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NoPoints4ME
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 9,854
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CHRIS KAY- ****** CEO OF NYRA, HERE'S WHY
Good evening Mr. Kay,
As a fellow company person, a V.P. for a large financial institution in NYC, I am reaching out to you with some detailed and important feedback for your association. I must also disclose to you, that I am probably in the top percentile or top 3 percentiles of your clients. My name is BLANK BLANK and I am player account # XXXXXXXX. I take this industry extremely seriously and have a monster passion for it. Through November of this year I have wagered exactly $908,364.40 via NYRA, with an additional $50,000 in handle in December, MTD. Please keep in mind, this is just 1 of my accounts that I maintain. I have 3 ADW's in my name. I understand your background and I can't hold it against you, that you didn't go grow up in this industry like others. When I was in my mother's womb, I spent countless days at Charles Town Races in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. When I was 4, I was found to be a special talent with unheard of math skills. At 4 years old, I picked up a program and was calculating turn times at Charles Town Races. I eventually skipped 2 grades and was out of college before my 21st birthday. I am now 40 years old and have spent my entire life (not literally but throughout....) at a racetrack and in this industry. My parents are innocent souls, who had their first dates at the racetrack and have spent a lifetime, not generations but a lifetime at the racetrack.
I have been attending the races with my mother, since 1976. We are regulars at NYRA, year round through rain, sleet or snow. When I say regular, I mean every single Saturday, Sunday, Holiday and during all 35 vacation days of my calendar year. Many times after work as well as I have a flexible schedule. Many times during work as I belong to various Chambers and Philanthropic organizations. We attend AQU live, Belmont live and Saratoga live. I have walked by you hundreds of times but never wanted to interrupt you as I know what it's like to be an Executive. I work closely with the public all the time and it's sincerely my pleasure to do so. That is THE benefit of my employment, helping people. I wager to profit and I am successful at it. Because I am successful at it, I am able to churn and wager into 7 figures and above despite my "gambling budget" being about $30,000 for a year.
While I am at work or whining and dining clients, I do place wagers (early in the day before work or when I am free) and call my mother to let her know what I have wagered on. With her being disabled and mostly confined to the house, she has not much to do, especially since she lost her ability to read. My dad is also ill and is home due to injury. He is a restless workaholic who enjoys the intellectual stimulation of solving a horse race puzzle. It is THE intelligent person's game. If you want to lose, you play the slots. If you like to control your destiny, you wager on horses. When I call home to let them know who to root for in most races, they get excited and look forward to the upcoming races.
They turn on the TV and change the channel to 1994 and root!
Come 12 days from now, YOU, have FOREVER and abruptly taken that joy, that bond, away from my mother and father.
That, Mr. Kay, literally hits home and pierces my heart.
With that said, I am a logical soul, Spocklike, if you followed Star Trek.....I don't allow emotions to impede my logical thought.
Please allow me to tell you about my preferences, my wagering preferences. I would hope I have your attention, as you are THE leader of the NYRA, a non for profit that was created for the sole purpose of growing and maintaining this glorious industry. You more than anyone know that: A nonprofit organization (NPO) (also known as a non-business entity) is an organization with the purpose of which is something other than making a profit. A nonprofit organization is often dedicated (not leveraged for personal gain) to furthering a particular social cause or advocating for a particular point of view.
When I wager at home, at night or in some cases when I just can't make it to the track, I like to study with my laptop and watch the race live via your NYRA Network. If I had to start switching tabs back and forth,on my laptop or clicking with my mouse etc, etc, it would absolutely cripple my ability to watch horses in the paddock and during their warm up. If I lose the ability to turn the channel to the NYRA Network, my handle will drop from 7 figures to low 6 figures. I wager on super exotics with 80% or 90% of my handle. I am sure you know that super exotics are the most profitable wagers in terms of takeout for all racetracks. I am sure you are thinking that I can acquire a ROKU or some other gadget and stream the races to my TV. That does not help me. I need and I want the ability to turn on and old fashioned HDTV (an oxymoron, I know...) and simply watch the NYRA and NON NYRA races.
When I am not home, which is quite often, I need and want my parents to be able to simply place the channel on the NYRA Network. Without this ability they will no longer be able to pass their days and nights as they used to (when we are not on track). My parents can't even spell internet, nevermind use the internet, so streaming races is not an option.
I've neglected to inform you that my parents, despite their health issues/disability, wager over $100,000 a year on your races.
Furthermore, I have an uncle in NYC, who again does not know what the internet is, who wagers via NYRA telebets, the NYRA Network and on track, well over $200,000 a year.
Outside of my family, I have clients and friends who are older, who can not even think of e-mailing you (due to limited tech skills), who wager via watching on the NYRA Network.
I know people on track, in the VIP room, who do not use the internet or who have internet but prefer the simple TV, like me.
I did some research and found that expected handle from Telebet was supposed to be about $43,000,000 in 2011, post OTB closing. I know that is not the driving force of the industry, nor is it the distribution channel you want to support but I would guess that there are still $15,000,000 handled annually via telebet. If I am wrong, please forgive me. Whatever that dollar amount is, it is all ours, forgive me (I think of NYRA and NY racing as if I am a part of it, hence "our"), NYRA's. At an average takeout of 19%, that is $2,850,000 in net revenue from Telebet (before expenses). Anyone who uses Telebet is obviously dependant on the NYRA channel. It boggles my mind, that any person in a position of authority, would make the decision to remove the NYRA channel.
There are approximately, 8,406,000 legal residents of NYC. I'd venture to say an additional 2,000,000 are undocumented, living in NYC. You are knowingly removing free advertising and a VITAL distribution channel to 10,000,000 PLUS people, for what? A measly $500,000....
If you were employed in my organization, the door would hit you so hard, you'd have a broken back.
If you were in the US army, you would be locked up for treason.
I find it repulsive that you are alienating a client, who, when I start using my other ADW's full time because of your decision, will cost you:
A) $1,000,000 in my personal handle X average takeout of 22%= $220,000
B) My parents handle of $100,000 X average takeout of 17%=$17,000
C) My uncle's handle of $200,000 X average takeout of 20%=$40,000
D) My $5,000 a year in concession expenditures
E) I didn't bring this up but I have a following on track-people follow my bets and wager accordingly. I can't put a number on that.
F) All the other people outside of my circle, that will be devastated by this (People in care homes, who wager on NYRA, other older clientele who bet via telebet or make a wager and go home to watch their races later on in the day etc.).
G) Future exposure. You have the capability of reaching over $10,000,000 in NYC via this channel.
I have a simple solution, keep me happy, you save $282,000. Take away your completely unwarranted bonus of $250,000 and we're $32,000 ahead.
Or maybe do a better job trying to PROMOTE the sport as a thinking person's game to the millenials and baby boomers, increase handle and revenue and look to SPEND more on growing the game VS. where to save money so the execs get every last drop out of this lemon before it dies off.
Now, please, don't take this personal. This is a logical letter, strictly pointing to facts. I gave you a background so you can see just how much a simple thing as a TV channel, literally hits home with people, it wasn't meant for emotional reasons.
NYRA just expanded their horizon to 30 additional states. Why simply turn your back on the reason NYRA exists (Loyal NYC patrons)???
If you carry through with this, you will do irreperable harm to your hardcore and LOYAL followers. There is a breaking point. A 72 year old will not travel to the track 5 days a week, when they are used to calling in bets from home (and watching from TV). They will not simply learn to use the internet all of a sudden. You will lose them as clients forever. You will lose the ability to give grandpa, a chance to bring their grandchildren to the track (who may become fans like me back in 1976), because he or she ISN'T coming back after this.
If you carry through with this, you will have a ZERO % chance of reaching out to a recently retired baby boomer, who has expendible income and the time to play the horses daily.
Why aren't busses plastered with NYRA Network advertising, running up and down NYC?
Here is my professional disclaimer to you and NYRA. Starting in January, I will be wagering with another ADW, as I have zero reason to be loyal to NYRA anymore. You can now start making 3-5% on my wagers, instead of 22%. That is not a threat but a repurcussion of your business decision.
I strongly and respectfully ask you to reconsider your decision to terminate the usage of the NYRA Network.
I would be more than amicable to a telephone conversation to further discuss this or to provide you with any other feeback, facts or opinions. If you'd like we can arrange a meeting when I am on track.
Assuming, I will never hear from you, I wish you #1 Best health to you and your loved ones, #2 The merriest of holidays and #3 A happy and healthy new year.
Sincerely,
BLANK BLANK
XXXXXXXX
The aforementioned letter (minor edits to remove personal information) is what I sent to the CEO of NYRA on Dec 19, 2016.
It is now January 25th, 2017. I have not received a response of any kind.
Besides posting this on here, I am now sending this to the current board of directors, Paulick Report, Bloodhorse, all local papers, DRF, Governor Cuomo and go ahead and mock me, Donald Trump. I'm sure Mr. Trump would love to hear about the possible loss of jobs at Telebet (due there not being a NYRA channel anymore).
I explained this to Mr. Kay (that I would do so if I don't receive a response). He obviously didn't care.
Last edited by EMD4ME; 01-25-2017 at 08:11 PM.
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