Quote:
Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage
Maybe you and Randy can explain to me exactly how it's broken at the moment.
The other thread where we had this argument, I don't recall you offering a single concrete reason that says, HEY, THIS THING IS BROKEN and it NEEDS TO BE FIXED!
Really? How is it so broken? Attendance falling? No. Handle falling? No. TV Ratings falling? No.
What is it that is SOOOOOOO broken with the TC that we need to materially alter things?
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First off your premise that we need to justify changing it versus trying new things is something I philosophically disagree with. So I don't buy into it. The NFL changed their playoff format, overtime rule and even added two conversions while being the most watched sport in the country. Neutral only exists on a car. Either you're moving forward or backward and racing is going backwards.
The handle was down this year. They're saying $124 million versus $122 last year but on Apples to Apples it's down if you back out Japan and new outlets that didn't offer it. It's creative math.
But even more telling ESPN won't even bid on it. The large owner of sports media in the world dismiss your event as non-event. I would say that in itself defines broken.
But here's the real reason to change it. You're doing it wrong. The Monday after the Triple Crown every one involved in horse racing asks the same question "how do we maintain casual fans outside the five weeks of the Triple Crown?"
The answer is make the Triple Crown LONGER. That's how successful sports leagues solve for this problem. The NBA has added playoff games. The NFL added playoff games. Do you here anyone crying about how will we compare the 2016 Cavs to the 1983 Lakers? Racing fans need to get over this faux traditional system.
And I remember I said faux. We've changed the distances, the tracks and the spacing of these races multiple times. We have TC winners under different setups.
So when you say no to even exploring changing these races (again keep in mind the format of these races and every other horse race on earth has changed ) you're not a traditionalist. You're saying the 2017 version of the Triple Crown is the ideal, perfect setup of the Triple Crown.
