UA-RTIP Symposium Highlights: Young Sheets, 45/45 Panel..

[Kasept]

Has been a fun first visit to the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program Symposium, highlighted by a chance to see DT's own 'grown from a sprout' Fulla Sheets and being on the panel for today's '45 ideas in 45 minutes' discussion.

Mitch is clearly loving the college life and was excited by the chance at Symposium to see what's ahead for him in terms of a career in the game. (He still looks like he's about 14 though, so no, he isn't getting any trim.)

45 Ideas panel kicked off the Symposium and I enjoyed tossing out my 9 with the others. New ideas, or recycled ones that have merit, are out there in force, but getting them executed is the tough part.

Has been a terrific experience. One more day here and on to Los Alamitos for Thursday/Friday shows..

[knickslions2]

Steve, Mitch is my good luck charm. Take care of him

[Aly-Sheba]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Has been a fun first visit to the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program Symposium, highlighted by a chance to see DT's own 'grown from a sprout' Fulla Sheets and being on the panel for today's '45 ideas in 45 minutes' discussion.

Mitch is clearly loving the college life and was excited by the chance at Symposium to see what's ahead for him in terms of a career in the game. (He still looks like he's about 14 though, so no, he isn't getting any trim.)

45 Ideas panel kicked off the Symposium and I enjoyed tossing out my 9 with the others. New ideas, or recycled ones that have merit, are out there in force, but getting them executed is the tough part.

Has been a terrific experience. One more day here and on to Los Alamitos for Thursday/Friday shows..

Can you list your ideas as well as any you thought were interesting from the other panelists?

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by knickslions2

Steve, Mitch is my good luck charm. Take care of him

He looks really happy and you can tell he's having a great time. He said the encouragement he got from everyone here and working for Chuck put him on this path which should make everybody really proud.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Aly-Sheba

Can you list your ideas as well as any you thought were interesting from the other panelists?

Here's my original 9. There's a 10th to add as Peter Rotondo pre-empted one of mine (Equine Sports Alliance) before I got to it. I broke them in to 2 categories, Business Development & Wagering Enhancement. I also note the origins of several of them as to my thinking, there's nothing wrong with re-booting someone else's good idea (Kids to the Cup) or expanding one already working (Latino Marketing).

STAKEHOLDER BUYERS GUIDE: A national directory of horseplayer/horse owner businesses. Those that are investing in the game as owners or players should be conducting business with each other whenever possible and can offer coop discounts along the the lines of the highly successful NTRA Advantage Program. Why buy a car from a dealer who isn’t in the game when you can patronize owners like Nick Alexander (CA), Billy Fuccillo (NY), Pat Chapman (PA) and Billy Hays (Louisville), Frank Shoop (Lexington), Rick Porter (DE), etc., who will funnel revenue back into the sport?

ON TRACK PATRON REBATE (Satish Sanan): Reward on track patrons with a rebate for a percentage of their losses on the day (3%? 5%?) that must be used in another on track visit.

“TAX FREE TUESDAY”: Utilize the successful tax-free zone or tax-free shopping day concept by offering takeout rollbacks on specific target days that generally produce lower handle.

“KIDS TO THE CUP 2.0” (Trudy McAffery): Revive Trudy McAffery & John DeSantis’ Kids to the Cup Youth Auxiliary initiative whose lasting impact is being felt 10 years after its’ closure with dozens of the KTTC participants involved in racing professionally.

INDUSTRY PRODUCT PLACEMENT OFFICIAL: As with Consumer Packaged Good marketing, create or utilize dedicated personnel to the placement of positive racing images/experiences/storylines in Television and Motion Picture production.

BETTING LINE ‘SKI AREA’-style DESIGNATIONS (Seth Merrow): Enhance on track patron experience by designating proficiency indicators on mutuel teller windows matching the most efficient tellers with the most serious bettors; Patient tellers with neophyte players, etc.) i.e., Black double diamond for expert players, green square for intermediates; yellow circle for inexperienced. Nothing infuriates serious players more than getting stuck behind inexperienced players and nothing intimidates neophytes more than being barked at as they struggle to call a bet. Separate the two and enhance the experience for both. (SUBTEXT: Start reward the most productive clerks for proficiency. Those punching the most tickets and producing the most handle deserve commission/bonus).

LATIN CULTURE CAPITALIZATION (NYRA): Move aggressively to invite and welcome North American Latino culture to the racetrack. Central and South American emigres are instrumental to the sport as trainers, jockeys and backstretch workers and are highly marketable as players and owners to growing generations in the U.S. It is embarrassing that besides NYRA, the industry has generally ignored this mammoth demographic.

EQUINE SPORT ALLIANCE: Maximize cross-pollination opportunities for participation (ownership/wagering) with closer ties to the affluent National Steeplechase Association, U.S. Equestrian Federation, United States Polo Association, American (Carriage) Driving Society, etc. (Even Pro Rodeo and Barrel Horse Associations).

SUBSTITUTED IDEA: Report exotics/multi payoffs in the lowest increment offered on track on the wager. Stop reporting $2 payoffs which disappoint (newer) players that cash a .50 ticket but were expecting what was displayed. No one should leave a window unhappy after cashing a ticket.

EXPLORE, TEST FIXED ODDS WAGERING (Ainslie/Bergstein): Richard Carter (Tom Ainslie) and Ray Gomez pursued Fixed Odds Wagering models (TAB Australia) working with Stan Bergstein and the potential could solve a variety of frustrations from those that have become disillusioned by today’s wagering landscape.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Aly-Sheba

Can you list your ideas as well as any you thought were interesting from the other panelists?

Some of the other ideas that were floated via Matt Hegarty's DRF Piece (http://www.drf.com/news/symposium-45...proves-popular) and Frank Angst's in BH (http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-in-45-minutes).

Steve Koch, who had several complex concepts, will be on ATR with me today to expand on his ideas..

[Kasept]

Mitch 'Sheets' Gerson breaks his ATR maiden!

[Heels1989]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Mitch 'Sheets' Gerson breaks his ATR maiden!

That's great. Now being a radio star, maybe this will be the springboard into resolving "the lack of trim".

[Fulla Sheets]

Thanks steve. This program has been great and thank you to everyone who encouraged me to try it.

And guys, its the U of A... plenty of trim

[herkhorse]

Originally Posted by Fulla Sheets

And guys, its the U of A... plenty of trim

[asudevil]

Originally Posted by Fulla Sheets

Thanks steve. This program has been great and thank you to everyone who encouraged me to try it.

And guys, its the U of A... plenty of trim

Decent trim....Drive 90 miles north to Tempe if you wanna see the big leagues.

[Fulla Sheets]

Originally Posted by asudevil

Decent trim....Drive 90 miles north to Tempe if you wanna see the big leagues.

Yup, lots of trim at All Sluts University.

[asudevil]

[quote=arizonadave;1049928]That school is still in Tucson? I make that drive three times a week, from Mesa

Some kids had to do a semester or two at MCC when life in Tempe became a little too much fun.

[10 pnt move up]

[quote=asudevil;1049940]

Originally Posted by arizonadave

That school is still in Tucson? I make that drive three times a week, from Mesa

Some kids had to do a semester or two at MCC when life in Tempe became a little too much fun.

ha, my cousin right now

[knickslions2]

Originally Posted by Kasept

He looks really happy and you can tell he's having a great time. He said the encouragement he got from everyone here and working for Chuck put him on this path which should make everybody really proud.

Glad to hear that!!

[Aly-Sheba]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Here's my original 9. There's a 10th to add as Peter Rotondo pre-empted one of mine (Equine Sports Alliance) before I got to it. I broke them in to 2 categories, Business Development & Wagering Enhancement. I also note the origins of several of them as to my thinking, there's nothing wrong with re-booting someone else's good idea (Kids to the Cup) or expanding one already working (Latino Marketing).

STAKEHOLDER BUYERS GUIDE: A national directory of horseplayer/horse owner businesses. Those that are investing in the game as owners or players should be conducting business with each other whenever possible and can offer coop discounts along the the lines of the highly successful NTRA Advantage Program. Why buy a car from a dealer who isn’t in the game when you can patronize owners like Nick Alexander (CA), Billy Fuccillo (NY), Pat Chapman (PA) and Billy Hays (Louisville), Frank Shoop (Lexington), Rick Porter (DE), etc., who will funnel revenue back into the sport?

ON TRACK PATRON REBATE (Satish Sanan): Reward on track patrons with a rebate for a percentage of their losses on the day (3%? 5%?) that must be used in another on track visit.

“TAX FREE TUESDAY”: Utilize the successful tax-free zone or tax-free shopping day concept by offering takeout rollbacks on specific target days that generally produce lower handle.

“KIDS TO THE CUP 2.0” (Trudy McAffery): Revive Trudy McAffery & John DeSantis’ Kids to the Cup Youth Auxiliary initiative whose lasting impact is being felt 10 years after its’ closure with dozens of the KTTC participants involved in racing professionally.

INDUSTRY PRODUCT PLACEMENT OFFICIAL: As with Consumer Packaged Good marketing, create or utilize dedicated personnel to the placement of positive racing images/experiences/storylines in Television and Motion Picture production.

BETTING LINE ‘SKI AREA’-style DESIGNATIONS (Seth Merrow): Enhance on track patron experience by designating proficiency indicators on mutuel teller windows matching the most efficient tellers with the most serious bettors; Patient tellers with neophyte players, etc.) i.e., Black double diamond for expert players, green square for intermediates; yellow circle for inexperienced. Nothing infuriates serious players more than getting stuck behind inexperienced players and nothing intimidates neophytes more than being barked at as they struggle to call a bet. Separate the two and enhance the experience for both. (SUBTEXT: Start reward the most productive clerks for proficiency. Those punching the most tickets and producing the most handle deserve commission/bonus).

LATIN CULTURE CAPITALIZATION (NYRA): Move aggressively to invite and welcome North American Latino culture to the racetrack. Central and South American emigres are instrumental to the sport as trainers, jockeys and backstretch workers and are highly marketable as players and owners to growing generations in the U.S. It is embarrassing that besides NYRA, the industry has generally ignored this mammoth demographic.

EQUINE SPORT ALLIANCE: Maximize cross-pollination opportunities for participation (ownership/wagering) with closer ties to the affluent National Steeplechase Association, U.S. Equestrian Federation, United States Polo Association, American (Carriage) Driving Society, etc. (Even Pro Rodeo and Barrel Horse Associations).

SUBSTITUTED IDEA: Report exotics/multi payoffs in the lowest increment offered on track on the wager. Stop reporting $2 payoffs which disappoint (newer) players that cash a .50 ticket but were expecting what was displayed. No one should leave a window unhappy after cashing a ticket.

EXPLORE, TEST FIXED ODDS WAGERING (Ainslie/Bergstein): Richard Carter (Tom Ainslie) and Ray Gomez pursued Fixed Odds Wagering models (TAB Australia) working with Stan Bergstein and the potential could solve a variety of frustrations from those that have become disillusioned by today’s wagering landscape.

Steve,
A lot of good ideas, especially the one about rebates for being on track!!
One of mine would be to bring back the goosebumps, which I got with the large crowds and hearing Dave Johnson calling at Santa Anita stake races before off track wagering. I know they will never go back, but those days are missed!!

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Fulla Sheets

Thanks steve. This program has been great and thank you to everyone who encouraged me to try it.

And guys, its the U of A... plenty of trim

Proud of you, dude!

and yeah... u of a is fun place to be

[3kings]

Originally Posted by Fulla Sheets

Thanks steve. This program has been great and thank you to everyone who encouraged me to try it.

And guys, its the U of A... plenty of trim

Nice to hear Mitch, proud of you! At the end of the Tampa weekend I'll chip in 10% of profits ( and see if the boys will match) and send it to you for beer money. Sadly 10% of probable zero is zero.

[Fulla Sheets]

Originally Posted by 3kings

Nice to hear Mitch, proud of you! At the end of the Tampa weekend I'll chip in 10% of profits ( and see if the boys will match) and send it to you for beer money. Sadly 10% of probable zero is zero.

As long as Im not liable to cover 10% of the crew's losses.

If Im able to make it out there, first rounds on me! Ya boy's legal!

[Fulla Sheets]

Originally Posted by arizonadave

Mitch,have you been to the track there in Tucson?

I have not yet. The season starts in Jan and runs to March.

Yesterday, Mike Weiss told me the state has agreed to 5 year contracts for the longevity of the track, including supplementing money. He and multiple partners revived the track last year, and while they weren't able to implement for this racing season, it looks like the track will be around for years to come.