Race Track Industry Symposium News

In Arizona the RTIP is happening now. Dana over at Greenbutgame is speaking about it this evening, and according to her (and I see it on the side of her site) there is a bug with twitter, tweets, tweekies, twinkies, or whatever you'd like to call them. For the uninitiated, it is simply a collection of short messages - in real time - that people are typing in from the Symposium. It's like a live blog on steroids.

Last year if you remember the theme, and keynote, was based on wagering: getting internet wagering up to speed, easy access to customers, bringing new forms of wagering to fans and so on. It is a year later, and what happened? It has gotten worse. In 2008 this business has shut out wagering for thousands of fans with disputes in Ohio, Florida, California and elsewhere. It is ironic that this symposium is held in Arizona where last year they made it a felony to bet a race over the Internet.

This year the theme is customer service. Oh boy. Great piece from Ed at the Thoroughbred Times on the opening address from a shoe company exec from Zappos.com.

Zappos.com wants its customers to say ‘wow’ after every transaction. Unfortunately for racing, its customers often say “D’oh!”

I remember being at the Gaming Summit last year to chat about wagering and stuff. Virtually everyone there - I don't mean some, I mean everyone - said something like the following: "I don't like going to these things because we all talk a good game and nothing ever happens."

I sincerely hope this year is better than last. I really do. We need something to happen. If not, I guess we could sell shoes. The Zappos guy seems to kick some major butt.

I added the widget at the right, so if anyone wants to follow the news the next day or two it is there.