Shake it off

[fkach]

>For horse racing to survive, consolidation has to also bring with it lower takeout in order to compete with the vastly expanded gambling options nowadays.<

I think that\'s the biggest argument for it.

Let\'s just say for example that the only tracks in the US were BEL, SAR, GP, HIA (I can dream), DMR, SA, HOL, CD, KEE, OP, FG, and AP.

All the people that bet into the other tracks around the country wouldn\'t suddenly stop betting just because their local track closed. Many of them would switch to one of the major tracks via internet, phone, or local simulcast facilites. That would cause the handle to explode at the remaining tracks. The survivors could then easily afford to raise the purses, upgrade the facilities and STILL LOWER the take because the expenses per track would hardly budge.

In the mean time I\'d bet there are better economic uses for the land at virtually every track that closed down.

The only issue is that some state/local governments might get a smaller slice of the action even if other businesses were developed on the properties. Government is pretty much always the problem in this country.

[congaree1]

The sport will survive even though the take sucks. IMO, the bottom line is, the sport does not exist without gamblers. I just don\'t see where the next wave will come from.

[P-Dub]

congaree1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The sport will survive even though the take sucks.
> IMO, the bottom line is, the sport does not exist
> without gamblers. I just don\'t see where the next
> wave will come from.

Exactly.

The problem with consolidation is that it makes for less places for people to experience live racing. I would guess that most, if not all, of the people around here fell in love with racing through experiencing it live.  Sure,  we all love to wager and by now most will wager via internet, television, or live. But how do you cultivate the next generation of racing fans??

will players wager on the existing tracks if their local ones close?? Probably. But how do you introduce new people to the sport if there isn\'t a live venue to attend?? I doubt you can do it with a television monitor.

What about the trickle down effect of lost jobs?? Not only those at the tracks themselves, but around the various states that support racing?? Seems like there will be lost jobs away from the track too.

Better econmic use for the property??  Such as?? Commercial property?? How many Starbucks and Quiznos do you need??  Residential property, condos, houses??  That market is in the toilet right now.

I\'m sure a Super Circuit sounds like a great thing for gamblers.  But that list of racetracks left out many that don\'t need to be consolidated. And if you take away these venues, good luck finding the next generation.

[congaree1]

I think NTRA and Television has spent alot of money trying to promote the game. In a nutshell, it hasn\'t worked! I was a product of my enviorment. My family was involved with the game, many years before me. Like P-Dub said the economy is in the toilet. From 1989 through 2005, I bet 250k a week on dog racing. In the last three years, I think I might have bet a dozen races. The pools are totally empty and the end is very close. Horse racing will still survive for now,but unless new blood starts pumping into the game, I do not see it lasting another 15 years.

[fkach]

>will players wager on the existing tracks if their local ones close?? Probably. But how do you introduce new people to the sport if there isn\'t a live venue to attend?? I doubt you can do it with a television monitor.<

It worked for poker. ;-)

Seriously, if there are other viable tracks where it makes economic sense to remain open, that\'s fine. But if there are a couple thousand people in the stands, IMO we\'d be better off if they were betting at Saratoga.  
 
>What about the trickle down effect of lost jobs?? Not only those at the tracks themselves, but around the various states that support racing?? Seems like there will be lost jobs away from the track too. <

Whenever there is consolidation because there is too much capacity, some jobs are lost. That\'s never fun. But that\'s part of how and why a capitalist system works so well. The idea is to use \"capital effectively\" and \"efficiently\". IMO, it is being used poorly now.

>Better econmic use for the property?? Such as?? Commercial property?? How many Starbucks and Quiznos do you need?? Residential property, condos, houses?? That market is in the toilet right now.<

I can\'t answer that question on a track for track basis. I don\'t know enough. Also, I agree, an economic downturn where many excesses are being worked off is not the ideal time to expand in some areas, but over time there will be plenty of viable and probably superior uses for much of that property.