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Originally Posted by whodoyoulike
Sorry for the mischaracterization of your background. It was based on your postings. But, if there was true competition in this industry, the end product would have improved years ago and I think still can. And, I'm not talking about 50+/- tracks doing pretty much similar things and thinking this is what their customers want.
Actually, I'm thinking the tracks customers are the owners and trainers and not the bettors because they are accommodating the owners/trainers all the time. They forget that the bettors are just the third party which helps fund a majority of the activities in this industry.
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That's why I'm saying we need the knowledge so we don't make easy characterizations. True competition in any industry is rare to nonexistant. This industry may be better characterized as an asymmetric oligopoly or a monopolistic competition with a couple really big players and several small ones. It becomes even more complicated due to the use of ADWs and simulcasting which actually may make it better for some tracks to hype the product of other tracks. Thus they aren't exactly competitors at all. Then throw in the government. The bettor is the only real customer. Trainers and owners are really suppliers, who also come in many different sizes, so that side of the equation is also quite complex. But as you know, a business does have to cater to suppliers as well as customers.
I would say in my experience, and I do have a bit with them, that the vast majority of the people who work at tracks genuinely do care about customers. There are executives that feel that way too, but I will agree there are also enough that don't care about it more than a pay check that make it all look bad.
