OK, why does everyone in racing, and the blogophere seem to dance around this? Are we so stuck in a 1930 racing mindset that to market our product we are pigeon-holed to marketing brown horses running around in a circle? "Come see the horses, the flowers in spring and the sights and smells of the glorious racetrack. Takeout only 22%, come one come all."Enough of that. It has not worked since the invention of the toaster.
Sex sells. Jockey's in bikini's sell. If she was a NASCAR driver she would be everywhere via the PR machine, and Matt Drudge would probably be linking stories about her with that goofy siren.
It is hitting us right in the face like the sun shining off Bob Baffert's hair.
Get to it racing.
11 comments:
My understanding is that Maylan is none too keen that this photo has re-surfaced in this country, and that she's not particularly interested in promoting her career this way.
It's a shame that some in the racing world feel like the best way to promote a female jockey is to focus on her looks.
Sex can be a two edged sword as I recently point out
http://handride.blogspot.com/2008/12/define-interfered.html
Anna Kournikova 'was' womens tennis for a timeand she never won a tournament .It brought the game out and in the mainstream again after some bland personalities like Sampras.
Like it or not, and I am sure some won't, this poster is exactly right. This woman, whether she can ride or not (and it looks like she can) should be promoted. Racing has thought for a long time promoting things like this were beneath us. Right now the only things beneath us are the TV ratings for a test pattern.
Time to wake up.
If she was in the LPGA she would be in People magazine before you could say "Jan Stephenson"
A mud wrestling match between Studart and Chantal Sutherland would definitely get quite a few viewers. And between rounds and prior to the "fight" they can show videos of both of them winning races.
Still it will be difficult to get repeat business because of the takeout rates. It might be good for a temporary lift.
Yes, it is a shameful way to go but the sport is dying any hoot.
Sorry Teresa, but sex sells, and most horse racing fans are men, and horse racing just dipped 10% in handle in comparison to last November.
Actually, the last 'who are our fans' survey demonstrated that most (thoroughbred) horse racing fans are women (by a thin wedge - something like 51/49); given the fact that fans aren't actually going to see the young lady in said bikini, I'm not sure how it increases handle, any more than pointing out to (straight) women that Channing Hill is telegenic.
Could they be marketed as personalities? Sure. But if that requires swimsuit shots, I'd like to see equal time for the men.
First, CanGamble--excellent use of sexual innuendo in your comment: "temporary lift"! Applause!
But this strategy didn't work with Sutherland--she got a ton of press when she rode in NY a few years ago, but she didn't bring fans to the track, nor did she increase handle much. She did get a lot of catcalls and offensive remarks, though.
If there's any relationship at all between PR of racing personalities and handle (and I doubt it), I'd imagine that Sutherland gets more through the windows now, when she's winning races, than she did when she was promoted a few years ago.
And color me naively idealistic, but even if it brings in money, I'm not sure that I'd want to resort to exploitation. =)
Thanks for the comments. I wrote the second half to the post and will have it up soon. Teresa I used the word "idealistic" in it, so just so you know I am not speaking about you (since you just used that word).
Cangamble used that jello wrestling reference with relative ease. I think he might have thought of that before. But I dont want to know :)
I heard through the grapevine of a suggested plan to have girls in bikini's in sulkies at The Little Brown Jug (get it).
You can probably guess how that was received.
PTP
I guess you've proved your point. 9 comments!
RG
Is that a Satanic symbol or an angry stick dog with paws on hips caricature on her silks? Very disturbing either way.
Post a Comment