Quote:
Originally Posted by dilanesp
It's certainly a failure for the sport. Not only is Chicago a massive media market where you want to have a premier track, as well as a place with a longstanding horse racing tradition, but Arlington was rebuilt after the mid-'80's fire as what was supposed to be a prototype for the modern racetrack. It was a palace. In that sense, it would be as if the Orioles moved out of Camden Yards.
But whenever this happens (and I lost my favorite track, Hollywood Park, in 2013), I always remind myself that the economics of the sport require significant contraction, both because we have fewer fans but also because of the brutal reality of simulcasting and remote wagering. It sucks, but there's no way the sport can economically support all the tracks that are still running.
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As always, from you, a reality-based response.
The problems in racing all began back in the '80s. While ESPN was trying to expand the market of every sport, horse racing chose to
guard its signal.
Did you know that until 1987 horse racing was the #1 spectator sport in the WORLD?
ESPN gave all the other sports multiple streams of income on a massive scale.
Racing's lack of organization has run itself into the ground.
Very sad.
