The Horseplayer's Association's President Jeff Platt has written an open letter to horseman and tracks regarding all the fighting going on right now in the US.
This is exactly the kind of mess the industry doesn't need at a time when the last thing the industry needs is any kind of mess at all.
Everyone involved in this mess - EVERY board member of the TOC, THG, TVG, YouBet, TwinSpires, and everyone on every board at EVERY track in North America: ALL OF YOU should be hanging your heads in shame over this.
YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR BIGGEST ASSET: THE CUSTOMER.
HANA has mentioned that they do not have enough Canadian clients and they want more. Sign up here if you want to. It is for a good cause and it's free.
Tomorrow's standardbred Hambletonian Poll should be interesting: Shadow Play won again, and Mister Big came 8th, probably because of sickness. He did not look good at all. I wonder if the one voter that ranks Mister Big first each week will change his vote?
Darryl Kaplan in his monthly take on racing shouts a similar mantra. I was going to comment on this, but frankly, the piece speaks for itself. If you only read one thing about racing this month, make it this.
Nice to see Churchill Downs go to high def on their broadcasts. Racing in high def is pretty awesome.
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2 comments:
Shadow Play ran a huge trip, that horse is a warrior. They just keep lining him up, and he just keeps delivering with all his heart.
I hope he stays fresh for the Breeders Crown.
In a laughable sort of way, I too can't wait to see if Mr Big retains his loyal vote, but you're right he wasn't himself at all. It's been a long season for him though, especially travel wise. He deserves a free pass for this one.
Did you notice an abnormal amount of veering or swerving in the homestretch that night (at Balmoral)? Blueridge Western was rocking back and forth like a boat.
I know a unified body for the industry as this time seems like nothing more than a pipe dream, but that truly is the first step in securing a future for the industry. Control of the schedule alone is integral in marketing the sport and its stars.
The PGA tour, suprisingly enough, is an excellent model, they take advantage of the major media centres, and they use their purse money to dictate where the best players will show up. They can't tell a player where to play, and yet they have had success in luring the best players to the tournaments of their choosing, and they continue to work hard at that goal.
The standardbred industry surely has enough competition from outside the sport, they must eliminate the competition that occurs within.
The real problem with this theory is that it requires some of the players to take a step backwards in order to eventually take two steps forward.
Again the PGA tour provides an excellent example of this. Tiger Woods comes along, he grows the sport and its popularity, creates exposure, but he cannot be at every event.
The result however was prosperity for all. Those events that he didn't play in still saw increased revenue, increased fan attendence, increased success. He has never played an event on the Nationwide tour, and its now found its way onto national television.
A unified plan will help everyone, and some more than others. But an "everyone for themselves plan" will leave no survivors.
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