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Originally Posted by Danzig
we wonder why we can't get backing or support for our industry from outsiders...and our own industry is attacking itself from within. we all expect the racing ship to sail in one direction, but those in the ship are all rowing in different directions. isn't everyone really on the same side, once it's all said and done?
what a mess...
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I disagree Deb, and the throwing of hands up in the air in disgust and frustration is no help. It's not a mess and it's not the industry attacking itself from within. Given the lack of a ruling body to bring these parties together for collective bargaining or similar negotiations, this particular confrontation is undergoing a natural process for determination of who is 'most' right.
Would it have been nice if there had been foresight 10-15 years ago as to these issues presenting themselves? Sure.. But there wasn't, and the technology has moved faster than the industry's ability to comprehend the ramifications. As a result, it's important that a fair, long term, mutually beneficial arrangement be made between the betting platforms (A), bricks and mortar operators (B) and the horsemen/ownership entities (C). For that to happen, everone involved has to understand and respect each parties contributions to the end product that we the customers are 'buying'.
The dynamic changed tremendously from the origins, when there were the tracks and horsemen only, to now. And the tracks suddenly getting in the business of bet-taking via the platforms is an added wrinkle... A period of hard negotiations and decisions is a necessary part of the evolution going on, and the process is a lot closer to having firm foundations from which to work forward than there was even one year ago.