It has become a trend over the past few years to see advertisements in Toronto-area newspapers for some of the Meadowlands Racetrack's top standardbred stakes
events. Trot Insider has spoken with Meadowlands Racetrack marketing manager Rachel Ryan in regard to the practice which she states has proven quite worthwhile.
"Over the past couple of years we have really tried to focus in on the simulcasting areas which show a strong interest in the Meadowlands standardbred product," Ryan explained.
When its target is ascertained, the Meadowlands' marketing initiative utilizes multiple forms of media. The Big M uses website banners, print ads and much more in non-local markets in an effort to maximize the flow of bettor capital to Meadowlands pari-mutuel pools.
"Over the past few years we have focused strongly on the areas of Delaware, Ohio, Lexington, Kentucky and Toronto, Ontario," said Ryan, who told Trot Insider that the three vicinities have shown quite an interest in the Big M product.
"In addition to web advertising, we ran a single print ad in the Toronto paper last year for the Breeders Crown and also ran an ad for the Meadowlands' online survival contest," she explained. "We saw a 50 per cent increase in our survival contest. The responses and numbers that we have seen from the initiatives have been good. It is a practice that we are going to be continuing."
The Meadowlands placed an advertisement for this Saturday's Hambletonian eliminations in the sports section of the Toronto Star's Wednesday, July 29 edition. The ad, which screams the headline 'Survival of the Fastest,' conveys who standout trotter Muscle Hill is and briefly explains the colt's quest for Hambo glory.
Besides the Hambletonian elims, the advertisement also promotes the $200,000 Golden Girls Stakes for mares, the elims for the Hambletonian Oaks for trotting fillies, and, on the wagering end of things, the $50,000 guaranteed Pick 4 which will be offered Saturday.
Although the Meadowlands ad in the Toronto Star does help promote local horseracing in Southern Ontario, Ryan told Trot Insider that the cost of the newspaper ad comes out of the Meadowlands budget on its own.
To view the draw results for the Hambletonian eliminations this Saturday at the East Rutherford, New Jersey racetrack, click here.
This is a wonderful example
This is a wonderful example of marketing at its best. Identify who is interested and then reach out to them. Use your star power as a hook and make sure other aspects of your business are promoted. WEG should take note and see what is available coming the other way for things like the NA Cup. By extension, all tracks need to look at what their markets and reach are and not be afraid to go after the base that is there and perhaps pick up interest from some new folks as well