Betting Sports Forum: Let's Give Racing The Royal Treatment

Betting Sports Forum: Let's Give Racing The Royal Treatment

By Daniel Collins, Baltimore Public Relations Examiner
If you’ve been following the story in the Baltimore Sun, you’re aware of Laurel Park’s attempts to procure slot machines, efforts that initially failed when Laurel (and Pimlico racetrack) owner, Magna Entertainment, failed to submit the $28.5 million in slots-applications fees.
My first thought was, why does it cost nearly $29 million just to APPLY for slots? I’m reminded of the insane fees car dealers charge (though maybe with the economy being like it is, they don’t anymore) just when you think you’ve negotiated a good price: “dealer prep” fees, advertising fees, destination charges, fees for “undercoating” and gosh knows what else.

The issue of slots in Maryland remains a public relations nightmare with no one looking good. Politicians have been divided as their constituents. On the one hand, having slots looks like an easy way to bring much needed dollars into the state (instead of having them go to Delaware, Pennsylvania or Virginia as Marylanders seek places to play slots). On the other hand, does encouraging people to toss away their money with gambling ethical? Will having slots attract criminal elements, organized crime?

For me, the bigger public relations issue is the future of Maryland racing. The Baltimore Sun has reported that Magna Entertainment is in financial difficulty and has hired bankruptcy attorneys. There’s been discussion that, given the sorry state of Pimlico and its environs, Maryland might lose one of its signature events, the Preakness Stakes. And you only need to visit Pimlico or Laurel on a weekday (or even Saturday when attendance should be at its height) to see that racing is truly suffering. Tiny, nay, microscopic “crowds,” if that isn’t an oxymoron, short fields…where once there were 11 or 12 horses in a race, I recently saw a race where only four horses went to the starting post—that’s practically a match race.

My father and his brothers trained and owned thoroughbreds back in the 50s and early 60s, so I’ve seen Maryland racing in better days. If I were the PR counsel for Maryland racing, the first thing I’d want to do is some research. Why has racing declined? Part of the reason may be simply the cost of operations. I’ve often said, if you want to lose money in a hurry, get into horse racing. There’s the cost of feeding, stabling, training the horse…monies for breeder, vet, jockey, exercise boy/girl, transportation, on and on, and the chances your horse is actually going to be a winner and bring home big purses? Well, it’s a long-shot (pun intended).

“Back in the day,” people didn’t have as many choices of activities to occupy their time. Now we have digital television, the internet, arena football, and Texas hold’em. Going to the races takes TIME. You have to DRIVE there. Park. Walk around aimlessly wondering where the grandstand is. Spend way too much money on a program or a copy of the Daily Racing Form which is about as easy to understand as hieroglyphics without the Rosetta Stone. And then you’ve got the odds…about 95% of people who go to the track don’t win any money. What fun is that, right? Let’s schedule focus groups and conduct opinion surveys to find out what people think about racing in general as well as what a trip to their local racetrack might, or should be, like.

Racetracks have tried to slap on other attractions in an attempt to get people to visit—kids games and rides, amusement parks. It’s like Starbucks trying to add a line of sandwiches, candy and baked goods—stick to what “got you there.” When you try to be all things to all people, you wind up being nothing to everybody.

Beyond Maryland Racing’s “Go Baby Go!” advertising campaign, I’ve seen little evidence of attempts to address racing’s ever dwindling attendance and sinking interest. Besides, as I’ve mentioned before in this blog, you don’t build through ads, you do it through public relations. The best ad campaign in the world won’t help you if you have a mediocre product.

Remember Frank Borman, former astronaut and president of Eastern Airlines? I can still see him in the airplane cockpit, turning to the camera and saying, “At Eastern Airlines, we earn our wings everyday!” Great ad campaign. Lousy airline. Anybody flown Eastern recently? Or Braniff? You get the idea.

The internet offers some options. How about an online Maryland Racing channel where you can see the previous day’s races for free? Or a paid channel where you can watch today’s races? Or bet online (but I’d put a cap on the betting…don’t want 3-year-olds who are computer savvy betting $50,000 on the chestnut in the third race…when I went to the track as a teen, I never carried more than $25, that way, I couldn’t lose more than that!)

At the track itself, how about having top sports radio talk shows broadcast from the track? Racing doesn’t just take place on Preakness Day you know. And as a PR sidebar, I say kudos to the Maryland Jockey Club for putting down it’s collective foot on having people bring alcohol to the Preakness infield (I’ve always HATED that, thought the uber-excessive drinking and idiocy that takes place on the infield to be a disgrace, as the revelers there care nothing for racing, you can’t even SEE the race from the infield, it’s merely an excuse to indulge in alcoholism).

Racing needs to find a way to stand on its four hooves. Not propped up with a kiddie park out front or fueled by slots. You don’t want the attraction to be the one-armed bandits, and, oh, by the way, you might notice some horses running by. We need to tap into what makes racing great, the SPORT OF KINGS. When I was young and went to the track with my Dad, I’d wear a sportscoat and tie. You DRESSED UP to go the races. It was serious, adult, because there was MONEY involved, and it was exciting. As an amateur handicapper, I can tell you there’s nothing more thrilling than to have analyzed a race, made a selection, bet on it, see the race take place just as you predicted and receiving a nice cash reward for your efforts.

Racing should offer workshops in handicapping, led by the sport’s leaders, not some guy who claims, as in the movie, LET IT RIDE!, “Had the Daily Double! Had the Daily Double!” (yeah, he sure did…9 months ago!). Offer classes through local schools and community colleges on the history of racing, what’s involved in breeding and selecting horses for this sport. People can’t APPRECIATE what they don’t know and understand.

Get creative. Commission some local university film students to create a documentary about Maryland racing and approach The Senator about having a special fundraising screening there.

Let’s give racing the "royal treatment," and make this noble sport noteworthy once again!



Betting Sports Forum: Let's Give Racing The Royal Treatment