Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

tanner — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:33:56 GMT

dear bellweather, i`m glad you were in melbourne for our spring racing carnival,it`s s sensational tine, but the truth is , the problem is no different over here. the other 51 weeks of the year find it hard to attract patrons to racing of any code. administrators over the past 25 years only worry about turnover and have totally ignored the genuine fans and participants. i don`t have to tell you that a strong supporter base is paramount to racings survival.the reasons that i see on racings downfall are,1 the average person just dosen`t get what it`s about 2 the everyday race meeting has no excitement factor and people get bored(even owners and trainers)3 if it was just about gambling people have lots of choices on how to spend their money these days, and i can assure you that they aren`t` going to get involved if the product on offer, has no attachment to them(they will play a slot or bet on the football instead. there are other things, and the list could go on, but just if the powers to be focused on people first,the dollars will look after themselves. it`s one of the few sports where battlers and dreamers can compete and occassionly conquer some of the wealthiest people on the planet.i love it, but it`s not me your trying to woo. anyway cheers everyone, we also can dream of days gone of the huge crowds every week and hope they will return.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Barry Irwin — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:39:02 GMT

Stacy, thanks for publishing my op-ed pieces when your staff thought they were too touchy! And best of luck to you in the future. I hope there is a future for our sport, but we've shot ourselves in the foot so many times, we are running out of toes!

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Pedigree Shelly — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 01:12:18 GMT

I know what Georgia needs - A race track w/ Pari Mutuel betting !! Alot of people remember The Birmingham Turf Club which is now turned to dust , or maybe a Super Walmart has been built there instead :( :( In the 1800's The South was known for it's superior race horses , It can be that way again !

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Eric Rickard — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:32:23 GMT

Thank you for stating what I have been thinking and screaming for years. But, heck I'm just a fan, a lowly race enthusiast. For 37 of my 42 years I have been attending tracks all over the world. Give the sport a chance and it will succeed. Along with the marketing; it should be more family friendly. I have "dragged" my four kids with me. They have grown to love it too. They are the future of the sport. Get the kids involved and everything will work out.

Enjoy the next chapter of your life.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Julia — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:00:14 GMT

I am sorry to see one so educated about our sport leave such a position.

I believe that education and marketing are both necessary to further the future of our sporting industry.

For example, a great percentage of people that do show up for the concerts and beer at the track have no comprehension of the language of the industry. i.e. What the heck does 5000 dollar claiming mean? How many places in a race get paid? Why do horses need medication to run? What is a bullet work? Why do some horses wear blinkers and others not and why is this horse wearing them today? What do you mean that horse is a closer and likes two turns and is in short today? Why shouldn't I bet on the pretty filly who just tried to tip over in the paddock and is all sweaty? and on and on.....Our sport is a lifestyle to us and has it's own language which the general public does not know. Nor do most of them realize what it takes to get the horses to the race- bottom-dollar claimers included. Look at most race cards and see what is filling the card in order for the stakes race to run that day. Those of us who cannot afford the over-priced promise of young horseflesh stay in the game by running what we can afford- the gallant, gutsy dreams of yesterday who throw you a great race every now and then and allow you to catch up on your bills so you can continue to maintain your life with horses. It is SO much better than the alternative. We MUST find a way to educate and promote or those of us who provide the sweat and blood will all be answering phones at some call center.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Don D — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 13:48:26 GMT

I have played and viewed many sports. None give me the thrill of a thoroughbred horse race. I believe Mr. Bearse is right on the money. "If we build it (national marketing campaign) they will come."

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Bellwether — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 06:27:10 GMT

LONG LIVE THE CLAIMER$ BABY...NOE GAME WITH OUT THEM...ty...

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Hildene — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 00:59:22 GMT

Though I'm old enough to remember Tropical Park, it is modern marketing which will make or break todays racetracks and the industry. On the breeding end? less is better. A stallion's book used to be 40 in Ky and now they are commuting to Australia. Too many horses for too few races/racecourses. The current breeding trends for young age and speed in the US MUST be changed. The forestock of our 3/4-one mile 'champions' ran twice that distance without blinking. More bottom and breed OUT to get it.What happened to all the 1Million$ yearlings of yesteryear. DO the original owners know or care????

It's late and a warm stall beckons.

The blue hen will sleep well tonight after venting what you already know.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

David — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:06:20 GMT

I’m I the only one that feels the vast majority of blogers surely must inflicted with ADD? It supports the “bridge to nowhere” adage and regardless of the subject, some are just going to talk.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

fb0252 — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:54:49 GMT

better late than never, I suppose.

what role our TB magazines in promoting promotion?

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

steve from st louis — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:17:45 GMT

Markinsac: Hollywood is an American Racing Palace like Hialeah or like Washington Park or Bowie before that? Puleeze! There is nothing as bad and desparate as an old racetrack showing its age.

Until racing can sell itself as somehow more exciting than pulling a one-armed bandit every 15 seconds, it is dooomed to die this slow death we are witnessing.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Giddyup — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:15:17 GMT

I think the marketing model thoroughbred racing should take a hard look at is NASCAR - a one time regional sport in the Carolina boondocks that is now second only to the NFL in fan base. Of course any smart business operator knows that attracting customers is just half of the equation to success...you also have to reward the loyal customers you already have - yet the industry has some insane notion that increasing taxes on wagers is the way to do that.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

KevinL — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:39:39 GMT

People like to identify themselves with their heroes. I'm a Tiger fan, I back the Wolverines. This is why Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra were good for the Sport, they started a rivalry which draws attention and passion. The fact that Zenyatta has raced three years is another major factor in her popularity. Unfortunately the comments of the others are very correct, Horses do not race long enough to develop a fan base, the facilities are less than hospitable, the top horses do not need to face each other due to the numerous options available to owners. Horse Racing is exciting but building a fan base with generic horses does not allow fans to attach themselves to specific athletes. Marketing is very necessary to build identification. And when you turn over the focus as often as racing does, A LOT of marketing is necessary.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

John August West — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:02:55 GMT

RG: Nope. Watching two and three thousand dollar claimers stagger through the stretch doesn't do a thing for me. And wagering on such horses is the fast lane to the poorhouse.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Larry Ensor — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:59:20 GMT

Rachel, makes a VERY valid point that most of those in the racing industry that don’t travel in other equestrian circles aren’t aware of. I do and I have heard the same. An industry PR firm would address this sort of thing. Everything is in the word and how it is interpreted the images it conjures up. We need stop the constant use of “unwanted”, abandoned to every horse that come off the race track. Because the vast majority are not. Why does the industry back the use of the term “slots”? It makes me think of gangster and such. Video gaming is what I always use. The industry should produce a well made “feel good” TV mini series from last cover to the winners circle showing what the actual life of the average race horse really is.

Pedigree Ann, is spot. And one of the reasons I am not a big fan of the Breeders Cup and what it has done important late season stakes races.

New York Down Under, until most race tracks rebuild, remodel and generally clean up their facilities along with their business model I see no sense in trying to bring new people to the table. They may like the food but they won’t like the atmosphere. The tracks that have been rebuilt/remodel are mostly ones with video gaming and that is what they cater to, racing is treated as the stepchild. I attended the Far Hills Steeplechase in NJ last weekend. More then 30-40,000 people were there. All of the races were stakes races, the feature was a grade 1 with a $250,000 purse. Anyone hear or read about it? The Virginia Gold Cup in the Spring? They get 40-50,000 every year. My point being is that Steeplechase racing is treated as the step child of flat racing but it draws very large crowds year after year with little to no advertising. No betting, per say, no grandstands, no nonsense, just a simple well maintained friendly facility. The treat their owners and trainer well along with the help. And people turn out in droves year after year. Go figure.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

markinsac — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:06:03 GMT

CHoffman, Hollywood was a shrine in early October when Zenyatta raced there. It is the home of the first Breeders Cup and the place where undefeated triple crown winner, Seattle Slew, tasted defeat for the first time. It is an American Racing Palace that has seen better days, no doubt. But for that one day, the day of the Lady's Secret, we were such a happy crowd. I'm hoping Hollywood Park is not torn down. It needs to be bought by the racing community and return it to a dignified place, not what the current owners see it as (make the most money out of it, regardless if horse racing stays).

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Rachel — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:25:34 GMT

You are great, I wish you well and enjoy yourself.

Until people see racing as something that loves the horse first, you will not keep fans long. I have many horse friends that every weekend spend lots of money showing & competing in anything "horse." NOT ONE will even watch a race on TV with me, never mind actually go to the track.

Once horse racing treats its thoroughbred as something other than a breed that needs "rescuing" once its usefullness is over, you may get the horse crazy population to come & even spend a few bucks.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

katethegreat — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:24:06 GMT

The back stories are interesting and make good drama. The TV series about jockies was very entertaining and I hope it comes back. We also need more "underdog" stories, to emphasize the fact that modest people with limited income, can and do produce great racehorses. Horse racing is a suspension of reality, much like movies and other forms of entertainment.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Pedigree Ann — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:52:59 GMT

Would British or French or Australian authorities allow an individual track to emasculate two of their signature races, the way the NYRA has the CCA Oaks (which was the Fillies' Belmont) and the Suburban H (part of the handicap triple)? That's the problem with US racing; each track and/or state is its own fiefdom and is interested only in its own numbers, not in the sport as a whole. That's why the NTRA's lame 'Go Baby Go' ad campaign of the past had no impact; the idea had to be so generic, it had no focus.

In other countries, tracks can't schedule races that would attract the same horses at the same time, thus weakening fields. Like the Jim Dandy and the Haskell, same distance, same potential field, on the same weekend, a van-ride apart.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

David — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:52:15 GMT

Racing is faced with so many impediments for growth. Standardization isn’t in the vocabulary of most with meds, licensing, betting menus, tracks surfaces, alphabet soup organizations and market shareholders who don’t know each other’s phone numbers only the short list. Maybe Stacy is right though . . . forget about where to start and focus on a generic campaign surrounding what we know to be true – the game is pretty damn good.

As to funding, maybe some of the new-fangled Exchange platforms that claim to be lord and savior can provide put-ups. If you listen to those guys a marriage of their model and US racing is guaranteed to turn the tide. If that’s the case they can use some of those IPO proceeds to fund a campaign that will – by their own estimates – get an immediate return.

That, of course, begs the question of who is capable enough to aggregate existing recourses and garner new participation. You can’t play golf all the time Stacy.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

fanofallthree — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:09:18 GMT

Find a way to get more national TV coverage. Racing industry shot itself in the foot many years ago by not going with tv - afraid it was going to hurt betting.

You've got to bring the sport to the people - not the other way around.

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Roger Way — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:34:14 GMT

Yes,Stacy, racing is about people.I have always been buoyed with your compassion and understanding of the racing fan. You have done a lot for the good, but there is so much more to be done, and you will be missed. I hope you will find a way to stay involved in the greatest customer participating sport in the world.

rwwupl

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

RG — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:24:22 GMT

JAW

You see no charm in bottom claiming races?

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

John August West — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:24:26 GMT

What, exactly, does the horse racing industry actually have to promote or market?

The obscene takeouts that make serious wagering virtually foolish?

The way most of the real stars of the game are rushed to the breeding sheds after brief, three year old seasons?

The never-ending drugging issues?

Sure, there are great experiences to be had, like, for example, summer at Saratoga, or the excitement of a Triple Crown race. But more common are completely charmless and grimy racetracks, OTBs , and satellite wagering facilities, not to mention countless claiming races wherein the runners are worth less than a rebuilt transmission for an old used car.

What's the point of trying to attract new people to the game if, in the main, there is nothing to keep them there?

re: Racing, Promote Thyself - By Stacy Bearse

Gin Preston — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:43:54 GMT

You have been a great inspiration to your peers and staff throughout the years. You genuinely cared about your people! Good luck and good fortune, Stacy. Wonderful editorial, but will they listen?