ESPN Dropping More Horse Races

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The bird has flown on racing being a popular spectator sport. There was a time when television contracts were becoming popular where racing had an opportunity to gain significant exposure via the airwaves but opted against it and at this point in time, sports like football capitalized.

You're speaking of "if" and the "industry" but are forgetting about the people who are in charge of the game right now. Oh wait, that's right, no one is in charge of the game. It is a system of state-by-state governing bodies that have differing opinions on safety, wagering, takeout, and many other issues. Expecting, or even dreaming that somehow someone (and we don't even know who because we have quotations around there supposed name) is going to come along, scoop up all the fragments of this game, build something sophisticated like a racing network and a not-for-profit ADW has as much chance of happening as Jorge Chavez starting at Center for the Knicks next year.

NT

Chavez starting for the Knicks would be it for me, I would die a happy man.

But you're right... and I'm speaking optimistically obviously.

[Travis Stone]

I will add this though... as a pure spectator sport in that 15,000 will show up for races consistently definitely not. But, horse racing is far from dead. And there are ways to fix it, it will probably requires lots of outside the box thinking, and some fairly obvious stuff as well.

[Bobby Fischer]

we know how great the sport and the game is