What Are the chances of a national racing board?

[tanner12oz]

It seems like alot of people (me included) seem to think a national committee of some sort is needed in order to cure alot of the ills within the game...jusy wondering what people think the chances are on this and what the road blocks in place are?

[Stillriledup]

Zero.

Here's the problem.

The "Game" isnt the game. Horse racing is just a concept, a vehicle for tracks to permit legal gambling. The tracks are essentially gambling facilities that happen to have horse racing as the 'vehicle" in which to wager. They're NOT horse racing tracks that just happen to have gambling. So, the gambling comes first and that's why gambling facilities, who are owned by different people, are not willing to give up any kind of control to a nat'l board, what's in it for them to relinquish control of their track to a random, politically appointed "hack" when they really only care about the gambling?

[Some_One]

Zero.

Here's the problem.

The "Game" isnt the game. Horse racing is just a concept, a vehicle for tracks to permit legal gambling. The tracks are essentially gambling facilities that happen to have horse racing as the 'vehicle" in which to wager. They're NOT horse racing tracks that just happen to have gambling. So, the gambling comes first and that's why gambling facilities, who are owned by different people, are not willing to give up any kind of control to a nat'l board, what's in it for them to relinquish control of their track to a random, politically appointed "hack" when they really only care about the gambling?

OMG two posts in a week I agree with you on, aside say from a Del Mar or Keeneland, yea race tracks are just a side deal with some casino operator for most tracks.

[burnsy]

OMG two posts in a week I agree with you on, aside say from a Del Mar or Keeneland, yea race tracks are just a side deal with some casino operator for most tracks.

I agree with SRU too. But its been this way long before the casino craze. Every other sport consolidated.....except boxing and horse racing. Both are getting kicked around because the other sports get the coverage and fan base. The other thing is if the scandals and bad press reach a tipping point. The government will step in and have their own little board. Its not an all for one game.....its a keep the share of the pie deal even if it means the denigration of popularity or crushing the competition. That works in business but this is supposed to be a GAME regardless of the wagering aspect. So many people bet on the NFL legal or not. At the same time people love that shit even if they don't bet on it. The leagues (and teams) work together for max potential.

[rastajenk]

It seems like alot of people (me included) seem to think a national committee of some sort is needed in order to cure alot of the ills within the game...jusy wondering what people think the chances are on this and what the road blocks in place are?I'd like to know what the national committee of some sort would actually be before commenting on its chances. And what kind of ills need a nationwide fix that this committee could actually execute? And what could be some of the unintended consequences that will inevitably occur when power is transferred and accrued?

There's already an RTA, an NTRA, a Jockey Club, an ARCI, and at least a dozen other acronyms representing various factions. What is the advantage, to you the bettor, to the individual small-time horsemen, to the tracks themselves, to anyone invested in the game, of having yet another umbrella organization attempt to standardize the various aspects of the game? Will it be weaponized, like the IRS? Politicized like Justice? Staffed with non-racing political appointees or overzealous prosecutors? Will it serve horsemen at small tracks in fly-over country the same way it will serve the kind of blueblooded horsemen that get invited to speak to Congressional hearings?

I'd like to see a description of the idealized state of racing that its progressives want to be progressing towards. Then I might have a feel for whether a national committee can achieve it; my instincts are that it will not.

[tanner12oz]

Standardized rules and regs would be a good start

[AndyC]

Standardized rules and regs would be a good start

I would opt for the exact opposite. Let every track set their own rules and regulations so they have the flexibility to see what works and what doesn't without having to go through a long regulatory process.

Please list the rules and regs that you would like to see standardized.

[AndyC]

Zero.

Here's the problem.

The "Game" isnt the game. Horse racing is just a concept, a vehicle for tracks to permit legal gambling. The tracks are essentially gambling facilities that happen to have horse racing as the 'vehicle" in which to wager. They're NOT horse racing tracks that just happen to have gambling. So, the gambling comes first and that's why gambling facilities, who are owned by different people, are not willing to give up any kind of control to a nat'l board, what's in it for them to relinquish control of their track to a random, politically appointed "hack" when they really only care about the gambling?


Hopefully zero. If the Feds see an opportunity to come in and tell a business what they should be doing and how they should be doing it and taxing them for the opportunity I could see it happening.

[Redboard]

No. That ship has sailed a long time ago. The time to organize and standardize would have been when the sport was doing good and had the foresight to see the future. Horse racing is like a luxury cruise liner that has 1000 leaks, if you try to plug one leak, another leak springs up. It won’t be long before we’re all at the bottom of the ocean and the only question remaining is who gets the blame. Having another national organization will only give them someone else to sue. The sport has too bad of an image to attract new fans and too high of a takeout to attract big-time gamblers. Enjoy it while it's here.

[Dark Horse]

Some sports move forward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik68CWaTx78
And some don't.

Can it still be done? Yes. It would just need a very clear cut plan. Somebody with a vision would have to write the book so that a clear case can be presented. Then you start bringing in the tracks one by one. Tracks will want to come on board if the tracks that are on board make more money. If no financial incentive can be shown, it won't happen.

[Stillriledup]

Hopefully zero. If the Feds see an opportunity to come in and tell a business what they should be doing and how they should be doing it and taxing them for the opportunity I could see it happening.

In a nutshell, this is another problem, who's to say that the "national board" will improve things....for all we know, they could raise all track takeouts to 30 percent just so they can get a "10% cut" for running the show.

[rastajenk]

Exactly. Rent-seeking on steroids, bute and Lasix. :jump:

[Nosed]

Well I think something has to give. Too many small fields and tracks running at the same time. Horse' s aren't baby machines and can't crank out a new foal anytime the tracks need to build their stables. I don't know what the answer is, but would at least like to see some recognition of the problem from the different racing commissions.

[tanner12oz]

I would opt for the exact opposite. Let every track set their own rules and regulations so they have the flexibility to see what works and what doesn't without having to go through a long regulatory process.

Please list the rules and regs that you would like to see standardized.

equipment, drugs

[rastajenk]

All right, so the specifics of equipment and permitted drug thresholds are all nationalized. What then? Are you going to bet more, or bet more confidently, on a race 500 miles away or more because all of a sudden, by fiat, all the rules of all the states are the same? Will something that subtle attract new fans? What is the cost, and what is the benefit? It doesn't add up to me, not even close.

[Stillriledup]

All right, so the specifics of equipment and permitted drug thresholds are all nationalized. What then? Are you going to bet more, or bet more confidently, on a race 500 miles away or more because all of a sudden, by fiat, all the rules of all the states are the same? Will something that subtle attract new fans? What is the cost, and what is the benefit? It doesn't add up to me, not even close.

I think that people are thinking that with a "commish" he will be heavy handed and with more heavy handed punishments, people will play by the rules more.