SUN: Racing's media makeover paying off

[Riot]

The thought that woman are going to take a 1/4 of their paycheck, spend the night before handicapping, get to the track before the first race for their favorite area, get a voucher, send in some $24 P3 tickets, and focus all day at the track is absolutely nuts.

LOL - I agree. First, spending a flat 25% of one's income gambling is a concept I think many men and women would find imperfect Secondly, few people can regularly take time off their jobs to physically attend a race track multiple times a week.

But the above is not the only scenario that defines a gambler. Busy professionals may not gamble frequently, but they certainly have the income to gamble significant amounts of money when they chose to. And women are a large part of that group today.

I know several women who spend a good amount of money ($1000 or more) monthly, and quite a few who spend a little here and there. As I said, ADW's make it easy.

Keeneland is a boutique meet, certainly, but look at the numbers of women walking up to the windows there. Churchill, Turfway ...

Women don't want to go to an OTB. I can't stand Keeneland in winter - drunk, swearing, loud guys rule the roost many days on the general open floors. But TV and an ADW make racing - and gambling - easily accessible.

Women also don't generally feel the need to publically compare the size of their winnings thus I think fly under the radar more (look at this board).

I know some like to picture themselves as hardened racetracker originals, big spenders and tough gamblers, etc - feel free to embrace that, but it's far from the only paradigm. Cigar-smoking college guys throwing away a couple hundred a day may rule the apron at Keeneland in spring, but upstairs - and at home - there are plenty of people quietly pursuing a more businesslike model to gambling, and that takes significant disposable income, and women are right there. Don't discount a huge potential audience of intelligent, risk-enjoying, high income people just because they don't have peni.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Riot

LOL - I agree. First, spending a flat 25% of one's income gambling is a concept I think many men and women would find imperfect Secondly, few people can regularly take time off their jobs to physically attend a race track multiple times a week.

But the above is not the only scenario that defines a gambler. Busy professionals may not gamble frequently, but they certainly have the income to gamble significant amounts of money when they chose to. And women are a large part of that group today.

I know several women who spend a good amount of money ($1000 or more) monthly, and quite a few who spend a little here and there. As I said, ADW's make it easy.

Keeneland is a boutique meet, certainly, but look at the numbers of women walking up to the windows there. Churchill, Turfway ...

Women don't want to go to an OTB. I can't stand Keeneland in winter - drunk, swearing, loud guys rule the roost many days on the general open floors. But TV and an ADW make racing - and gambling - easily accessible.

Women also don't generally feel the need to publically compare the size of their winnings thus I think fly under the radar more (look at this board).

I know some like to picture themselves as hardened racetracker originals, big spenders and tough gamblers, etc - feel free to embrace that, but it's far from the only paradigm. Cigar-smoking college guys throwing away a couple hundred a day may rule the apron at Keeneland in spring, but upstairs - and at home - there are plenty of people quietly pursuing a more businesslike model to gambling, and that takes significant disposable income, and women are right there. Don't discount a huge potential audience of intelligent, risk-enjoying, high income people just because they don't have peni.

I think you would agree that the gals from this board who are talking about their wagering adventures are females that GREW UP liking racing. They didn't attach to it at 24 years of age. It has been in their blood since very young.

And quite honestly, I don't think marketing to woman in areas like Saratoga, all of Kentucky, Florida, and even in California is a bad thing because those areas are probably the high concentrate of horse population and it is more popular there, but if you were to market horse racing to woman in say Chicago, or Los Angeles, or New York, you are barking up the wrong tree there and wasting money.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Scav

I think you would agree that the gals from this board who are talking about their wagering adventures are females that GREW UP liking racing. They didn't attach to it at 24 years of age. It has been in their blood since very young.

And quite honestly, I don't think marketing to woman in areas like Saratoga, all of Kentucky, Florida, and even in California is a bad thing because those areas are probably the high concentrate of horse population and it is more popular there, but if you were to market horse racing to woman in say Chicago, or Los Angeles, or New York, you are barking up the wrong tree there and wasting money.

Wrong. The first time I stepped foot on a track was in 2004 after watching TV and getting hooked. Instead of going to the beach with all of my girlfriends, I took a vacation to Saratoga by myself.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Riot

LOL - I agree. First, spending a flat 25% of one's income gambling is a concept I think many men and women would find imperfect Secondly, few people can regularly take time off their jobs to physically attend a race track multiple times a week.

But the above is not the only scenario that defines a gambler. Busy professionals may not gamble frequently, but they certainly have the income to gamble significant amounts of money when they chose to. And women are a large part of that group today.

I know several women who spend a good amount of money ($1000 or more) monthly, and quite a few who spend a little here and there. As I said, ADW's make it easy.

Keeneland is a boutique meet, certainly, but look at the numbers of women walking up to the windows there. Churchill, Turfway ...

Women don't want to go to an OTB. I can't stand Keeneland in winter - drunk, swearing, loud guys rule the roost many days on the general open floors. But TV and an ADW make racing - and gambling - easily accessible.

Women also don't generally feel the need to publically compare the size of their winnings thus I think fly under the radar more (look at this board).

I know some like to picture themselves as hardened racetracker originals, big spenders and tough gamblers, etc - feel free to embrace that, but it's far from the only paradigm. Cigar-smoking college guys throwing away a couple hundred a day may rule the apron at Keeneland in spring, but upstairs - and at home - there are plenty of people quietly pursuing a more businesslike model to gambling, and that takes significant disposable income, and women are right there. Don't discount a huge potential audience of intelligent, risk-enjoying, high income people just because they don't have peni.

But just because they go to the track doesn't mean that they all sit home betting into their accounts (if they even have them). I'm sure that there's a segment that does, but I'm sure that they are the minority by a large margin.
I think it's a very tough sport to lure new fans to, let alone women. Most handicappers (die hard fans) were most likely introduced to the sport at a young age. Then they continued or rediscovered the sport somewhere down the road in life. I personally gambled on all types of things and eventually came back to Racing for various reason. One of them is that I enjoy (most of the time) taking the time to handicap and try to put the puzzle together.

Personally I think that is one of the biggest problems drawing people in (especially younger ones). There's no instant gratafication, of winning a poker pot, blackjack hand, spin on a slot machine and so on. Also no studing or time is needed to pick/put horses together in a sequance. People want action and want it as quick as they can get it. I think that they don't want to study/watch replays for an hour or two and then go to the track and watch 2-3 races an hour.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Wrong. The first time I stepped foot on a track was in 2004 after watching TV and getting hooked. Instead of going to the beach with all of my girlfriends, I took a vacation to Saratoga by myself.

Sighty, you are the exception to the rule. The majority of the girls would have stayed at the beach.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

But just because they go to the track doesn't mean that they all sit home betting into their accounts (if they even have them). I'm sure that there's a segment that does, but I'm sure that they are the minority by a large margin.
I think it's a very tough sport to lure new fans to, let alone women. Most handicappers (die hard fans) were most likely introduced to the sport at a young age. Then they continued or rediscovered the sport somewhere down the road in life. I personally gambled on all types of things and eventually came back to Racing for various reason. One of them is that I enjoy (most of the time) taking the time to handicap and try to put the puzzle together.

Personally I think that is one of the biggest problems drawing people in (especially younger ones). There's no instant gratafication, of winning a poker pot, blackjack hand, spin on a slot machine and so on. Also no studing or time is needed to pick/put horses together in a sequance. People want action and want it as quick as they can get it. I think that they don't want to study/watch replays for an hour or two and then go to the track and watch 2-3 races an hour.

Exactly, people can sit down in a poker game and get that juice when they want it. Horse racing takes years and years before you get good, and even then it will humble the living hell out of you.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Wrong. The first time I stepped foot on a track was in 2004 after watching TV and getting hooked. Instead of going to the beach with all of my girlfriends, I took a vacation to Saratoga by myself.

ok, you are not looped in on this anymore, but as Math said you are the exception to the norm.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Sighty, you are the exception to the rule. The majority of the girls would have stayed at the beach.

But I think that is the point, there are other women like myself and My Miss Storm Cat that can be lured in and trying to do so is not a waste of time and an impossible task. This is not to say that this is the most important segment of the public that racing needs to charm. They (racing) absolutely needs to get their act together in pleasing the heavy bettor and getting tracks and ADWs to work with one another and all of the other countless issues that go along with this so I can understand the argument that their energies are misplaced.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

But I think that is the point, there are other women like myself and My Miss Storm Cat that can be lured in and trying to do so is not a waste of time and an impossible task. This is not to say that this is the most important segment of the public that racing needs to charm. They (racing) absolutely needs to get their act together in pleasing the heavy bettor and getting tracks and ADWs to work with one another and all of the other countless issues that go along with this so I can understand the argument that their energies are misplaced.

I don't disagree with you about there not being women bettors, but I just feel that the number Riot put out there for ones with wagering accounts is way way off base.

[South Beach Luv]

Originally Posted by Scav

ok, you are not looped in on this anymore, but as Math said you are the exception to the norm.

How many girls do you think AP will rope in from this American Idol BS on Friday night?

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Instead of going to the beach with all of my girlfriends, I took a vacation to Saratoga by myself.

This is my kind of girl.

NT

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Scav

I think you would agree that the gals from this board who are talking about their wagering adventures are females that GREW UP liking racing. They didn't attach to it at 24 years of age. It has been in their blood since very young. .

No, I wouldn't agree, simply because I have no idea if that assumption is remotely true or not.

Are you saying that people cannot come to a love of horse racing after they are 18?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

As the product becomes more female friendly, you will see an increase in female fans. Is it not fair to say that VENUE is a huge part of the product?

I keep wondering about what sport everyone is refering to? Are we talking about the same one? You know the one where the growth is almost exclusively in account wagering?


The product is gambling. It is neither male or female friendly. The KY Derby and Oaks are not the product nor are the tv ratings for those anything but a sidebar. Horseracing does NOT derive any signifigant revenue from TV unilke other sports which derive the vast majority of their revenue from TV. What Bravo or ABC or NBC focuses on during its telecasts dont change the fact that we need people betting into the pools on days other than Derby days.

It is good news that ratings are up. However no one should think that the increase in ratings is "because of" something done right or that an increase in ratings for a singular event (Derby) translates into "we are going into the right direction with our new focus". All it means was the ratings were up for a 2 hour period one day of the year.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by South Beach Luv

How many girls do you think AP will rope in from this American Idol BS on Friday night?

There's bound to be some waitresses that think they can sing....

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Riot

No, I wouldn't agree, simply because I have no idea if that assumption is remotely true or not.

Are you saying that people cannot come to a love of horse racing after they are 18?

I do think that there's a window there that makes it very hard for women to break into the sport. For instance Sighty's example of all her friends wanting to go to the beach and her still going to the track by herself. I would think that most girls are going to want to be with their friends and do whatever they are doing. I just can't see (at least any of the girls I know) getting a call from a friend saying they were going to a pool party and the girl saying no because she's trying to watch race replays in anticipation on playing an early pick 4 somewhere. And if they do decide to ditch them it will be most likely for a significant other instead of going to what could be a very intimidating male oriented place.
Then as you get older, you end up with a career and sometimes you drift away from some of your friends. You start wanting different things. Sure there might be some time and money to invest in the sport then. Obviously if you are single, you have a better chance to really get into it.
But if you should meet someone and that person isn't really isn't into it, I'm thinking it might be hard to spend has much time as you want playing and watching. Then if marrige/kids come into play, you are done for a while. If my wife should get a day to herself (which never happens, she's lucky if she gets 2 hours) I know for sure she's not spending it at the track. Also because she values money in a different way now as well (she's practical, I'm not).
But I do think you can get back into or fall in love with the sport if introduced/reintroduced after everyone is all grown up. Probably have some money and now you have all the time in the world to spend doing spomething you love.

[randallscott35]

We don't need people to fall in love with the sport, we need people to BET!

[Riot]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

I do think that there's a window there that makes it very hard for women to break into the sport..

Not any more. Take a population of 14-year-old girls and 14-year-old boys and which population knows more about horses and horse racing? The girls by far.

The only exposure to horse racing is no longer the back page of the sports section gambling race results, it's the internet.

So allow young fans to continue to be fans of the sport, and of the horses. I don't understand the belittling and insult directed to "only a fan". When people earn enough money, they'll gamble.

I haven't seen much success to be pointed out within the past 50 years promoting horse racing as a great money-making speculative venture. Either in bloodstock or via the windows. See the 1980's pyramid schemes.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by Riot

Not any more. Take a population of 14-year-old girls and 14-year-old boys and which population knows more about horses and horse racing? The girls by far.
The only exposure to horse racing is no longer the back page of the sports section gambling race results, it's the internet.

So allow young fans to continue to be fans of the sport, and of the horses. I don't understand the belittling and insult directed to "only a fan". When people earn enough money, they'll gamble.

I haven't seen much success to be pointed out within the past 50 years promoting horse racing as a great money-making speculative venture. Either in bloodstock or via the windows. See the 1980's pyramid schemes.

Maybe, but when it comes time that they go to college or are old enough to drive and gamble who do you have a better chance of seeing at a track/otb?

[Riot]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Maybe, but when it comes time that they go to college or are old enough to drive and gamble who do you have a better chance of seeing at a track/otb?

Fortunately, more and more women

[Alan07]

NBC will not want for an encore in preparing a Preakness Stakes (G1) broadcast that comes on the heels of the Kentucky Derby (G1).

NBC will begin its Preakness broadcast at 4:30 p.m. EDT with an NBC News feature on Borel and Super Saver.

http://thoroughbredtimes.com/nationa...broadcast.aspx