Originally Posted by PatCummings
But at the end of the day, isn't what I said true? That - A - Message boarders complain about almost everything, and any attempt to market the sport that is made...and - B - no one here is a target audience. Those are facts, no?
I had a conversation with a friend's wife the other day, and mentioned I was at the Derby this year, and all she wanted to talk about was how she wanted to go and wear a hat and have a julep, etc, and for the husband to take her sooner rather than later. She saw an episode of that show with Hefner and the bunnies, cause one year not long ago, they went. Who's going for the experience, and who is likely to do the betting? The tracks make plenty of money off the number of juleps/Stellas/hot dogs too. This is the "Real Housewives" approach to marketing the Derby...and it seems to reach some degree of the audience (granted, the non-to-very-light betting kind)
"Terrible" or not, the belief that ANY of these "campaigns" are going to individually increase the number of bettors in the sport seems far-fetched. It takes more than that, and I think everyone realizes that.
It takes a concerted, multi-faceted approach that may or may not be underway. Not saying it is, or that some of this isn't already being done.
It seems relatively unarguable that women in dresses/hats don't inspire someone who hasn't bet races before to come out and do so. Anyone would agree with that assessment.
The greater topic might involve finding a way to glorify watching replays, reading PPs, studying trends, managing spreadsheets, sitting at your computer for hours...or hanging out at your local OTB and plowing it through with the AARPers drinking Sanka, by request. I won't argue that there isn't some glory in smoking out a $10,000 pick four bet that cost you $72, but the steps to get there might make for some challenging television in 30/60 seconds. Should we support it - yes, if it can get done.
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