Dennis Mills..Lets help him

[rwwupl]

Dennis Mills of Magna has asked for ideas and thoughts on the HorseRacing Industry, to contact him at Racingfuture.com.com. or:


Please contact me(Dennis Mills) with any ideas or thoughts you have regarding the Horse Racing Industry. Working together, as a united group, we can achieve our goals of re-establishing Horse Racing as the most popular sport in America.

(416) 587-1716

dennis_mills@racingfuture.com

Dennis Mills
455 Magna Drive
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 7A9
Canada


My initial reply is sent via e-mail: To Dennis Mills...

Good Idea...,good luck,... Suggest you read PaceAdvantage Blog... Bloghttp://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/? ...

And Horseplayers of North America Website(HANA) and the Blog to see the issues that your customers are interested in .

http://www.horseplayersassociation.org/

roger@hanaweb.org

Roger Way,California State Representative, HANA

[kenwoodall2]

Dennis Mills of Magna has asked for ideas and thoughts on the HorseRacing Industry, to contact him at Racingfuture.com.com. or:


Please contact me(Dennis Mills) with any ideas or thoughts you have regarding the Horse Racing Industry. Working together, as a united group, we can achieve our goals of re-establishing Horse Racing as the most popular sport in America.

(416) 587-1716

dennis_mills@racingfuture.com Website: www.Rscingfuture.com

Dennis Mills
455 Magna Drive
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 7A9
Canada


My initial reply is sent via e-mail: To Dennis Mills...

Good Idea...,good luck,... Suggest you read PaceAdvantage Blog... Bloghttp://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/? ...

And Horseplayers of North America Website(HANA) and the Blog to see the issues that your customers are interested in .

http://www.horseplayersassociation.org/

roger@hanaweb.org

Roger Way,California State Representative, HANA

Yes, this also:

Turn Your Great Idea Into Half Ownership In A Thoroughbred!
One of the greatest assets our industry has is its passionate fanbase - great passion can produce great ideas.

Attracting a young, culturally diverse ownership group into our sport is an issue that I feel that our industry must address, and I am looking for some innovative ways to accomplish that.

Submit your idea via e-mail to DennisMillsIdeaContest@Racingfuture.com

All ideas must be received by August 1, 2010, and only ideas submitted via e-mail will be eligible. The winning idea will be published on this site, and the contest winner will receive a 50% ownership interest in 2010 North Light foal, bred by Dennis Mills. The winner will pay no expenses on the horse for its first 3 years, will have the opportunity to name the horse, and will receive 50% of any potential purse money the horse earns.
_________________________
I just do not know if I am eligible since my email to Stronach compaies a few months ago had the idea in it (but I said TC NOMINATED horse!!)
But I am very glad to hear this and that WInstar picked on my idea for a contest a auctions of grade ! winner's shoes!!
Sorry to steal your thread, but racing gods ARE beginning to listen, now we need more ideas acted upon and to make sure the PR reaches the general public as well as all currently into racing!!

FYI- some of my major ideas have been posted on Paceadvantage in the past, so you can read them under Kenwoodallpromos and/or Kenwoodall2 searches.

[kenwoodall2]

" State Of The Art Technology - use the latest technology to update tote systems, information flow, video, real time wagering information, and injury data.
Legislative and Regulatory Issues -uniform medication rules, drug testing and enforcement, improve OTB and ADW revenue sharing model.
New and Innovative Betting Options - new betting options will allow horse racing to compete with State Lotteries and casinos. A wide range of betting opportunities should be available for experts as well as the newer fans with limited experience.
Attract Young Owners From Multicultural Backgrounds - it is imperative that we attract new owners. Horse racing is extremely popular in Asia, South America, and Europe and the ownership base in North America is not reflective of this fact. I am passionately committed to bringing in young owners from diverse backgrounds. Doing this will strengthen our sport now and for the future."

[highnote]

Suggestion to racetrack management:

Lower the pari mutuel takeout to 5%. Additionally, start your own betting exchange with a 5% takeout. New Jersey is going to start a betting exchange. Not another moment should be wasted. It's a no-brainer. If you don't like it, you can always pull the plug on it.

Simultaneously, spend money lobbying the pols for a racino to fund higher purses. That way horseplayer money won't be necessary for survival and therefore, takeout will make no difference because the slot players will fund the purses and the racetrack operations.

[shouldacoulda]

I never see handicapping seminars advertised at the track, forget OTB. I think the racing industry needs to get with the times and do a series of web casts where they can be accessed anytime by newbies on handicapping and betting strategies. That's how I learned about stock options. Maybe it could be a joint venture between the racing industry and the past performance companies. I think most newbies look at the past performances and their eyes glaze over. It is hard to find a mentor in this game that is worth his salt. I think most newbies are too intimidated to ask for help. What other spectator sport do you know of where you can leave with more money than you went with? Compared to baseball and football the price of admission is minuscule. Besides, who doesn't like horses? I think more people might be inclined to play if they could get a clue as to how this game works.

[highnote]

I never see handicapping seminars advertised at the track, forget OTB. I think the racing industry needs to get with the times and do a series of web casts where they can be accessed anytime by newbies on handicapping and betting strategies. That's how I learned about stock options. Maybe it could be a joint venture between the racing industry and the past performance companies. I think most newbies look at the past performances and their eyes glaze over. It is hard to find a mentor in this game that is worth his salt. I think most newbies are too intimidated to ask for help. What other spectator sport do you know of where you can leave with more money than you went with? Compared to baseball and football the price of admission is minuscule. Besides, who doesn't like horses? I think more people might be inclined to play if they could get a clue as to how this game works.


All good points -- especially your point "who doesn't like horses?" If you get them out to the track and up close to the horses and then they get to see their favorite one run, they might come back more often.

[rwwupl]

Suggestion to racetrack management:

Lower the pari mutuel takeout to 5%. Additionally, start your own betting exchange with a 5% takeout. New Jersey is going to start a betting exchange. Not another moment should be wasted. It's a no-brainer. If you don't like it, you can always pull the plug on it.

Simultaneously, spend money lobbying the pols for a racino to fund higher purses. That way horseplayer money won't be necessary for survival and therefore, takeout will make no difference because the slot players will fund the purses and the racetrack operations.

This from Dennis Mills website...

http://www.racingfuture.com/horse_racing_charter_of_rights.html

Horse Racing Charter of Rights


Excerpt:

IN HORSE RACING, THE PRINCIPAL STAKEHOLDERS ARE:

Racetrack Owners & Horse Owners

Racetrack Owners depend on their Executive Management to represent their interests. Horse Owners depend on their Horsemen’s Group.

Trainers and Jockeys are key participants in the success of the business and must share fairly in its financial rewards.

MID and its employees are committed to insuring that our horse racing business is operated with integrity and concern for the health and safety of the horses and the people who work with them.


Punch the link to read about the MID plans for:

Revenue Sharing

Regulatory Matters

Appendix to proposed horse racing charter:

Racetrack Operator
Horsemen's Group
Advisory Council
Backstretch Committee
Breeders Committee
Jockeys



Not a Word about the Customers or what they care about


What do you think?

roger@hanaweb.com

rwwupl

[kenwoodall2]

"Net Revenue from horse racing shall be shared as follows:

Horse Owners – 48%
Racetrack Owner – 48
Backstretch Fund – 4%

[The above rates apply ****where not governed by**** statute or ****existing contract;**** where governed by statute, parties to work together over time to implement above rates; ****where governed by existing contract, Charter to replace existing contract.****]"
In other words, horsemen and track owner to dump state racing boards, state law, and existing contrats. Does anyone seriously believe racingwill ever have national consensus about anyhting not on the public's radar as long as Stronach has his hand in racing?

[kenwoodall2]

I never see handicapping seminars advertised at the track, forget OTB. I think the racing industry needs to get with the times and do a series of web casts where they can be accessed anytime by newbies on handicapping and betting strategies. That's how I learned about stock options. Maybe it could be a joint venture between the racing industry and the past performance companies. I think most newbies look at the past performances and their eyes glaze over. It is hard to find a mentor in this game that is worth his salt. I think most newbies are too intimidated to ask for help. What other spectator sport do you know of where you can leave with more money than you went with? Compared to baseball and football the price of admission is minuscule. Besides, who doesn't like horses? I think more people might be inclined to play if they could get a clue as to how this game works.
As a newbie, I was glazed over by a few things- Tote odds 9-1, 9-2, 9-5, even. and the other fractions. Then exactas written as will pays, charts in $1 decimals. No lengths PLUS finish time; speed ratings from Beyer, Brisnet, track. no newbie window where you do not get yelled at, no Miss ____Track, title won by 'capping contest to answer handicapping questions, no horseplayers with a Handicapping Certificate to teach with discounts as rewards, no speed rating on program, 40 arrows in DRF PP sample with no factor expected win %. No general public contests requiring code to match a code on every racing TV show or website, winner to show up at the OTB or track.
No recent survey of public needs to get interested, no recent doping survey to allay paranoia.
The public also needs my "Lucky Longshot" betting pool instead of picking 16 horses in the correct order over 4 races. My bet, if the longest lonsgshot in the regular feature win pool wins, a special feature $1 pool pays off for those with that horse. Mostly longshots would be bet in the special pool; carryovers until the last day of the meet, when the mandatory payoff is for whoever wins the feature. That means multimillion dollar carryovers at every racetrack that slots bettors can play, general public media attention, and hte last day rewards regular bettors with a guarateed profit. What longest longshots win features? Ever heard of Giacomo and Mine That Bird?

[Stillriledup]

I think the first thing that racing higher ups need to do is to treat their current customers like gold.

Word of mouth is everything in business.

If your current customers are feeling like the racetracks are nickel and diming them and treating them like degenerate gamblers, there's no way that their word of mouth is going to attract other players to even visit a track much less become horseplayers.

I think that racetrack execs believe that 'all' horseplayers are degenerate scum who is on the first floors of their tracks with holes in their shoes sifting thru garbage cans looking for discarded winners. They just can't get over the fact that they, a high powered exec, has to 'cater' to low life scum who doesnt have two nickels to rub together. The mistake in this thinking is that most horseplayers are not like this. These execs see the lowlives on the bottom floor (because they cant afford the clubhouse exchange) and says "these are horseplayers"

If you want to build a building, the first step is the first brick. There has to be a first brick. The 'first brick' that i would suggest to all GM's around the country is to walk around your racetrack with an outstretched hand and a big smile and do something that your DNA has taught you is a no no. That is go to the bottom feeders at your track, walk around, introduce yourself, hand out your cards and freaking THANK these horseplayers for their business. Tell them that if they have any questions or concerns that your door is always open. Don't act like some bigshot who's 'above' the 2 dollar bettors in some way. You would be absolutely SHOCKED at how far a handshake and a smile from that racetracks' GM will go. The SAME exact small group of every day regulars are at your track when the doors open. If you have a 1pm post and the doors open at 11 am you will see a small group of people who are there every single day. Walk the floors 2 hours before first post and introduce yourself and tell these players, from your heart, that you really appreciate them and that they are the backbone of the industry and without them, this entire big horseplaying engine would not go.

This is probably a very insignificant thing in the big scheme of things, but like i said, its the FIRST BRICK of the building. A strong foundation starts from the beginning with the first brick and this is the first brick, creating goodwill amongst the people who are the grease in the wheels. You have to start somewhere, you may as well start here.

Oh yeah, one more thing. This is FREE. It costs your racetracks GM NO MONEY to do this.

[turfnsport]

I think the first thing that racing higher ups need to do is to treat their current customers like gold.


I think most of us would settle for Bronze.

[rwwupl]

John Pricci of "Horseraceinsider.com" has this article to offer on point...Please read the comments at bottom of article.

rwwupl roger@hanaweb.org (Roger Way)


http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/John-Pricci/comments/07012010-earth-to-industry-there-are-no-magic-bullets/

Excerpt:

Earth to Industry: There Are No Magic Bullets
Thursday, July 01, 2010


SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, June 30, 2010--I should be surprised but unfortunately I’m not. Why should people interested in horse racing be any different than those Americans who get their entertainment from observing the political process?

Curious how I came upon this notion, but yesterday I caught up with the fact that Dennis Mills, CEO of MI Developments, recently launched a website called Racingfuture.com. Mills is looking for a few good men. Women, too.

Mills notes on the website that his goal is to attract a young, culturally diverse ownership group into the sport, and likewise a fan base, by seeking new, innovative ways to accomplish that aim.

Mills also observes that horse racing is among the most popular sports on three continents--Asia, Europe and the Americas--because it attracts people of diverse backgrounds, adding that the American fan base does not reflect a notable measure of diversity.

[rwwupl]

This article was sent to Dennis Mills (Stronach) and the CHRB too.

I thought it was very close to what most HANA members support...

http://www.racingfuture.com/contact.html

RICHARD ENG: Lower takeouts would benefit sport
RICHARD ENG
MORE COLUMNSChurn -- the act of a gambler betting his winnings over and over again -- is an integral part of gaming, but one that most folks in the horse racing industry have lost sight of.

For a bet taker, high churn creates the large amounts of handle needed for profitability. A key part of maintaining high churn is keeping the takeout or hold low enough so that bettors can win money to stay in action.

Two types of gaming that follow this ideal are sports betting and video poker. The sports vig is 10 percent, and the payback in video poker is in the 95 to 98 percent range.

But in horse racing, it is popular to market high takeout wagers, like the Pick 6 and the Super High 5. Both bets are counterproductive to churn. These wagers take money from the wallets of many and put it into the hands of very few.

More at link: http://www.lvrj.com/sports/lower-takeouts-would-benefit-sport-98095469.html?ref=469

[jballscalls]

i just got the list of the semi finalists for the racing futures contest and of all the ideas in the packet (52 i think) that were selected as the best ideas to "save racing" the word takeout wasn't seen once.

not once.

not a single time.

Mr. Mills asked us as MID employees to submit our ideas, i'm going to pen mine at work this afternoon. i guess i'll be the first one to mention lowering the tax on players :)

[andymays]

i just got the list of the semi finalists for the racing futures contest and of all the ideas in the packet (52 i think) that were selected as the best ideas to "save racing" the word takeout wasn't seen once.

not once.

not a single time.

Mr. Mills asked us as MID employees to submit our ideas, i'm going to pen mine at work this afternoon. i guess i'll be the first one to mention lowering the tax on players :)

Make sure Mr. Mills watches part 4 of the video.

Watch part 4. Takeout or Fakeout!

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/watch/B6DB273A-B300-4FF7-981E-3AB907FBD6C9

[InsideThePylons-MW]

i just got the list of the semi finalists for the racing futures contest and of all the ideas in the packet (52 i think) that were selected as the best ideas to "save racing" the word takeout wasn't seen once.

not once.

not a single time.

100% predictable as usual.......but still unbelievable to anybody that understands wagering

[kenwoodall2]

Newbies will not come to racing initially because of a lower takeout. Very few bettors of any venue know the takeout/tax of slots, bingo, etc. That is the established player's arena. If there was 0 takeout millions would still commute on Hwy 880 including most UCBerkeley students and never know what they are looking at to the west with empty stands and horses running around. They know nothing about horses are where any tracks or OTB's are, even if they live just over the overpass!

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Newbies will not come to racing initially because of a lower takeout. Very few bettors of any venue know the takeout/tax of slots, bingo, etc. That is the established player's arena. If there was 0 takeout millions would still commute on Hwy 880 including most UCBerkeley students and never know what they are looking at to the west with empty stands and horses running around. They know nothing about horses are where any tracks or OTB's are, even if they live just over the overpass!
Newbies come because other players last longer.
Newbie owners come along because they hear of friends or coworkers making money or coming close to making money as an owner.

[Indulto]

Newbies will not come to racing initially because of a lower takeout. Very few bettors of any venue know the takeout/tax of slots, bingo, etc. That is the established player's arena. If there was 0 takeout millions would still commute on Hwy 880 including most UCBerkeley students and never know what they are looking at to the west with empty stands and horses running around. They know nothing about horses are where any tracks or OTB's are, even if they live just over the overpass!Perhaps not directly, KW, but they would be iindirectly influenced by 1) SKYROCKETING ENTHUSUASM from existing players, 2) exhaustive press coverage of the magnitude of the change, 3) promotions from tracks announcing it is now more likely that a player can become profitable because of the tracks' actions, and 3) floods of testimonials from small bettors who hit it big as a result..

I'm not talking about a tiny, cosmetic reduction, but rather one in which the effective takeout for everyone in every pool is 15% for exotics and 10% for straight bets.

How about a Pick Six that on non-carryover days is 15% with a $2 min, on first carryover day is 20%/$1 min., and on all subsequent carryover days is 25%/$.50 min.? That should capture some interest, especially in NY and KY, that now have small pools relative to CA, but large fields and higher quality -- in most cases. If all fields had to have at least 10 starters, at least one million combinations are possible. That might warrant paying the first five finishers in each leg.

[kenwoodall2]

i just got the list of the semi finalists for the racing futures contest and of all the ideas in the packet (52 i think) that were selected as the best ideas to "save racing" the word takeout wasn't seen once.

not once.

not a single time.

Mr. Mills asked us as MID employees to submit our ideas, i'm going to pen mine at work this afternoon. i guess i'll be the first one to mention lowering the tax on players :)
There were thousands of entries and I am sure many were for, lower takeout, which I agree with.

[rwwupl]

There were thousands of entries and I am sure many were for, lower takeout, which I agree with.


Do not expect to win any contest with track owners or horsemen when you mention lower the take. Who wins with an idea must be compatible with their own desires(tracks and horsemen),because they will be obligated to give it a go... and that will not be in their game plan.

Lower takeout supporters will lose many battles, but will win the war, because the economics and reality of the times are the gorilla in the room, and the gorilla will bring the message home.

rwwupl

[Stillriledup]

Perhaps not directly, KW, but they would be iindirectly influenced by 1) SKYROCKETING ENTHUSUASM from existing players, 2) exhaustive press coverage of the magnitude of the change, 3) promotions from tracks announcing it is now more likely that a player can become profitable because of the tracks' actions, and 3) floods of testimonials from small bettors who hit it big as a result..

I'm not talking about a tiny, cosmetic reduction, but rather one in which the effective takeout for everyone in every pool is 15% for exotics and 10% for straight bets.

How about a Pick Six that on non-carryover days is 15% with a $2 min, on first carryover day is 20%/$1 min., and on all subsequent carryover days is 25%/$.50 min.? That should capture some interest, especially in NY and KY, that now have small pools relative to CA, but large fields and higher quality -- in most cases. If all fields had to have at least 10 starters, at least one million combinations are possible. That might warrant paying the first five finishers in each leg.


Excellent post, but i have to disagree with the reduction in the base of the Pick 6. Large payouts would virtually disappear if you made the pick 6 50 cents.

[kenwoodall2]

Do not expect to win any contest with track owners or horsemen when you mention lower the take. Who wins with an idea must be compatible with their own desires(tracks and horsemen),because they will be obligated to give it a go... and that will not be in their game plan.

Lower takeout supporters will lose many battles, but will win the war, because the economics and reality of the times are the gorilla in the room, and the gorilla will bring the message home.

rwwupl
You mean the idea of longer meets was not the FIRST idea in the summary by pure coinidence?LOL! Anyway you slice it, tracks who do not begin a real connection to the general public will not be doing decent numbers long.

[Indulto]

Excellent post, but i have to disagree with the reduction in the base of the Pick 6. Large payouts would virtually disappear if you made the pick 6 50 cents.I'm glad you enjoyed it, but once again you're attempting to protect a situation I doubt you've ever experienced. When was the last time you hit a seven-figure 6 of 6? ;) ... How about a Pick Six that on non-carryover days is 15% with a $2 min, on first carryover day is 20%/$1 min., and on all subsequent carryover days is 25%/$.50 min.? That should capture some interest, especially in NY and KY, that now have small pools relative to CA, but large fields and higher quality -- in most cases. If all fields had to have at least 10 starters, at least one million combinations are possible. ...Do you really NOT believe it would boost P6 handle in NY and KY even without 10 horse minimum field sizes?

Nothing changes on non-carryover day 1. Whales still have their advantage, and payoffs would actually be larger outside NY with lowered takeout. If the whales can't get it done, they’ll l be joined on day 2 by dedicated NON-professionals now going deeper than usual. Whales betting more than $1 combos would still win more money, and be encouraged to bet more to avoid the carryover being inundated on day 3 by the casuals, newbies, and lottery types at the maximum takeout.

The multi-million dollar P6 payoff on BC day at Santa Anita was hit on a non-carryover day with a huge handle. That opportunity would never go away.

[TEJAS KIDD]

I didnt get a chance to submit these ideas to that website.

XBOX LIVE.
I'm not sure how many people out here are even familiar with XBOX. I purchased Xbox for my teenage daughter and I was quickly addicted to playing Call Of Duty. Anyway, there is part of the system that allows you to connect to the internet and play against other players all over the world. It's called Xbox live.
I was thinking, why cant a developer create a wagering based horse racing game or training game or jockey game (or all 3 combined) for the Xbox. Why not put it on Xbox live? Why not link it to Adw's websites as well. Why not link it to live video streaming races from the racetracks. Maybe the adw's can create websites like the poker sites. The free play websites. THE .net sites that they advertise for players to learn for free could come in handy for newbies to learn to handicap and wager. It's the years of trial and err for horseplayers that do them in and force them to quit this game.

Also, I have another idea.
I spent a few weeks in Italy a few years ago and went to Siena. While I was there I learned of "The Palio". It's a twice a year race that the city runs in the town square. Each district in the city is represented by their colors and a horse. Heres a link for a better description.
http://www.ilpalio.org/palioenglish.htm
Why don't tracks put on races like this for the school districts located in their area. Each elementary school in the district can design their own silks. The schools can have race night at the track to watch their designated horse race against other schools horses. The kid that designed the winning schools silks will get to go in the winners circle and the winning school can get a trophy along with keeping the silks. Perhaps the winning school from that district can come back later in the season to compete against the winning schools from other districts.

[highnote]

I like your ideas Tejas. I don't think the racing industry is very innovative and I doubt they will ever try anything remotely resembling your ideas. Now that NY has slots there is even less reason to be innovative.

The biggest problem is that racing entities are state sanctioned monopolies.

When there is a monopoly there is no reason to innovate.

Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-way calling didn't happen until AT&T was broken up. Once telephone companies were forced to compete there was innovation.

Now that Aqueduct will get revenue from a casino will there be innovation? I doubt it. All I can see is more money in horsemen's pockets. Not that that is a bad thing, but that money is not coming from a great racing innovation it is coming via subsidies. Unless of course you consider the racino concept a great innovation. For horsemen, it must surely seem like a great innovation. For serious horseplayers the racino is not of much benefit.

Will Aqueduct lower takeout now that they don't need the handle?


I didnt get a chance to submit these ideas to that website.

XBOX LIVE.
I'm not sure how many people out here are even familiar with XBOX. I purchased Xbox for my teenage daughter and I was quickly addicted to playing Call Of Duty. Anyway, there is part of the system that allows you to connect to the internet and play against other players all over the world. It's called Xbox live.
I was thinking, why cant a developer create a wagering based horse racing game or training game or jockey game (or all 3 combined) for the Xbox. Why not put it on Xbox live? Why not link it to Adw's websites as well. Why not link it to live video streaming races from the racetracks. Maybe the adw's can create websites like the poker sites. The free play websites. THE .net sites that they advertise for players to learn for free could come in handy for newbies to learn to handicap and wager. It's the years of trial and err for horseplayers that do them in and force them to quit this game.

Also, I have another idea.
I spent a few weeks in Italy a few years ago and went to Siena. While I was there I learned of "The Palio". It's a twice a year race that the city runs in the town square. Each district in the city is represented by their colors and a horse. Heres a link for a better description.
http://www.ilpalio.org/palioenglish.htm
Why don't tracks put on races like this for the school districts located in their area. Each elementary school in the district can design their own silks. The schools can have race night at the track to watch their designated horse race against other schools horses. The kid that designed the winning schools silks will get to go in the winners circle and the winning school can get a trophy along with keeping the silks. Perhaps the winning school from that district can come back later in the season to compete against the winning schools from other districts.

[kenwoodall2]

I didnt get a chance to submit these ideas to that website.

XBOX LIVE.
I'm not sure how many people out here are even familiar with XBOX. I purchased Xbox for my teenage daughter and I was quickly addicted to playing Call Of Duty. Anyway, there is part of the system that allows you to connect to the internet and play against other players all over the world. It's called Xbox live.
I was thinking, why cant a developer create a wagering based horse racing game or training game or jockey game (or all 3 combined) for the Xbox. Why not put it on Xbox live? Why not link it to Adw's websites as well. Why not link it to live video streaming races from the racetracks. Maybe the adw's can create websites like the poker sites. The free play websites. THE .net sites that they advertise for players to learn for free could come in handy for newbies to learn to handicap and wager. It's the years of trial and err for horseplayers that do them in and force them to quit this game.

Also, I have another idea.
I spent a few weeks in Italy a few years ago and went to Siena. While I was there I learned of "The Palio". It's a twice a year race that the city runs in the town square. Each district in the city is represented by their colors and a horse. Heres a link for a better description.
http://www.ilpalio.org/palioenglish.htm
Why don't tracks put on races like this for the school districts located in their area. Each elementary school in the district can design their own silks. The schools can have race night at the track to watch their designated horse race against other schools horses. The kid that designed the winning schools silks will get to go in the winners circle and the winning school can get a trophy along with keeping the silks. Perhaps the winning school from that district can come back later in the season to compete against the winning schools from other districts.
Need kids involved and are long term before profits, racing would reject. Sorry!

[kenwoodall2]

Raising or lowering taxes are minor things that do not help business much. Any business with a large operation or franchises will tell you it is positioning, good product, customer interest, and return business that sells. 50% of the public are ok with racing, and only 10% of them ever bet.

[rwwupl]

Raising or lowering taxes are minor things that do not help business much. Any business with a large operation or franchises will tell you it is positioning, good product, customer interest, and return business that sells. 50% of the public are ok with racing, and only 10% of them ever bet.

Kenwoodall,

Being a promotions specialist what would you think of Santa Anita offering a prize to those who bring back the dirt that was given away in a plastic container when the original track was replaced?

I think that would be fun, but do not know how it could be done to benefit anyone. :)

[Gallop58]

Don't know where to post this, so thought I'd drop it into this thread.

1) Practical Proposal For Fixing Racing #1 (PPFR#1):
Any betting facility bids on a racecard with offering a guranteed handle to a track. Owners, in an exchange bet style match, guarantee the track , if accepted , to start a minimum number of horses in each race or no purse is distributed and no bets taken. The amount put up by the market makers is the purse.

This may look like exactly what we already have, but the proposal is to do things on a much faster timescale than the current meet/year strategy.
I wonder if you could do it on a race card basis?

If the owners fail to deliver the promised card of races and full fields, they don't get their money. If the bettors don't bet the amounts the betting facilities expect to take in and skim, they will take a hit and likely not bid on another card. Owners will squawk because they will say that they need a meets worth of dates to commit to putting horses in training, etc.

The above model is an attempt to use modern technology to end run the current year/meet deals needed which I believe to be a major hinderance.

This puts the owners in the position to run races for small purses if they are just doing it for fun, and incentivizes them to "put a better product on the track/field/ice/court" if they believe they can attract bettors money.

It incentivizes the track management to serve owners and bettors because they'll be dark unless they can "get it on". It incentivizes betting pools to put into the industry an optimal amount and makes them earn their money by having to provide purses up front. It further incentivizes betting platforms to fight out optimal pricing in the market place. (For example a platform could buy a racecard wholely and not allow other ADWs, Betfair, etc. to participate) Or they could hammer out deals between each other to cooperate and pool their bids. You don't pay for the product, you don't get to take bets on it. What's to stop off shores to take bets and make their 1%. That I can't solve. One step at a time.
If an ADW/exchange/on site bet taker can find a way to triple expected handle, they get to keep the gravy. If owners see bet makers making tons of money, they will be hesitant to offer their good product for such a low price next time. It also incentivizes governments to funnel slot moneys to the people they want to serve, instead of directly to purses.

The squeeze unfortunately will be with the horsepeople, but that would be with them to sort out with owners. Horsepeople have taken it on the chin since the beginning of time, but since they're service providers for the most part, they've learned to live with it.

This would make the problem of not being able to bet on a race through your favorite ADW worse I suppose. Many other problems, but it's just a back of the napkin sketch.

Thoughts?
(When it revolutionizes racing, just remember where you heard it first :) )

[Dave Schwartz]

I agree... it is crazy. And totally impractical.

[InsideThePylons-MW]

This idea seemed to work great!

Mills just got ousted by Frankie


i just got the list of the semi finalists for the racing futures contest and of all the ideas in the packet (52 i think) that were selected as the best ideas to "save racing" the word takeout wasn't seen once.

not once.

not a single time.