Any ideas how to make racing more attractive to the man on the street?

What is the clanners feel about this????

its not our job,we love racing and try our best by supplying the sport with the tools,horses and cash from the pools.
Let the operators sort racing out..

@Hibs:

'its not our job,we love racing and try our best by supplying the sport with the tools,horses and cash from the pools.
Let the operators sort racing out..'

(tu)

What is the point?

Horse racing is like chess or stamp collection or more like wine drinking. The people who want it know who they are.

People have interests in things that fascinate them, or satisfies some need. Racing is cool because it's strategy AND money, and exciting once you get it. "We" shouldn't be that concerned about "the man in the street" because thats not something that will ever propel the sport forward.

"We" should be worried about treating the existing fans the best we can. Stop losing the ones we have, because the entrance knowledge threshold is very big. Racing can be very difficult for someone who has had no exposure from family or close friends or colleagues.

There is really only one "we", the players and the providers collectively are Horseracing. Best the one group start treating the other better. They think they are, but they aren't.

The 13th race must be run by fillies, not colts(geldings in some cases><

Jack Dash Wrote:

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> What is the point?
>
> Horse racing is like chess or stamp collection or
> more like wine drinking. The people who want it
> know who they are.
>
> People have interests in things that fascinate
> them, or satisfies some need. Racing is cool
> because it's strategy AND money, and exciting once
> you get it. "We" shouldn't be that concerned
> about "the man in the street" because thats not
> something that will ever propel the sport forward.
>
>
> "We" should be worried about treating the existing
> fans the best we can. Stop losing the ones we
> have, because the entrance knowledge threshold is
> very big. Racing can be very difficult for
> someone who has had no exposure from family or
> close friends or colleagues.
>
> There is really only one "we", the players and the
> providers collectively are Horseracing. Best the
> one group start treating the other better. They
> think they are, but they aren't.


I agree 100% - imo start with transparency.

In Gauteng 'rumours' abound that the Vaal racecourse has been sold (signed, sealed and delivered) and that a piece of ground near Lanseria has been 'identified' to develop a new 'racing village'; another 'rumour' doing the rounds is that as the Vaal will be closed down, Bloemfontein will be re-opened and the Kimberley guys will be re-located to Bloem.

Now is it too much to ask for the authorities to come out and either deny these 'rumours' or confirm them and make 'us' aware of what is being planned for the future?

At least in KZN, GC has come out and stated what the plans are (even though some may disagree with them)

You dont sell RACING per say, you sell the element of personal appeal that racing provides.

I am 28 years old and I love the sport of racing because I grew up with my dad and grandfather being punters of note.

However to my fellow business associates, I sell them the glamour and prestige of the racing lifestyle. Fine whiskey, dining, the experience of the Sport of Kings.

To my fellow female friends, I take them to the stables or to the parade ring so that they can see how "pretty and cute" the horsies are (This scores BEEG points -).

To my fellow party mates, I take them out boozing so they get more encouraged to shout home the horse they have wagered R6 on; this creates a new partying experience for them, one that they will always come back to.

Through this process, we have gained the odd interest of people to consider ownership into horses as well. Its not an aggressive nor a conscious strategy, but it works at a basic level.

A while back, a group of people wondered how to bring the youth into this game... I think they even donated a horse to the youth. I dont recall hearing any development on that initiative.

Frodo Wrote:

---

> Jack Dash Wrote:
>

---

>

---

> > What is the point?
> >
> > Horse racing is like chess or stamp collection
> or
> > more like wine drinking. The people who want
> it
> > know who they are.
> >
> > People have interests in things that fascinate
> > them, or satisfies some need. Racing is cool
> > because it's strategy AND money, and exciting
> once
> > you get it. "We" shouldn't be that concerned
> > about "the man in the street" because thats not
> > something that will ever propel the sport
> forward.
> >
> >
> > "We" should be worried about treating the
> existing
> > fans the best we can. Stop losing the ones we
> > have, because the entrance knowledge threshold
> is
> > very big. Racing can be very difficult for
> > someone who has had no exposure from family or
> > close friends or colleagues.
> >
> > There is really only one "we", the players and
> the
> > providers collectively are Horseracing. Best
> the
> > one group start treating the other better.
> They
> > think they are, but they aren't.
>
>
> I agree 100% - imo start with transparency.
>
> In Gauteng 'rumours' abound that the Vaal
> racecourse has been sold (signed, sealed and
> delivered) and that a piece of ground near
> Lanseria has been 'identified' to develop a new
> 'racing village'; another 'rumour' doing the
> rounds is that as the Vaal will be closed down,
> Bloemfontein will be re-opened and the Kimberley
> guys will be re-located to Bloem.
>
> Now is it too much to ask for the authorities to
> come out and either deny these 'rumours' or
> confirm them and make 'us' aware of what is being
> planned for the future?
>
> At least in KZN, GC has come out and stated what
> the plans are (even though some may disagree with
> them)

10 odd years ago we were closing racecourses, now they want to re-open or rebuild...:S

On the Zwartkops (motor) racing website www.zwartkops.co.za/ the following is published:

The Zwartkops Spectator
“The paying public are the most important visitors at our race tracks. They are not dependent on us. We are dependent on them.
They are not an interruption to our motor racing. They are the purpose of it.
They are also not an outsider to our business. They are part of it.
We are not doing them a favour by racing. They are doing us a favour by their attendance in giving us an opportunity to go motor racing.”
Adapted from Mahatma Gandhi – “A consumer is the most important visitor on our premises…”; and

Zwartkops Motor Racing focus is:
“To take care of the fans and the competitors. Our fans are our customers and they are our greatest asset.
"To have fans we must sell them a memory as much as a race. If we want crowds then we have to entertain”.

My sixpence:
Ensure people feel important.

Welcome people at the entrances with enthusiastic ambassadors.

Call for volunteer pretend owners - to accompany a real willing owner with his horse into the parade ring to greet the jock and trainer and hopefully again in the winner's box.

Lots and lots of sign posts for the paddock, bookmakers, totes, eating places. Newcomers deliberately head for a restaurant to find a loo.

Ensure the facilities, lights, plumbing, etc are all working. Ensure the floors are in good condition. Ensure the elevators are working. On jockeys international day at Turffontein access to the grandstand next to the Elevation Room from Kelvin's bar was just too dreadful for my visitors.

Reinstitute a simple non-tasteless dress code for all.

Dont rip-off the prices on food and drink.

Ensure the walkway from the car park to the grandstand is conducive for ladies in high heels. Marble Arch at Turffontein is fine enough but the alternative walkway on big race days is just too dreadful. So too is the alternative entrance to the grandstand.

Provide copious golf carts on big race days.

Provide a big (or at least some) presence of police - Champ de Mars does.

Ensure an enthusiastic catering staff. Ones who want to be there.

Ban swearing :

what is the diffrence between a guy who put millions into the game
and the guy on the street who bet a R10 a day everyday for the rest of his life!!!!!

gregbucks Wrote:

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> Frodo Wrote:
>

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>

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> > Jack Dash Wrote:
> >
>

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>
> >

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> > > What is the point?
> > >

>
> 10 odd years ago we were closing racecourses, now
> they want to re-open or rebuild...:S

I'm pretty sure we don't need more racecourses....most of our racecourses are unused 5 days out of 7.

What we do need is a massive investment in the facilities where we keep our horses to be trained every day. That's the home fire.

firstly, it needs a market offer change which includes transparency and proper systems control and reporting so that timeous and reliable (building brand trust) information is imparted to that very 'man in the street', which is much the same as the 'current customer', only it represents a far bigger % of the population out there. Without this happening, flow of funds will continue to shrink, and assets will continue to be sold. Trying to build a market based solely on empty betting tickets will not work - may as well go to the casino. Have to build a fan base of followers and an understanding of the sport in order to develop a sustainable market.