Deal with it NOW

[Vengeance of Rain]

I'm sorry for starting a new thread but I really want to know something.

I applaud the many writers who are giving their opinions. The problem of course is who will read them? We will - but isn't that about it?

I'm wondering about the probable soon-to-be-coming-to-a-town-near-you committees, the now-in-the-works "investigative" reporting, the racing Czar we will, chances are, soon have, just how big the anti-racing bandwagon will become, what Peta has in store for us, etc.

What are they doing about it now? Now as in this week?

Are they going to sit on their hands and ride it out? Hope it goes away? Blows over?

Come on this is it. It is time.

There has to be money somewhere and it needs to be used immediately.

If the racing industry is silent save a few opinion pieces here and there what does that say? How does that make all of us look?

Spend the money. Create an ad NOW. A full page if possible in rival papers to the big monsters, in big cities with race tracks.

There are countless organizations and charities... surely a marketing whiz can come up with something to show we care, we do take care of the athletes, that millions are spent on their behalf annually... I mean right?

Doesn't thins need to happen now, this week?

Couldn't there be some emergency type of email to every track, BC officials, to Yum Brands and to the big sponsers, anyone and everyone?

Reserve advertising space for this coming Sunday, raise the money or at least some of it, have whoever did one of the logos do some kind of rush job and throw it back in their faces.

Or..... do nothing.

What do you all think?

[Dave Schwartz]

I think that the "industry" will not bother to spend money on anything that does not show an immediate return on their investment.

W. Edwards Deming would have his work cut out for him in this industry.

[Vengeance of Rain]

You might be right.

I am so tired of hearing how it's a dying sport, of defending it to everyone I know, of coming up with suggestions on different boards when people are asked for them...

Nothing is marketed to its advantage.

There are things like Trackus that aren't used enough.

The potential bettors need to be brought in as well as fans...

So much could be done but instead it's, to be cliche, too little too late.

This kick in the ***? This should have been the grand wake up call.

Peta will be busy organizing something... possibly to coincide with the Derby? Who knows.

Meanwhile silence makes it look like we can't defend ourselves ie we know we're guilty.

Again yeah I know, the writers on the racing publications are dealing with it (some are quite eloquent) but no one who woke up and was horrified seeing that front page picture on Sunday morning... chances are they are not going to go seek out drf, Bloodhorse, etc.

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by Vengeance of Rain

You might be right.

I am so tired of hearing how it's a dying sport, of defending it to everyone I know, of coming up with suggestions on different boards when people are asked for them...

Nothing is marketed to its advantage.

I wouldn't be shocked if some sort of federal "accreditation" process becomes mandatory.

It would be nice if those major tracks that were accredited would band together with the regulations, the mass media broadcast with national advanced deposit wagering and a strong internal media force.

Right now lots of people are making money off of the sport including the Times and PETA. Even notoriety is preferred to invisibility in this media driven economy. However the status quo is clearly not sustainable.

[Tom]

Started before today.....

http://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/stories/Mar162012.shtml

Not the only one of it's kind. Finger Lakes has a retirement program, as do other tracks.

How about the work NYRA puts into the Saratoga racing surface, probably the finest in the whole game of racing?

Lots of good stuff goes on unreported by the New York Turd.

Maybe Joe Drape should get out of his office more often.

[davew]

I don't understand the original post - is something happening Sunday?