DRF sold

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

There was a time when the DRF was considered to be the "bible of the industry"...and with good reason. But now...it has been relegated to the "minor player" position...IMO. At the "live outlets" that I frequent...the simulcast programs outsell the DRF by a ratio of at least 20-1. And online, where the past performances are free for the bettors...I would hazard to guess that the ratio is even larger than that.

First, the sales of the Form are off because it is bulky product. The paper when to tabloid form years ago, reduced the size of the font, went to thinner print stock...Al the while the price continued to rise far beyond the rate of inflation.
There is so much competition for racing data now.
Yet, the on track DRF runs what ? $7.50 or $8?
I don't mind paying for intellectual product. However, i'm not a simulcast guy. I don't wish to pay for 5 tracks worth of PP's when I need just one.

[thespaah]

If the people running the DRF took a long look at the print periodical industry. they'd realize that eliminating the print version and going strictly on line would be the way to go.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by proximity

this.

at the tracks I go to almost everyone buys daily racing program.

Agreed. I was at Saratoga opening day. As I walked in and bought my program, I saw nary a person buying a copy of the Form.
Nor did I see many people using it. Now did I see many of the typically discarded sections used to save seats.
Im and older guy. Been going to the races for 40 years. I used to be a Form junkie. Now i get all the info i need from on line sources and use the program PP's .

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by thespaah

If the people running the DRF took a long look at the print periodical industry. they'd realize that eliminating the print version and going strictly on line would be the way to go.

The DRF still keeps the worthless track variant that they invented 50+ years ago...because they don't want to "alienate their old-fashioned fan-base". And you think they are going to eliminate the printed version of their product...and piss-off their aging customers even MORE?

Isn't it obvious that the DRF favors TRADITION, over QUALITY?

[proximity]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

The DRF still keeps the worthless track variant that they invented 50+ years ago...because they don't want to "alienate their old-fashioned fan-base". And you think they are going to eliminate the printed version of their product...and piss-off their aging customers even MORE?

Isn't it obvious that the DRF favors TRADITION, over QUALITY?

I did hear one gambler telling another one about this last week (it's in daily racing program too) but he had the variant and speed rating mixed up.

"see here how he was running on an 88 track?"

I think it's time.

[Tom]

To do list:

1. Web page - design one that works
2. Print edition - put the freaking track and races in ORDER
3. Charge the SAME on track or off track -more money is bet off track - charge the fools who go to the track more if anything
(they are already proving themselves suckers by going there).

[proximity]

personally I think the final timeform rating should go into the old sr-tv spot with a pace figure for the first HALF of the race and the beyer figure (which would still be called beyer but....be done by milkowski) going before the running line.

"at the distance" too is within a HALF FURLONG of today's distance.

jmo

[Aerocraft67]

DRF has done O.K. making incremental moves to improve its offering and not resting on its predominance, given the constraint of not upending its legacy overnight. Even with its flaws, it’s still the best single source for qualitative and quantitative racing information and wagering. But it has a ways to go in modernizing, rationalizing, and improving its offering.

I like DRF for three reasons. TimeformUS distribution, qualitative analysis, and the ADW incentive.

The best qualitative analysis boils down to trip and pedigree handicapping in the videos. The news articles are fine for casually keeping up with the game overall and for more track-specific information. I wouldn’t pay book price for Plus/Pro, but happy to go “all in” with the ADW to get that access.

The raw data isn’t much use in the static PPs as opposed to electronic format, and I’m inclined to let someone else crunch that into figs. I don’t use Beyers, except for the rare occasion I glance at the time series line chart in Formulator. I wish TimeformUS did that. I don’t pay for clocker reports but that seems legit.

Formulator is a powerful database, but the interface is way too slow and clunky. I don’t bother since I get enough from PPs and qualitative analysis and it’s just not worth the effort to find some sneaky angle. Make Formulator more usable and that helps a lot.

DRF has gotten into ADW, and promotes that aggressively. DRF Bets won me over with free TFUS, $300 bonus, and “10% takeout” promotion. Kind of disingenuous to limit TFUS PP availability until race day, though. Not sure how much margin it ultimately makes on XpressBet platform, but it’s something, and completes a one-stop-shop portfolio. Probably not feasible to conjure up an in-house ADW.

The user interface on desktop and mobile DRF is generally quick, but primitive, and the shopping cart for PPs is awful. I think I saw somewhere they were about to launch a new shopping center, and they’d better. There’s also lots of re-authenticating and cross logins between separate DRF and DRF Bets accounts they need to rationalize. It’s a real pain that erodes the one-stop proposition.

Also not sure how much DRF gets for distributing TimeformUS, but it promotes those PPs with equal favor as the in-house PPs. I admire DRF for adopting the modern TimeformUS PPs, assuming it can’t quickly rationalize and modernize its own PP data and format. If you can’t beat them, join them.

Surely no one at PaceAdvantage cares about the EasyForm format, but I guess it’s a decent attempt to simplify for new and casual players, and could work as a summary companion to Formulator for more advanced players, but I think it kind of misses those marks. I still like the Ultimate Race Summary in BRIS best for that one-page summary, although it’s never been perfect and is getting still longer in the tooth itself.

Point is, I think DRF deserves some credit for evolving and gets a break for not quickly tossing away legacy aspects of its offering, and hopefully the new owners actually invest in improving the lot, rather than stripping it down and running what’s left of DRF’s favorable legacy into the ground. It’s not like BRIS/Twinspires and TVG can’t possibly exploit that opportunity should it arise.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by proximity

this.

at the tracks I go to almost everyone buys daily racing program.

Daily Racing Program is a DRF product...so no matter which print product they are buying, DRF is making coin...like I said, the print editions (either DRF or DRP) aren't going away anytime soon.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Daily Racing Program is a DRF product...so no matter which print product they are buying, DRF is making coin...like I said, the print editions (either DRF or DRP) aren't going away anytime soon.

Last I knew, at AP & HAW, Daily Racing Program was sold on track, but you had to ask for it. The tracks do not display it at their stands, because the tracks own their own print shop, and print off Equibase Track and Simulcast Programs, and sell a lot of those, if they are still giving at least the on-track program away with paid admission.

[DeltaLover]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

The DRF still keeps the worthless track variant that they invented 50+ years ago...because they don't want to "alienate their old-fashioned fan-base".

If anything, I find it good for betting purposes as the old fashion track variant should compensate to some degree in crowd's errors. The more errors you can detect in publicly used past performances the better it is for you and the quieter you should remain about them!

[cj]

Originally Posted by DeltaLover

If anything, I find it good for betting purposes as the old fashion track variant should compensate to some degree in crowd's errors. The more errors you can detect in publicly used past performances the better it is for you and the quieter you should remain about them!

Anyone that was using that as a part of handicapping is probably broke by now.

[DeltaLover]

Originally Posted by cj

Anyone that was using that as a part of handicapping is probably broke by now.

[carterista]

Point is, I think DRF deserves some credit for evolving and gets a break for not quickly tossing away legacy aspects of its offering, and hopefully the new owners actually invest in improving the lot, rather than stripping it down and running what’s left of DRF’s favorable legacy into the ground. It’s not like BRIS/Twinspires and TVG can’t possibly exploit that opportunity should it arise.

DRF doesn't deserve any credit. They're a business out to make money for its owners. The original owners and publication got out of business in 2007. It's successors are getting out now with a loss.

Money is cheap now and there are many vultures(private equity) looking to earn a return. Eventually all racing data will end up with Equibase and whatever services it'll provide.

I give DRF as much 'hope' as give to Sears investors.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by carterista

Eventually all racing data will end up with Equibase and whatever services it'll provide.

This was an odd statement to make, considering what happened in the last few years...but I'll just let you continue to make ill-informed comments...carry on.