JC / Railbird

Marketing

Noted and Noticed

Penn National chairman Peter Carlino and CHRB vice chairman David Israel don’t agree on the value of supplementing purses, but they do on racing’s demographic. “There aren’t sufficient numbers of racing customers in the world anymore because they died,” Carlino said today in an investors and analysts conference call. “The average age of our ontrack customer is deceased, and the average age of our satellite customer is decomposed,” Israel told attendees of the UA-RTIP symposium last December. At least Israel went on to talk about reaching out to potential un-dead fans.

HANA president Jeff Platt, a racing customer very much alive, talks to Jack Shinar about the month-long players’ boycott of California. “Right now I believe there are a number of people in track management that are considering going to the CHRB to ask that it rescind the takeout increase,” said Platt, who took part in recent meetings with track executives. “The TOC is being very tight-lipped about this. This was a horsemen’s idea, after all, not a track idea.” No comment on the boycott from the TOC to Shinar. (Are they just considering, or have they already had discussions about rescinding the takeout increase? That’s an interesting question, considering the depressed handle and what must be growing concern re: the purse account.)

The equine California makes his debut in race eight at Gulfstream on Saturday in the first race at Gulfstream on Sunday. Trainer Todd Pletcher scratched the Madcap Escapade colt from a race that included barnmate Cal Nation, a half-brother to graded stakes winner Bluegrass Cat, and re-entered him in a race that came up a little less contentious. John Velazquez is named to ride on Sunday, instead of Ramon Dominguez, who had the mount in Saturday’s race.

2/7/11 Addendum: California finished third in his first start.

Posted in Industry on February 3, 2011 / Tagged Boycott, California, California (Horse), HANA, Horseplayers, Marketing, Penn National

Hey, LA Foodies

Here’s a reason to attend Sunshine Millions Day at Santa Anita:

We think our infield is a perfect location for a Food Truck Festival so we’ve scheduled one for Sunshine Millions Day, Jan. 29. We’ll have Canter’s Deli, Don Chow Tacos, Border Grill, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Baby’s Badass Burgers, Dante Fried Chicken, South Philly Experience, Dogtown Dogs …

Yum, to all.

Posted in Racing on December 9, 2010 / Tagged California, Food Trucks, Marketing, Railbird Approved Mashups, Santa Anita, Sunshine Millions

Saratoga vs. Monmouth

There’s no need for competition, Ed Fountaine writes:

NYRA should embrace the Haskell — which is, after all, merely a prep race for the marquee event of the Saratoga meet, the 141st Travers Stakes on Aug. 28. Since the same all-star horses that face off at Monmouth on Sunday will renew their rivalry in the “Midsummer Derby,” NYRA should start beating the drums now. Advertise that the local fans can watch and bet on the Haskell at Saratoga on Sunday. Show the race on the infield TV screens. Turn the tables on Monmouth Park by using their signature race to promote yours.

Especially if you’re NYRA, and you’re likely to win the numbers game: The test of Monmouth’s “elite meet” handle figures was always going to be the opening of Saratoga. Friday, when the Spa kicked off its 40-day meet, the New Jersey track took in $5,515,194, a decline of 20% from $6,898,633 the previous Friday, while attendance remained roughly the same. Sunday, Monmouth was down 11% compared to the previous Sunday. Saturday was the odd day out, as Haskell day will certainly be next weekend. With the Lady’s Secret and Rachel Alexandra featured, handle was up 25% and attendance up 37%, which tracked nicely with on-track handle, up 35% over the previous Saturday.

At Saratoga, the first four days of this year’s extended meeting have been declared satisfactory: “Average all-sources handle, wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and from simulcast outlets nationwide, came to $12,834,190 daily, for a total of $51,336,758.” Attendance averaged 18,133 per day.

Related: Steve Zorn offers a more comprehensive comparison.

Posted in Racing on July 27, 2010 / Tagged Attendance, Haskell Stakes, Marketing, Monmouth Park, Saratoga, Summer Meets, Travers Stakes

Know Your Bloggers

At the NTRA marketing summit last September, I was asked by one industry executive how racetracks should deal with racing bloggers. I replied vaguely along the lines of, “Get to know the bloggers covering your circuit.”

While reading reactions to the failed SXSW panel “New Think for Old Publishers” this morning, I came across this advice to the publishing industry, which struck me as a similar, but more articulate response to the question:

Aside three: Might as well address the blogger question. It’s quite simple. Find the bloggers big and small in your various genres, develop a relationship with them, understand their tastes, like, dislikes, deadlines, lead time, preferred method of communication, preferred formats for books [remember, they are publishers too and have many of the same issues you have]. Treat the bloggers with respect — you need them more than they need you. And note, the publishers who are already doing this well are leaps and bounds ahead of you.

A few adjustments and the prescription works for racing: Find the bloggers big and small covering your racetrack(s) or events; develop relationships with them; understand the stories and angles that appeal to them, their publishing schedules, and their preferred forms of communication. Add them to your mailing list for press releases and reply to their questions as you would inquiries from other media sources. Treat bloggers with respect.

Hm … that is quite simple.

Posted in Media on March 17, 2009 / Tagged Blogging, Industry, Marketing, Media, Racetracks