that they consider sporting events to be in direct COMPETITION with horse racing in the "entertainment" business. Why would they choose to just close up shop on a Sunday night...and leave the sporting audience solely in the hands of a competing enterprise?

Hasn't it ever occurred to the horse racing industry that the horseplayers would much rather watch the Super Bowl while also enjoying their favorite sport?

Do they think that we are so fascinated by football...that we cannot do anything else at the same time?
Why bother. So few people would bet the races. Why attempt to compete against something that is going to kick your ass?
BTW, there were plenty of tracks that ran during the day(12). I'm not seeing a problem here.

[thespaah]

Horse betting is also a religion.....so the "religious" horseplayers are forced to practice someone else's "religion" on this particular Sunday? Horsebettors find ways to "Get down" even if they are in the company of family and friends. You can always excuse yourself to the rest room and call in a bet. :D
Yes, but there were 12 tracks that raced on Sunday during the day.
I see nothing here.

[thespaah]

Forgetting about both the lack of business sense it would show to race during the Super Bowl, the game is played on Sunday night. Tough to find a worse time in terms of handle.
BINGO!!!!!

[Stillriledup]

Why bother. So few people would bet the races. Why attempt to compete against something that is going to kick your ass?
BTW, there were plenty of tracks that ran during the day(12). I'm not seeing a problem here.

Everyone who normally bets, would bet. Also, you would get the extra people who want to bet, but their favorite track isnt running.

Is it hard to watch the super bowl while having your laptop open running the signal of the one track who decides to run?

[thespaah]

I guess the casinos are lacking in "business sense" then...
If there is a way to produce some casino handle numbers on a typical Sunday night in winter vs handle on Super Bowl Sunday, I'd be interested to see them.
Look, it one day out of 365 where the full compliment of night time racing is not available for a given Sunday.
Not seeing a problem here.

[thespaah]

Everyone who normally bets, would bet. Also, you would get the extra people who want to bet, but their favorite track isnt running.

Is it hard to watch the super bowl while having your laptop open running the signal of the one track who decides to run?
How many normally tracks run on a typical Sunday night?
Is SB Sunday really that different?
Did a little checking.
On Sun 2/2, 12 tracks ran cards.
On Sun 1/26 14 tracks ran cards.
Sun 2/26 was the last day at Portland Meadows that was listed. Must assume that was the end of the meet.
Los Al, Sunland Park and Turf Paradise, took the day (2/2) off.
Figuring on 10 races per card, that means there were 30 fewer races available on which to bet on 2/2 as opposed to Sunday 1/26.....Is this really that big of a deal?

[rastajenk]

Everyone who normally bets, would bet. Also, you would get the extra people who want to bet, but their favorite track isnt running.

Is it hard to watch the super bowl while having your laptop open running the signal of the one track who decides to run?
This is a good example of the stay-at-home bettors overestimating their impact. If, as some say, that the future of racing will rely on this kind of handle, then the future is indeed bleak.

[devilsbag]

I've been screaming for years that tracks miss a golden opportunity by not running on Thanksgiving night or Christmas morning. Even the department stores have caught on for one of them, but not racing.

What goes better following a 19 course meal than some pari-mutuel action? A perfect excuse to chase the relatives out the door early. "Uncle Al and Aunt Shirley, it was great to see you, but I need to catch the opener at Lone Star."

Christmas morning? Even better. Let the wife clean up the mess, the rugrats are distracted with some new crap, and Calder could go head to head with Gulfstream and see who can have an earlier post time.

[thespaah]

I've been screaming for years that tracks miss a golden opportunity by not running on Thanksgiving night or Christmas morning. Even the department stores have caught on for one of them, but not racing.

What goes better following a 19 course meal than some pari-mutuel action? A perfect excuse to chase the relatives out the door early. "Uncle Al and Aunt Shirley, it was great to see you, but I need to catch the opener at Lone Star."

Christmas morning? Even better. Let the wife clean up the mess, the rugrats are distracted with some new crap, and Calder could go head to head with Gulfstream and see who can have an earlier post time.
Now that I can see happening. Why not. Get in some action before the "fun" starts!
I believe NYRA does an 11 am post time on Thanksgiving Day though.

[wisconsin]

Christmas morning? Even better. Let the wife clean up the mess, the rugrats are distracted with some new crap, and Calder could go head to head with Gulfstream and see who can have an earlier post time.


Calder used to run the Christmas Day Handicap every Christmas Day. Years ago.

[Stillriledup]

I've been screaming for years that tracks miss a golden opportunity by not running on Thanksgiving night or Christmas morning. Even the department stores have caught on for one of them, but not racing.

What goes better following a 19 course meal than some pari-mutuel action? A perfect excuse to chase the relatives out the door early. "Uncle Al and Aunt Shirley, it was great to see you, but I need to catch the opener at Lone Star."

Christmas morning? Even better. Let the wife clean up the mess, the rugrats are distracted with some new crap, and Calder could go head to head with Gulfstream and see who can have an earlier post time.

7-11 is open, why not the racing industry?

[Stillriledup]

How many normally tracks run on a typical Sunday night?
Is SB Sunday really that different?
Did a little checking.
On Sun 2/2, 12 tracks ran cards.
On Sun 1/26 14 tracks ran cards.
Sun 2/26 was the last day at Portland Meadows that was listed. Must assume that was the end of the meet.
Los Al, Sunland Park and Turf Paradise, took the day (2/2) off.
Figuring on 10 races per card, that means there were 30 fewer races available on which to bet on 2/2 as opposed to Sunday 1/26.....Is this really that big of a deal?

Its not the fewer races available, its the timeframe. Santa Anita and GG ran an 11am post, why not have the normal 1pm post? That's the argument.

If they did the 1pm post thing, they would be the only track running after 2:30 PM, to me, that's ripe for bigger pools than you had while running in conflict with all the eastern tracks who were trying to finish up.

[rastajenk]

Come on, wise guy, you're the head of SRU Downs. I presume you do simulcasting there: Keep your place open so you can show one track, and witness for yourself how many folks still stay away.

Or, be the one track that runs, and see how many outlets don't take your action because it is the only one. And then convince your staff to do it again next year. :p

[Stillriledup]

Come on, wise guy, you're the head of SRU Downs. I presume you do simulcasting there: Keep your place open so you can show one track, and witness for yourself how many folks still stay away.

Or, be the one track that runs, and see how many outlets don't take your action because it is the only one. And then convince your staff to do it again next year. :p

If you normally bet a track, you arent going to NOT bet that track because of some other sporting event that's going on somewhere else in the country. So, the track who runs, if they were the only one, would get all their regular money AND the money of people who don't live in Vegas who want SOMETHING to bet on. Gambling itches are very itchy on SB sunday, people want to bet and if there was one track running, the pools would be bigger than normal.

We can agree to disagree.

[Ray]

I wouldnt waste my time trying to compete against the superbowl. Don't u think if they could make money doing it that way they would?I think its refreshing that racing recognizes this is one beast you don't fight with. This superbowl was the most watch TV event in US history.. I always play the morning card from Santa Anita. They ran a nice little 8 race card and a solid handle and with the shrinking field sizes its not the worst thing in the world to cut out a race here and there.I don't care if someone does run against the Superbowl. I have a life outside of horse racing and enjoy taking in the Superbowl with people I dont always get to hang out it's really become a national holiday of sorts. You can play races all day Monday or Australia races if you are that hard up for action.