Conference Results

I notice that SC has the results of the conference and what it plans to do over the next several months:

Under the umbrella of the Standardbred Wagering Action Plan, five committees have been isolated as immediate priorities. Over the next three weeks, Standardbred Canada will utilize information received from this week's Conference to develop the committees and begin to set timelines and priorities going forward.

The committees are as follows:

1) Research – To initiate a national and international fact finding mission of studies already undertaken to isolate who the customer and potential customer is, and establish what he/she requires from the racing industry.

2) Distribution – To look at new models for the exponential growth of distribution channels that could potentially offer Canadian harness racing betting products to the public.

3) National Pools and Product Development ––
To look at a comprehensive model aimed at creating wagering opportunities that utilize multiple Canadian racetracks.

4) Canadian Betting Exchange – To explore potentially offering Canadian standardbred horse wagering through a betting exchange platform.

5) Racing Product Development –– To look at the on-track product and explore areas of potential development on a national scale.

The Standardbred Wagering Action Plan requires active participation from all segments of the industry, and this week's conference offers great encouragement that real change can occur for the future of racing in this country.

I did not hear much about the first part labelled "1)", in fact heaven help us if we do not know who are customers are at this stage. But the rest were all spoken about. 2,3, and 4 were all hot topics and are hot topics in the 21st century. It is nice, if even in a small way they are addressed. Getting racing to work as a solid team to lobby and change laws regarding betting exchanges is a fantastic first step. I do not know if people realize that getting some sort of toehold and working this concept on the shores of North America can completely put Canada, and Canadian racing on the global map as an innovator and leader.