The Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming continued into its second day, focusing on strategies to keep racing both relevant and profitable.
Paul Roberts got things started with a presentation titled “Redevelopment Strategies to Increase Business at North American Racetracks.” The speech detailed Roberts’ recommendations for American tracks moving into the future. Roberts, the UK-based director of Turnberry Consulting, began by giving an overview of many recognizable and diverse racetracks from around the world, pointing out the staggering differences in racecourses on each continent.
“Racing is global and harmonized,” Roberts explained. “Racetracks are not.” Saratoga is a breath of fresh air after a winter and spring spent surrounded by concrete in the city on the NYRA circuit, while Ascot is “an equine-based theatrical show,” packed full of eager fans for each race meet. These kinds of unique attributes should be capitalized on in the U.S. “There’s a great opportunity in American racing to look at racing as a sport; as an experience,” he stated. “A signature race doesn’t need to be a big race, it just needs to be a big race for that track.”
That sentiment was echoed in the following panel that looked at various strategies to keep racing relevant in the face of casino gaming in a shared facility. Yves Ronin, with GROUPE CARRUS-The Parimutuel Company in France, emphasized that the market in which a live racetrack operates is a changing one that has been negatively affected by the digital revolution. The music industry has managed to succeed with the live concert product even though their record sales fell due to Internet availability. “Racetracks must be to wagerers what concerts are to music fans,” Ronin concluded. The live product can revive the industry.
Afternoon panels took a closer look at marketing to the new, casual customer and the potential for tracks to promote the thoroughbred and racing at the same time. Many organizations are working to change the image of the off-track thoroughbred from “unwanted” to “asset.” Steuart Pittman, founder and president of the Retired Racehorse Training Project, recognizes the thoroughbred as “the ultimate sport horse,” and his organization is working to bring the breed back to prominence in the sport horse world.
Also on Wednesday, Dale Romans accepted the Turf Publicists of America’s Big Sport of Turfdom Award. Sherwood Chillingworth, executive vice president of Oak Tree Racing Association, was awarded the Clay Puett Award for outstanding contribution to the racing industry and Raj Mutti, Regional General Manager, British Columbia Racing for Great Canadian Gaming Corporation was recognized with the John K. Goodman RTIP Alumni Award. Matt Benton was named the Race Track Industry Program’s Distinguished Student Award winner.
(Symposium on Racing & Gaming)