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Originally Posted by Suffolk Shippers
The ADW debacle is just that. The fact that there has been an economic downturn only puts a little lipstick on the pig so to say. The industry seems content with putting itself at a distinct disadvantage in terms of ADW.
I like to compare the whole ADW situation to specialty retailers about 8-10 years ago. The web provided a whole new mechanism to bring their products to customers. To survive and thrive, businesses needed to augment their in store product with online shopping. Horse racing has long faced a steady on track live handle decline. The web provides an enormous opportunity for growth to grow handles, increase purses, etc...not everyone can get to an OTB, not everyone has a local greyhound track to wager at.
Just like not everyone who wanted Gap jeans or American Eagle gear could get to a store. Bettors can not get to a window to wager.
The virtual "betting window" is such a huge opportunity, where if done correctly, opens so many avenues to consumers. Just like online shopping opened doors to many shoppers. Retailers do not shut off taking orders anywhere BUT the state where their headquarters is. Why on earth do horseman groups do so?
Would retailers only allow online consumers shop for pants on Black Friday? Not shirts, not socks, not shoes, just pants. What a insane statement that is. But that horse racing equivalent is the fact that online consumers could not bet the Kentucky Derby card this year with the exception of the race itself. Racing's biggest day on it's most grand of stages.
Most people who want to bet can find their way around ADW disputes, whether it be on track bets, off shore, simulcast, OTB, whatever, and that many sustain for awhile. But with out complete growth in ADW the sport will always be short changing itself. Not to mention it will always continue to piss off some of the sports biggest supporters.
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First..minor point, but ironically, this is probably a good time for this to be happening. While the ADW situation is certainly contributing to the handle decline, it is probably affecting a lesser percentage than if business were booming, relatively speaking.
Second, the above analysis just isn't comparable. Retailers control their own profit structure when they sell on line.Even if they sell through Amazon or a third party, they still determine their profit margin. To Steve's point, this fight is because horseman, tracks and ADW suppliers DO understand what is at stake. It is narrowminded to just suggest that the Horseman are at fault for not accepting what the tracks and ADWs want. There will always be a symbiotic relationship between the three factors, but for the horseman ( and we're not talking Pletcher and Assmussen here) do you really think they are losing sleep because the bettor can't wager on CD? If the deal in place doesn't make financial sense in the first place, then why continue to support a losing cause?