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Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
Enlighten me....tell me exactly how racing is going to fund itself in addition to betting revenue and slot revenue. I would love to hear your ideas....seriously.
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Seriously, my only point is this: in the end, since people can choose to bet on any sport they like these days, even if you are going to argue that betting is king, it still helps if you have a popular sport. And that ultimately means a greater number of people watching it. There's no way that "educating" people about betting on racing is going to solve anything. Educating what people? Who is suddenly going to get interested in wagering on horses when they don't find anything of interest in the races? Why should non-fans (but people who might like betting) somehow like betting on horseracing (when it's arguably more complicated and harder work) better than betting for their football/basketball team to win on Monday night, when that's a simple choice of team A versus team B and they actually enjoy watching the games, because they can talk to people the next day who have also watched the game?
Again, I am not overlooking the importance of wagering to the sport, far from it. I'm just saying that marketing horseracing means milking the KD and TC for all it is worth, because that's the only place where mass public awareness and interest in the sport resides. The fact that no horse has won it for so long -- that's a story, and that's what has brought people out to Belmont Park in droves for the last few years when the TC was on the line (and yes, happily they bet once they get there, even if they only know SJ or FC and haven't a clue about the rest of the field). And maybe the following year, they'll watch a few preps on ESPN too because they get interested in the 3yos and the next one that might do it, and that interest might even extend to the 2yos and some of the non-TC winners who actually stay running after the TC and in the BC. And maybe that helps keep horseracing on TV before it is forgotten all together. Maybe if more people watch there are ratings and advertising revenues at stake, and more corporate sponsorship, etc. I agree that those revenues are not going to replace betting revenue and slots, but it doesn't have to be one or the other: a wider following for racing would ultimately boost the sport's bottom line, and that irrespective of these new fans' interest in or lack of interest in wagering. Now, if they both watch the sport on TV and bet, that's even better...but please don't tell me that higher TV ratings are not an asset for a sport, or I was obviously not raised on the same planet.