Report finds horse racing is on a slippery track

[Canarsie]

The horse racing industry is hearing dire warnings about an uncertain future and diminishing fan base.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9P4I4900.htm

[cj]

I could have given them a similar report for a hundred bucks.

[Robert Goren]

I could have given them a similar report for a hundred bucks.You work too cheap, I would have want a hundred and a quarter.

[cj]

You work too cheap, I would have want a hundred and a quarter.

For the time I would have taken me, that is 2,000 an hour.

[Bruddah]

It amazes me the Racing Industry needs to spend "good money" to have this report developed. I suppose, they can now say they have identified the problems.

Too much in-breeding in Thoroughbred Racing and I'm not talking horses. ;)

[Cardus]

Did the report's authors mention anything about Earth being round?

[turninforhome10]

Are we playing less because of the declining quality of the product or because of the economy? Any thoughts.

[comet52]

How many times have they studied their problems? At some point don't you have to start addressing the problems instead of just studying them? They could be studying them when there are 2 tracks left in the US at this rate.

[Stillriledup]

NTRA players panel report was created a handful of years ago and yet, tracks don't seem to want to implement any of the advice in there. I guess they know more than the Barry Meadow's and Mike Maloney's of the world.

[Robert Goren]

Are we playing less because of the declining quality of the product or because of the economy? Any thoughts.Are you saying that racing wasn't in decline before the economy turned bad in the fall of 2008?

[jelly]

The horse racing industry is hearing dire warnings about an uncertain future and diminishing fan base.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9P4I4900.htm





Free T-shirts should take care of the problem.

[Cardus]

Free T-shirts should take care of the problem.

I was thinking more along the lines of flash mob-type dance scenes on track aprons.

[ArlJim78]

Are we playing less because of the declining quality of the product or because of the economy? Any thoughts.
the economy is surely a factor, but according to the report there is also a 4 percent reduction in gamblers each year. people leaving the sport or dying off, and not enough new players coming in to fill the gap. until that situation stabilizes its going to continue to spiral downward and consolidate.

[olddaddy]

I thought that more than 2% of us horse players were dying off each year. I guess we aren't as old as I thought or maybe in better shape than I thought.

[edmond1]

Why would young people bet on horses at 20->30 % takeout ..... my sons have no interest. They rather play poker etc..

[PaceAdvantage]

I guess they know more than the Barry Meadow's and Mike Maloney's of the world.I'm seriously impressed that you got Mr. Meadow's name spelled correctly, considering your history with such things.

Bravo!

[cj]

I'm seriously impressed that you got Mr. Meadow's name spelled correctly, considering your history with such things.

Bravo!

Hard to be sure with the faulty apostrophe's.

[Watcher]

Anyone have a link to the actual report?

[misscashalot]

It's amazing that those idiots running the asylum haven't the slightest clue that 17+% takeout is like eating the planting seeds. Imagine some Vegas casino advertising minimum vig....17% They'd be out of business quick enuf. I wrote this to the jockey Club...duh...no response.

[Charli125]

Anyone have a link to the actual report?

http://jockeyclub.com/resources%5Cselected_exhibits.pdf

There you go. It has some pretty interesting comparisons of us to other industries actually. Most of it is no-shit type stuff, but there are a few pearls.

[Sinner369]

Why would young people bet on horses at 20->30 % takeout ..... my sons have no interest. They rather play poker etc..

Compare Horse Racing to Poker and Casino's in general, ie, Slots.........the later is much easier to play, requires less thinking and can play almost anytime (Internet) and you can see why................!!!

Nothing to do with the economic woes of the country nor the world.

[thaskalos]

According to this report...only 22% of the general public has a positive impression of horse racing.

Does anything more need to be said?

[098poi]

In more breaking news there's a new study that found daily exercise is good for you! :rolleyes:

[fast4522]

Perhaps no place does it mention that some have abandoned the tracks for a very comfortable room in ones home. Overpaying for parking and food does not happen when home, and cherry picking races works sometimes with a load of laundry so its not a waste of time.

[Blenheim]

It seems so terribly sad that such a great sport should be left to die when so many good people care so much about it.

:9:

[Robert Goren]

Why would young people bet on horses at 20->30 % takeout ..... my sons have no interest. They rather play poker etc.. So would I. Too bad I can't play poker online anymore.

[maryforney]

Does anyone else think it's about time this industry started spending more money on mainstream TV coverage of our big events? In the long term, that is what will build our fan base. If you're interested, I just posted an article about the huge gap between the amount of purse money for our major races and the amount of broadcast television coverage we get.

http://maryforney.blogspot.com/2011/08/thoroughbred-racing-spends-millions-but.html

Would love to hear some of your thoughts!

[lamboguy]

Does anyone else think it's about time this industry started spending more money on mainstream TV coverage of our big events? In the long term, that is what will build our fan base. If you're interested, I just posted an article about the huge gap between the amount of purse money for our major races and the amount of broadcast television coverage we get.

http://maryforney.blogspot.com/2011/08/thoroughbred-racing-spends-millions-but.html

Would love to hear some of your thoughts!its a great thing to do, but i think that the product stinks right now, and that if you put it on television right now it would scare more people away than it would attract.

the game needs to be straightened out first.

[sonnyp]

Does anyone else think it's about time this industry started spending more money on mainstream TV coverage of our big events? In the long term, that is what will build our fan base. If you're interested, I just posted an article about the huge gap between the amount of purse money for our major races and the amount of broadcast television coverage we get.

http://maryforney.blogspot.com/2011/08/thoroughbred-racing-spends-millions-but.html

Would love to hear some of your thoughts!



if you could get more blind luck/havre de grace races it would be great for racing but too often you end up with a 5 horse field and two of them are just fillers.

there's too much racing and trainers can find easier spots than to confront great horses.

it used to be damascus, buckpasser and dr.fager. wow. today they would dodge each other. what a shame .

[MikeH]

Was anyone on this Board interviewed by McKinsey?

"The report was prepared after interviews of more than 120 industry officials and stakeholders."

This should tell you the biggest problem facing the industry today - they don't know, or care, who their customers are.

[Bruddah]

Was anyone on this Board interviewed by McKinsey?

"The report was prepared after interviews of more than 120 industry officials and stakeholders."

This should tell you the biggest problem facing the industry today - they don't know, or care, who their customers are.

Mike, you are spot on! However, I would disagree on this point.The Industry Management does know who it's customers are, We are the cash cows and yet they prefer to ignore us at their own peril. We patrons may pull a Marie Antoinette on them and "let them eat cake". Probably sooner than later. :ThmbUp:

[trigger]

Horse racing will not flourish until the total number of tracks in North America is reduced to 9 or 10 with only about 3 running at the same time. This will increase individual track handle tremendously (also purses) and facilitate an 8 to 10 % takeout making horse racing competitive with other gambling options.

[takeout]

Horse racing will not flourish until the total number of tracks in North America is reduced to 9 or 10....Interesting co-inkeedink: I perused the HANA takeout chart and tossed any tracks that had over a 20% rake on any 2 horse bets or over 25% on any 3 horse ones and up.

I was left with 10 tracks.

California was gone, Florida was gone, New York was gone except for Finger Lakes.

Why do so many so-called major venues have to gouge their customers in at least one if not more pools?

Here are the 10 that were left. In no particular order:
1. Keeneland
2. Churchill Downs
3. Monmouth
4. Delaware
5. Prairie Meadows
6. Atlantic City
7. Charles Town
8. Mountaineer
9. Finger Lakes
10. Fonner Park

[Jasonm921]

I like the idea of the television coverage but like someone posted earlier...racing better get their act together before we pushed it to the masses. This is probably racing's last stand to be a recognized entitiy nationally with television exposure. If they screw this up it's over. NBC has provided racing with a golden opportunity that we all thought was long gone.

Once the people do decide to come to the track to bet they are met with high takeout (relative to other gambling options), high food prices and lousy customer service. These tracks keep recycling "horsemen" to fill their top executive positions which may be good for the "horsemen" but is lousy for the bettor. We need vegas casino execs to come in and show the tracks how to handle the customer service aspect.

If anyone has MSG plus (a regional network in NY) Fran Healy on the Game365 profiled Saratoga. It's been on continually running for the past few days. Check out the Charles Hayward portion of the interview when he is talking about Secretariat losing to Onion in what he says was "either 1979 or 80". That was proceeded by him describing Secretariat's Belmont win as "some 32 lengths". I don't like to disect TV interviews because ofcourse some people may be uncomfortable in front of the camera but Secretariat is our Babe Ruth. If Bud Selig said Ruth was an icon because the Korean War was in full swing and set a record for homers with 63 he would be lambasted by the media but in our case there is no media so it's all good.

[On Spec]

We need vegas casino execs to come in and show the tracks how to handle the customer service aspect.

This.

[elhelmete]

I took three friends to Del Mar this past weekend, none of whom had ever been to a track before. I made sure to really sort of ham it up...we took a limo down (I called in a favor), I printed out PPs for them, brought cigars, etc. I was really eager to get their impressions.

It was interesting. They seemed perplexed at first by getting around the 'physical plant,' i.e., "where can and can't I go based on the ticket I have?" I actually understood that and it did occur to me that racetracks, due to their age, are less well laid out than a modern football stadium. Never bothered me but now I understand it from a newbie's perspective.

They took to the betting right away, but really got into it when I laid out the exotics, particularly wheels, part wheels, and boxes. Then they went nuts on that. They were a little shy to use live tellers so a few minutes getting used to the SAMs was necessary.

We didn't hit too many exotics so I didn't have the chance to say that $80 trifecta should have paid $95.... :)

The eye candy at DMR helped A LOT.

As an aside, I have to say the folks Santa Anita treat me (and the groups I bring) real well, and I'm by no means a big player. Fantastic service. My one trip to Churchill was terrific too, very nice people.

[jorcus]

I think either you are genetically imprinted to be a race tracker or you are not. I have brought over 100 different people to Saratoga over the years and not one that I know of to date has ever become a full time fan. We have had many fun days and many people want to come back with me but very few if any would go back on their own. None follow it on a daily basis. A few follow the big races but most are just day trippers that have little interest in learning more about the sport. You also need to have that Ah Ha moment, a big win or an exciting race that let's you understand what being in the moment is about. Exposure is everything though, Threre is no way someone becomes a fan without it.


I took three friends to Del Mar this past weekend, none of whom had ever been to a track before. I made sure to really sort of ham it up...we took a limo down (I called in a favor), I printed out PPs for them, brought cigars, etc. I was really eager to get their impressions.

It was interesting. They seemed perplexed at first by getting around the 'physical plant,' i.e., "where can and can't I go based on the ticket I have?" I actually understood that and it did occur to me that racetracks, due to their age, are less well laid out than a modern football stadium. Never bothered me but now I understand it from a newbie's perspective.

They took to the betting right away, but really got into it when I laid out the exotics, particularly wheels, part wheels, and boxes. Then they went nuts on that. They were a little shy to use live tellers so a few minutes getting used to the SAMs was necessary.

We didn't hit too many exotics so I didn't have the chance to say that $80 trifecta should have paid $95.... :)

The eye candy at DMR helped A LOT.

As an aside, I have to say the folks Santa Anita treat me (and the groups I bring) real well, and I'm by no means a big player. Fantastic service. My one trip to Churchill was terrific too, very nice people.

[jorcus]

http://jockeyclub.com/resources%5Cselected_exhibits.pdf

There you go. It has some pretty interesting comparisons of us to other industries actually. Most of it is no-shit type stuff, but there are a few pearls.

The take home lesson from this report is that most fans would rather take a comfortable dump at the track than to win a few extra bucks because of lower take out.

[Valuist]

I like this one; re: track environment, the study claimed that the leading cause of a poor fan experience was dirty bathrooms........

I have never been to a track that had bathrooms worse than Wrigley Field, and that stadium is considered a shrine.

[Robert Goren]

I took a lady friend to the track once. She was having a good time until she made visit to the "powder room". That was all I heard about for the next week. It is a small thing, but it doesn't cost that much to the restrooms looking nice. It just plain laziness on the part of track management. I want lower takeouts as much as the next guy, but this not an either/or situation.