The University of Arizona has announced the panel lineup for the 2014 Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming, to be held December 8-11, in Tucson, Arizona.

The five topic areas of interest being focused on – from both the North American and international perspective – during this year’s event are: field size, selling the racing product, racing’s place in the digital world, and global wagering and regulation.

Panel sessions and events include:

DECLINING FIELD SIZE: A GLOBAL ISSUE

The panelists will provide a comprehensive look at the issues and metrics associated with the field size, where it is growing, where it’s declining and the effect on the bottom line using studies that were done on the global marketplace. Closer to home, a racing executive and a professional horseplayer will give their take on how this issue has affected their businesses.

BREAKING WITH TRADITION: ECONOMIC MODEL

According to The Jockey Club statistics, the average Thoroughbred race horse made 6.3 starts in 2013 and costs from $25,000-$50,000 per year to keep in training. Panelists will look at new ideas and methods of distributing the revenues of racing that will shake up the systems currently in use. Maybe it’s time to change tradition. What would be the effect of changing the traditional purse distribution to one that would allow more horses to ‘earn their keep’? Encouraging starts per stall? Purses being connected to the field size? The business pros and cons will be discussed as well as any issues that could potentially affect equine safety and welfare.

BREAKING WITH TRADITION: SUPPLY MODEL

Although the number of races run in the U.S. has steadily declined, the foal crop and starts per horse have declined at a greater rate leaving five and six horse fields the norm in many areas. The current business model of tracks running 4-5 days a week, nine races per day is unsustainable. This session puts the traditional model of creating and presenting the racing card under the microscope. What would the effect be of changing the traditional race day of 8-10 races to 6 races? Creating a more streamlined menu of conditions for races? Changing the statistics for trainers to an ROI of training days rather than just publishing the win percentage that encourages them to start horses only in the ‘perfect spot’? The business pros and cons will be discussed as well as any issues that could potentially affect equine safety and welfare.

CREATING A POSITIVE RACINO ENVIRONMENT – MAKING RACING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE EXPERIENCE

The growth of racinos has changed the organization’s marketing direction and rewards programs gearing both towards casino players. The horseplayer often gets few amenities and either a substandard reward or no consideration at all, but does it have to be that way? Get an insider’s look at Hoosier Park’s high energy staff and the innovative approaches they take to marketing racing. See how they position horses and drivers as ‘sports stars’ and create as much excitement at the races as you find in the casino.

CAPITALIZING ON DIGITAL MARKETING

How have organizations reinvented their marketing departments and what new technologies are there to assist the online marketer? Your organization is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms. While you know how many followers you have, do you know if you are reaching the right audience and creating new fans? Do you know what is said about your brand in the social media? Panelists will discuss how to engage influencers, maximize and measure the results of your social media efforts.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE WAGERING EXPERIENCE

In the U.S., approximately 85 per cent of the wagering on a live card comes from a location other than the racetrack. While broadcast upgrades can be costly, there is digital technology you can afford to improve the customer experience both on and off track and set your presentation apart from the competition.

MAKING EVERYTHING MOBILE

Technology can be a blessing and a curse, but no one can dispute the power of the handheld device. It affects every aspect of our daily life. Panelists will discuss the ‘how to’ of making everything mobile – from your message to your product and service delivery – and give practical advice on why, what and ‘how’ to make sure you are maximizing mobile to deliver content and provide exceptional service to your customers.

ADW ISSUES – FUNDING AND FRAUD

While wagering on pari-mutuel racing was carved out of the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, one of the consequences of the law has been a high number of rejections by credit card companies on gambling funding transactions. As more wagering dollars are moved through ADWs and other digital means, the challenges to both the consumer and operator have changed. What are people doing to fund accounts and avoid fraud? This is a challenge for any ‘digital cash’ operator.

GLOBAL SIMULCAST MARKETPLACE

The marketplace is a unique event that brings buyers and sellers of global racing content together to meet and work through opportunities to expand their simulcast distribution. Open to all conference attendees.

UPDATES FROM THE GLOBAL WAGERING MARKETS

Representatives from some of the largest importers and exporters of international simulcast signals discuss the latest changes and trends and share progress reports; included is an update on the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s simulcast expansion.

THE CONTROL ROOM: MONITORING THE HEARTBEAT OF THE GAMBLING DAY AT THE RACES

A look at Racing Victoria’s (Australia) control room, will illustrate how cutting-edge technology creates a level playing field for tracks of all sizes around the country in both the areas of wagering and officiating. All aspects of the day are carefully scrutinized including wagering world-wide, expected performance issues, and expanding the knowledge base to assist stewards in decision making and enforcement of the rules.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS – WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN THE STEWARD’S STAND DURING A DAY OF RACING?

To complement the presentation by Racing Victoria, the Racing Officials Accreditation program (ROAP) will create a true-to-life steward’s stand on the conference stage showing the processes used and issues dealt with on a daily basis by the stewards. The scenarios will show how decisions are made, rules are enforced and stewards deal with the unexpected. A mock race day steward’s stand shows it is not always smooth sailing.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN RACING: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED THE GAME

Mark Kaufman Workshop presented by the Turf Publicists of America (TPA).

INTERNATIONAL TOTE PROTOCOL MEETING

Hosted by the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB).

Accredited racing officials may also earn continuing education credit by attending the regulatory-based sessions. Full details on earning this credit are available by contacting the Racing Officials Accreditation Program.

Updated speaker lists and registration information is available on the event website (ua-rtip.org/symposium).

(With files from RTIP)