"There is a common or central challenge that has really emerged over the past few years, and that is halt the decline in the business and start
building the business."
On today's edition of Trot Radio, Norm Borg and Ontario Racing Commission's CEO John Blakney discusses efforts to define a new model for thoroughbred and harness racing in Ontario.
The ORC's initial founding principles for creating an acceptable Ontario racing model are as follows.
1. Enhance live racing and provide benefit to the agricultural sector in Ontario.
2. Provide a fair return on investment over the short term while protecting value for owners and communities over the long term.
3. Provide customer-focused, competitive racing by recognizing both supply and demand.
4. Take a self-sustaining approach, using funds raised through public policy to enhance this self sustaining economic model for horse racing.
5. Encourage and provide incentives for live racing.
6. Be simple and objective.
Through exploration, seven keys components were identified as as part of the solution:
1. The Sport of Horse racing a “legitimate business” in the Entertainment and Gaming Industry
2. Purse distribution aligned with competitive pari-mutuel markets
3. Optimal quantity of racing to maximize profit on pari-mutuel wager
4. Racetrack Classification/Categorization
5. Rewards for behaviours that support live racing
6. Competitive betting opportunities
7. Live racing and simulcasting management system
The discussion between Blakney and Borg is available below.
Episode 116 - John Blakney of the Ontario Racing Commission
Running Time: 9:30
Audio Format: MP3 audio
Host: Norm Borg
Surprise, surprise once
Surprise, surprise once again all window dressing with no real solutions being offered. In the radio interview i did not hear one mention of reducing track takeouts. To halt the declining wager two things need to be addressed. They need competitive fields and fair takeouts. No more then 10% in any pool. It stops and ends there, everything else is window dressing They want to halt the decline in business yet they think they can do it and be totally uncompetitive with other forms of gambling such as poker and sports. At times i ask myself if the top people in the industry are going to start getting it in time to turn things around. It is not much wonder this sport is dying a slow and certain death.