Handle Losses in CA Approach $100M Since T/O Increase

[DeanT]

Here we are, barely three months in after the takeout increase. The trend is crystal clear.

All sources handle on California's two thoroughbred tracks is off just over $96 million. By the end of the Santa Anita meet, that number will grow to well over $100 million.

Full stats at Playersboycott.org here.
http://www.playersboycott.org/handleupdate03232011.html

[highnote]

I tried to play devil's advocate and find a reasonable explanation to the decrease in handle, but could not.

I do agree with the conclusions drawn at playersboycott -- it doesn't matter who is right or wrong, only that the problem is fixed. Reducing takeout would help. I might go one step further -- changing in leadership in California racing. Clearly, the managers are not doing a good job in promoting growth of the industry.

[Robert Goren]

What is disheartening is the lack of effort from other places to go after those dollars.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

What is disheartening is the lack of effort from other places to go after those dollars.

Robert - you are my hero for this statement.

You'd think that with New Mexico pledging to suffocate their product into an unplayable slots dependent dumpster and Washington content to be a non-factor for most of the year...

...maybe some shrewd individual not named Berube would realize that one track's disenfranchised is another's potential savior...

Nah... that would require some business acumen from a swindler that bills himself as a "self-made success story"... (get by with a little help from my friends, whoahhhh) ...