Everything is Relative!
While reading each of the above posts I had some thoughts on most of them some I agree with and some I do not. Any way the sport has been "dying" for as long as I have been a fan (about 26 years.) I do not have actual figures in front of me but I would venture to guess that while attendance is decling national handle is probably remaining fairly constant or even improving.
Here are my thoughts & comments on the above posts:
Post # 1 Declining attendance for 30 years back when Ruffian ran.
This is probably true. If you think about some of the old races you have seen and look at the charts to the races we can see attendance was higher in the 40s & 50s than it was in the 70s & 80s. I would think this decline could be attributable to different forms of entertainment being created. Most homes only had a radio in the 40s & 50s but by the 70s they probably all had color TV (technicolor no less.)
Today most homes have computers with internet access, cable or satellite TV, multiple phones, etc. The NFL was in its infancy, the Superbowl was not yet an "EVENT", only folks in the south cared about stock car racing, remeber that term. Casinos only existed in Las Vegas, and it was run by small group of individuals. The world is much different place today than it was when Ruffian ran.
Post # 2 - Early breeding is to blame.
Is that really true? Wasn't Secretariat retired at the end of his 3 year old campaign? I know one horse, but do you honestly think "The incomparable, invincible, unbeatable CIGAR" would have run as a four or five year old if he had his winning streak start during his two year old campaign instead of his four year old campaign. I known Allen Paulson was a sportsman, but even he might have thougt about selling out.
Post # 8 - NTRA is Useless.
I tend to agree with that comment. When it was founded my ex-brother in-law said that it was the greatest advertising coup ever created. A bunch of advertsiing execs. selling a struggling industry on the idea of spending million$ on an advertising campaign. I think the money could have been spent better going back into purses or research or creating a nationall orgainzation to standardize the rules nationwide, I know it will never happen but there has got to be a point when the tracks can say no mas to the NTRA. Hopefully before it is too late.
Post # 11 - Take out driving bettors away
Is the take out really that horrendous? The take out at the NYRA tracks is between 15% for straight bets and 25% for exotic bets. I don't think that is too bad given most state lotteries have a much higher takeout probably approaching 50% in most states.
Post # 14 - There is nothing to do for a 4 year old at the track.
Take your son to Saratoga he will love it, there is plenty of ice cream, candy soda etc. He can even try some Carolina BBQ. My son is 5 now and has been to Saratoga every year since he was 4 months old. Granted I have totally brainwashed him into loving horse racing (so much that he will not go to bed without watching some horse racing on the computer OK perhaps I went a little to far.) but there is plenty for children to do at Saratoga. The Breakfast and tram ride to the back side come to mind.
Some of my own observations:
Breeders Cup:
Is it possible that the Breeders Cup is destroying racing to some degree. I know that at the end of the year there is one great day of racing, but what has been the cost of that one day? Now the entire Fall Championship meetings whether at Keeneland, Belmont or Santa Anita have become "prep" races for the Breeders Cup. Prior to the Breeders' Cup these races actually had full fields and were competetive. Do any of you remember when the Woodward or Jockey Club Gold Cup were races with full fields and the outcome had year end award implications?
Shut down some tracks for a couple of months:
Is winter Racing necessary?
A also think the need to have a full year of racing across the country is hurting racing. Do we really need to be running at Aqueduct, Philly Park, Turfway in January and February. Give the horses a couple of months off and perhaps when the tracks do reopen we'll have some races with more than 6 horses per race.
Hopefully this wasn't too long.
|