Closed door racing

[sharkie187]

Would you think a track can be successful if they ran behind close doors (meaning no public viewing at all)? The races can be watched and wagered on from other OTB locations,TVG, or other online businesses but no betting onsite. There would be a track announcer but only for TV viewers and he wouldn't be on the PA. And the only people that watch the races at the location would be owners, trainers, and stewarts. I just think it could help eliminate operations costs by doing this.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by sharkie187

Would you think a track can be successful if they ran behind close doors (meaning no public viewing at all)? The races can be watched and wagered on from other OTB locations,TVG, or other online businesses but no betting onsite. There would be a track announcer but only for TV viewers and he wouldn't be on the PA. And the only people that watch the races at the location would be owners, trainers, and stewarts. I just think it could help eliminate operations costs by doing this.

Great idea. It would solve the overcrowding problem that our racetracks are currently experiencing.

[SuperPickle]

Originally Posted by sharkie187

Would you think a track can be successful if they ran behind close doors (meaning no public viewing at all)? The races can be watched and wagered on from other OTB locations,TVG, or other online businesses but no betting onsite. There would be a track announcer but only for TV viewers and he wouldn't be on the PA. And the only people that watch the races at the location would be owners, trainers, and stewarts. I just think it could help eliminate operations costs by doing this.

I'm struggling with seeing where it saves operational costs. Tracks biggest overhead is track and backstretch maintenance and insurance. Their biggest salaries are executives and racing officials. Plus you'd still need stating gate crews, camera people, valets, outriders, stewards, security, a mutual department etc.

Getting rid of the program guy and the hot dog stand real wouldn't move the needle.

[deelo]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Great idea. It would solve the overcrowding problem that our racetracks are currently experiencing.

this actually made me laugh out loud in real life

crib notes: lol irl

[sharkie187]

Originally Posted by SuperPickle

I'm struggling with seeing where it saves operational costs. Tracks biggest overhead is track and backstretch maintenance and insurance. Their biggest salaries are executives and racing officials. Plus you'd still need stating gate crews, camera people, valets, outriders, stewards, security, a mutual department etc.

Getting rid of the program guy and the hot dog stand real wouldn't move the needle.

Talking to the 10 year bartender at SA, she was saying that attendance is down...and she says that the track needs the attendance to stay alive. Yes the betting revenue is up, but there's more to horse racing then just the racing and it takes an awful lot to run a track. She wouldn't get into specifics, but you can hear it she means it.

[deelo]

Originally Posted by sharkie187

Talking to the 10 year bartender at SA, she was saying that attendance is down...and she says that the track needs the attendance to stay alive. Yes the betting revenue is up, but there's more to horse racing then just the racing and it takes an awful lot to run a track. She wouldn't get into specifics, but you can hear it she means it.

so...the bartender says they can't survive without a crowd and your proposal is ban crowds?

also, this conversation is the same at every track in America, SA isn't special.

/thread

[LottaKash]

Sure, why not just put a "carrot on a stick", and just let the horses chase that carrot the whole way round, just like the dogs do...

Just put them in a closed box, and when the box opens, off they go...The announcer can push the button to open the box,..,Saves a few judges and starters..

[chadk66]

Originally Posted by deelo

this actually made me laugh out loud in real life

crib notes: lol irl

me too

[Kash$]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Great idea. It would solve the overcrowding problem that our racetracks are currently experiencing.

Classic

[biggestal99]

Do the owners of the horses attend or are they too barred from watching their horses live?

Good thinking outside the box

Bad idea.

Allan

[Grits]

Originally Posted by sharkie187

Talking to the 10 year bartender at SA, she was saying that attendance is down...and she says that the track needs the attendance to stay alive. Yes the betting revenue is up, but there's more to horse racing then just the racing and it takes an awful lot to run a track. She wouldn't get into specifics, but you can hear it she means it.

Tell me that all of this was your idea, not the female bartender's because if it was hers? She's hurt us.

[Dave Schwartz]

Talking to the 10 year bartender at SA, she was saying that attendance is down...and she says that the track needs the attendance to stay alive. Yes the betting revenue is up, but there's more to horse racing then just the racing and it takes an awful lot to run a track. She wouldn't get into specifics, but you can hear it she means it.

She is probably right. The track does need the money because the horsemen are making sure that they get theirs first, last and always.

Unfortunately, this ship has sailed and is not coming back. The days of 10s of thousands fighting to get into the track on anything but huge race days are over.

Ironically, we - our little horse racing company - has experienced similar since we began back in 1990. We've literally reinvented ourselves 5 times in the process.

Horse racing needs to go through a re-invention process, but they are in denial.

Whenever I hear of these invites to discuss new ideas, it always comes down to a rework of old ideas. I mean, really... with the shortfalls how can these seemingly smart people think that a new exotic bet is going to save them?

They don't seem to get the fact that the business model for racing is just broken.


Back on topic
(Sorry for the short rant.)

The next logical question to the OP would be, "Why not just put in a casino to prop up the racing side? Then, after the casino really gets going, you can gradually curtail racing back to the minimum to stay open?"

Oh, wait. That is already happening.

Almost everywhere.

[Nutz and Boltz]

Why not just this then....

http://wizardofodds.com/games/derby/

[Tom]

Unfortunately, this ship has sailed and is not coming back. The days of 10s of thousands fighting to get into the track on anything but huge race days are over.

The only reason those days ever were was because there was nothing else to do. It was not the great racing, the great thrills, it was utter boredom and racing was better than nothing.

But it is not as good as almost anything else.

Racing does two things - run races and take bets on them.
We all know they have no clue on how to time races, and then this week, they proved that can'/t even figure out how to take bets!

The game is run by idiots.