Mark A said...

Really now......the request is for people to DONATE their time and energy...and to DONATE their creative ideas. Of course it's only "insiders" who were selected. I can't envision too many marketing types from "the outside" who are currently making good money (cream of the crop types or upstarts) to donate to horse racing...either Thoroughbred or Harness. If I were a consultant I'd certainly want to be paid for my time and effort on a project like this.

I mentioned in an earlier post that this should be a shared responsibility between tracks, horsemans' associations, breeders, USTA, Hambletonian Society ..etc..etc, to FUND a true marketing committee.

About 15-18 years ago they brought in a woman marketing expert (can't remember her name) to troubleshoot, and identify a solution to harness racings' woes, and to make recommendations for improvement. Her forecast was something that everyone abhorred at the time...that casino's would grow in influence and that tracks should partner up with them to create "gambling mecca's (Racinos). Her report was scorned by everyone and every track and ridiculed for lacking in creativity and not offering anything of substance......take a look at what's taken place since then. Her forecast was right on the money.....maybe she knew back then that the industry leaders were not the type to implement much change but who knows.

Andrew...I couldn't agree with you more. My hope is that someday a new type of investor buys out a racetrack and reinvents a few things.

posted at 9:33 PM on May 23rd 2008

Trotter Bob said...

I can't be very optimistic when the group is top heavy with male track managers who have daily opportunities to come up with answers and haven't. If there were a P.T. Barnum or Bill Veeck present, would he not have stepped forward before the committee organized?

Racing and track experience is certainly important if you're looking for solutions to racing's problems, but people with other business and public relations experience should not have been ignored.

posted at 7:23 PM on May 23rd 2008

Ken Heineken said...

Most ridiculous!!!! I have been in the marketing and advertising business since 1972 and have represented every major farm, sales company, bloodstock agent, etc in the sport. I volunteered to help in any way I could. Never...Never...was I contacted to be on this board...harness racing has been the same since I begin preparing advertising for Hanover Shoe back in 76....harness racing will never grow and thank god I don't have to depend on it anymore.
Ken Heineken

posted at 3:41 PM on May 23rd 2008

Paul Siegel said...

I learned long ago that the USTA doesn't want input except from the "good old boy" network.

People with fresh ideas could cost a lot of directors their positions of power, and along with it cost some of the bureaucrats in Columbus their jobs.

The USTA is a classic example of a not-for-profit trade association whose primary purpose evolved from serving its membership to maintaining the well-being of the organization's insiders. That happens to a certain extent in every corporation or organization, but in my experience even more so to those organizations that don't have to answer to outsiders such as stockholders or regulators.

posted at 1:22 PM on May 23rd 2008