highnote
10-17-2009, 12:19 AM
All I hear from racing executives and others is "we can't do it because we don't have the money", or "we can't afford to lower handle because some outlets won't take our signal", or "4% betting exchange takeout is too low", or "we lack time", "we lack technology", "the industry is too resistent to change", "there is too much regulation", etc. etc. etc.
That's BULLSHIT.
All these things have one thing in common -- the problems are blamed on a lack of resources. None of these are the defining factor of why a racetrack is failing, or why handle is down.
It may be true that as an industry executive you may be lacking some of those resources, but the defining factor for your failure to achieve the growth of your business is not due to the lack of resources.
The defining factor is resourcefulness. And by that I mean emotion. Emotion is what drives you. You may not have a lot of money, or the latest technology or be located near a large metropolitan area, but if you have enough resourcefulness and are determined enough you will find a way to succeed.
HANA is a prime example. A small group of horseplayers with no money decided they had had enough of watching an industry spiraling out of control and being run into the ground and they would do everything in their power to help turn the industry around. For HANA, failure is not an option. One year later, HANA is working hard to help drive an industry turnaround.
At startup, the only thing HANA had was resourcefulness. HANA was driven purely by emotion -- an overwhelming desire to force change. HANA did not have the resource of money, but HANA did not let that stop them.
I don't hear many industry executives taking the blame for their track's failures or the industry's failures. Yet, all you have to do is listen to the comments from some of racing's leaders and it's plain to see that they are the ones to blame. They are not inspiring anyone within their organizations. All I hear is what can't be done and why it is so hard. Folks, this is not going to get the job done.
I have heard some track executives say they would like to lower takeout, but certain major outlets wouldn't take their signal. Well then maybe it's time you stopped sucking the hind tit. The big tracks and the racinos are not the only racing jurisdictions in the country.
Maybe the smaller tracks that don't have racinos need to band together and lower takeouts in unison or jointly start an ADW and share signals with each other and anyone else who will take your signals. Maybe it's time the smaller tracks force the big tracks to suck the hind tit for awhile.
Maybe a smaller track can go against the grain and only offer Win, Place and Show betting, but at 5% takeout. Forget about exotics. They're too hard for beginners to win at anyway.
What if your track handled a billion dollars per year? Every 1% of handle that you keep is 10 million dollars. Has any small market track executive been bold enough to set a goal of $1 billion dollars in handle? Why not? What would it take to drive a billion dollars of handle to your track? It's not impossible. Why isn't that question being asked? Fear of failure?
Maybe it's time for racing executives to get angry and use that emotion to drive them forward. Use that emotional energy to get the creative juices flowing. Use that emotional energy to motivate and inspire the people you are leading. Use emotion to drive you to make bold decisions.
What do you think made Rosa Parks make the decision not to sit in the back of the bus? Emotion drove that decision and that decision shaped the destiny of our country.
Think about the man who faced down a tank in Tiananmen Square. He used his emotions to drive his actions and changed the course of a country.
Which North American track will be bold enough to start it's own betting exchange? Whichever track is first will change the course of the industry and force all others to be followers.
I don't remember who said it, but it is worth asking, "If not now, when? If not you, who?".
It's time for YOU to get off your ass, stoke the fire in your belly and make things happen. NOW!
And that includes horseplayers. Get angry! :mad: Get involved!
That's BULLSHIT.
All these things have one thing in common -- the problems are blamed on a lack of resources. None of these are the defining factor of why a racetrack is failing, or why handle is down.
It may be true that as an industry executive you may be lacking some of those resources, but the defining factor for your failure to achieve the growth of your business is not due to the lack of resources.
The defining factor is resourcefulness. And by that I mean emotion. Emotion is what drives you. You may not have a lot of money, or the latest technology or be located near a large metropolitan area, but if you have enough resourcefulness and are determined enough you will find a way to succeed.
HANA is a prime example. A small group of horseplayers with no money decided they had had enough of watching an industry spiraling out of control and being run into the ground and they would do everything in their power to help turn the industry around. For HANA, failure is not an option. One year later, HANA is working hard to help drive an industry turnaround.
At startup, the only thing HANA had was resourcefulness. HANA was driven purely by emotion -- an overwhelming desire to force change. HANA did not have the resource of money, but HANA did not let that stop them.
I don't hear many industry executives taking the blame for their track's failures or the industry's failures. Yet, all you have to do is listen to the comments from some of racing's leaders and it's plain to see that they are the ones to blame. They are not inspiring anyone within their organizations. All I hear is what can't be done and why it is so hard. Folks, this is not going to get the job done.
I have heard some track executives say they would like to lower takeout, but certain major outlets wouldn't take their signal. Well then maybe it's time you stopped sucking the hind tit. The big tracks and the racinos are not the only racing jurisdictions in the country.
Maybe the smaller tracks that don't have racinos need to band together and lower takeouts in unison or jointly start an ADW and share signals with each other and anyone else who will take your signals. Maybe it's time the smaller tracks force the big tracks to suck the hind tit for awhile.
Maybe a smaller track can go against the grain and only offer Win, Place and Show betting, but at 5% takeout. Forget about exotics. They're too hard for beginners to win at anyway.
What if your track handled a billion dollars per year? Every 1% of handle that you keep is 10 million dollars. Has any small market track executive been bold enough to set a goal of $1 billion dollars in handle? Why not? What would it take to drive a billion dollars of handle to your track? It's not impossible. Why isn't that question being asked? Fear of failure?
Maybe it's time for racing executives to get angry and use that emotion to drive them forward. Use that emotional energy to get the creative juices flowing. Use that emotional energy to motivate and inspire the people you are leading. Use emotion to drive you to make bold decisions.
What do you think made Rosa Parks make the decision not to sit in the back of the bus? Emotion drove that decision and that decision shaped the destiny of our country.
Think about the man who faced down a tank in Tiananmen Square. He used his emotions to drive his actions and changed the course of a country.
Which North American track will be bold enough to start it's own betting exchange? Whichever track is first will change the course of the industry and force all others to be followers.
I don't remember who said it, but it is worth asking, "If not now, when? If not you, who?".
It's time for YOU to get off your ass, stoke the fire in your belly and make things happen. NOW!
And that includes horseplayers. Get angry! :mad: Get involved!