I can't wait to see what Standardbred Canada unveils at its press conference in Sarnia on Wednesday. I have no inside track on the subject but I'm sure it relates to increasing wagering and lighting a fire under Standardbred marketing.
I do know that people in the sport are tired of industry leaders going to meetings, pontificating about the problems and what needs to be done, then going home without any follow-up. Then the whole process starts over the next year.
Again, I don't know what Standardbred Canada is going to propose, but at least it is taking some action. If it offers new ideas or plans for the sport, we should probably give 'em a try. What have we got to lose? In many cases, the same/old same/old approach sure ain't working.
It always astonished me that in the face of plummeting handle and attendance, organizations and tracks persist in presenting the same product to the public. Sure, McDonald's starting selling burgers and fries and they still offer them, but the menu at McDonald's has expanded greatly over the year. If the menu had stayed the same, Mickey D's probably wouldn't be around. So it is with harness tracks.
I applaud SC for its efforts to take the matter seriously and to present some options. I'm waiting to see what's new on the menu.