Dean said...

We in harness racing need headlines, but unfortunately a featured editorial about racing in Canada's second largest city's paper entitled "Horseracing Rides off into the sunset" is not what we hoped.

I wrote (typed) a bit about the editorial. It is only my opinion, but here it is for what it is worth:

At the Standardbred Wagering Conference several ideas were batted about. Most seemed to think they were worth 'looking into'. I think the 'looking into' phrase should be replaced by 'looking into and getting done with a sense of urgency'.

Never before is it more apparent that this business is on a precipice. Asking for government help in terms of a subsidy has been the industry's rallying cry for a dozen years. Now, the government ain't drinking the kool-aid we've been selling.

Urgent change is needed now to put harness racing on the 21st century gambling map. Urgent is not too strong a word. Essential, urgent, important. Whatever word you want to use. It has to be done.

21st century gamblers need a reason to play with you. Marketing 101 says if you are competing in like goods you need to stick out from the crowd. A national pick 6 with a centrally funded organization to promote it is needed now. A reduction in takeouts making harness racing the lowest priced pari-mutuel business in the world is needed now. A harness racing betting exchange to attract players with something new is needed now. Scheduling of racedates and post times to ensure mass coverage is needed now.

posted at 12:26 PM on May 22nd 2008