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Originally Posted by andymays
If you make a statement for three days and handle drops anywhere from 15% to 30% they will have to play ball or we do it again. Three days is easy. We will also get plenty of headlines making it much easier the next time we might need to do it. Once people see that it can be done more people will participate.
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Three days? In your dreams. If you are going to take actions to elicit change then prepare to be engaged for the next year. This is not an easy road to travel because in most cases it involves giving up something that has become ingrained in a horseplayer's behavior due to habit or compulsion or just something to do. With a few exceptions, the racing product in California is so putrid that it deserves no money. There are plenty of good alternatives available for bettors that include a better product and lower costs.
If you want something that is "easy" then this is not the fight to sign up for. Look at what's happened here: The TOC and racing associations with the blessing of the CHRB have proven that they have the political clout to get whatever piece of our money they want. Were we consulted? Were our emails to elected representatives considered? Of couse not. Hell, they just took it! Yet their actions prove that our money is very important to them. And, because of that, we must recognize that our money is the only bargaining chip that we have. We must make our money the issue. On our terms. And, giving them NONE of it for any of their pools and showing complete disregard for their product is the only way we have a chance to gain a seat at the industry table that is equal in stature to the seats held by the TOC, racing associations and the CHRB.
If we do this maybe California will come to their senses, overhaul their product, reform their attitudes about takeout and stop reverting to their model of protecting the status quo. And, maybe the next time that Jeff Platt goes before the CHRB to make an intelligent presentation on horseplayers' behalf, that he will be received with respect instead of being subjected to ridicule and insult.
