tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post6416500064977335359..comments2024-03-05T05:38:22.024-05:00Comments on Left at the Gate: Could This Be It?Alan Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570505944559196118noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711985.post-91358777764949495112008-02-07T05:10:00.000-05:002008-02-07T05:10:00.000-05:00“How about the horseplayers [on the new NYRA board...<B>“How about the horseplayers </B>[on the new NYRA board]<B>?”</B><BR/>Until horseplayers are an organized entity capable of collective action to exert their influence, this is a non-starter.<BR/><BR/><B>“I'd think that NYRA would be quite concerned over the possibility of having its franchise revoked for, say, lax attendance at Aqueduct or Belmont at a point in time when live crowds are not necessarily the point (especially when and if OTB is consolidated).”</B><BR/><BR/>I think state residents would be well-served by attendance benchmarks that encourage use of state-owned land. If NYRA needs attendance to keep the franchise, let them cater to the live race attendee and racing enthusiast by offering incentives such as 1) exclusive rebates for on-track players betting NYRA races (possibly larger rebates on state-bred races), 2) exclusive lower exotic wager minimums for on-track players, 3) free admission, parking, programs, and printed PP data for live races, 4) subsidized, reservation-based express mass transit, 5) reasonably-priced concessions, 6) expanded comfortable table seating near large-screen monitors, 7) race calls broadcast to radio channel for local earpiece radio pickup, 8) seminars by celebrity players, 9) weekend autograph-signing sessions by a different NY-based trainer (Sun.) and jockey (Sat.) each week with a biographical sketch presented by his agent followed by a Q&A session with both, 10) backstretch tours of upgraded facilities, 11) handicapping mentor centers for novices manned by data vendor reps, and 12) exclusive handicapping contests for on-track players.<BR/><BR/>An opportunity exists here for horseplayers to exert their influence, individually by e-mailing NYRA a list of incentives that would actually make you come to the track. Alternatively, NYRA and/or the host here might consider providing a survey form -- which included and expanded upon the above list -- to fill out on-line. Feedback from the survey should be provided. If the form allowed optional specification of zipcode and age category, it might benefit players by assisting NYRA management to get popular incentives implemented.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com