Bloodstock in the Bluegrass fires a shot across racing's bow in his latest post, unfortunately those on deck are too puerile to know it.
While I don't disagree with his apriorism, I don't think it is the most effective method of resolving the nasty little issue we have in this game. Congress is as ineffective and corrupt an amalgamation of bastards as exists on this watery rock.
I favor choking off funding, i.e. handle, in order to make a case for reform. A concerted effort to reduce betting on big racing days, industry wide, in order to institute reform. When those in control see the determination of the betting public, they might be more inclined to listen and enact meaningful changes. Get their attention and get them to the table.
This is not some socialist cry for revolution complete with brandished pitchforks, burning torches and rampart storming. I am not indifferent to the genuine hardship this will cause to real people but for the game to recover and have a chance to thrive, some creative destruction is needed. There is too much inferior product and too much opportunity to showcase it. Those who thought to make a quick buck "flipping" horses are probably crying foul the loudest. The conscientious breeder, among others, understands the swings of fortune and probably planned for the downtime.
The game needs leadership not an empty shirt and a hairdo. Marketing is not the answer. Neither is price gouging and obfuscation. The barriers to entry for consumers are too high; they should be zero. Steve Zorn has a wish list and it is attainable.
Change does not happen. It is an abstract. Tasks are concrete. They are done by people within specific time parameters. Anything else is just somebody blowing sunshine up your ass and stalling because they are incompetent.
Charles Ogburn, a member of Merrill's Marauders wrote, 'I was to learn later in life that, perhaps because we are so good at organizing, we tend as a nation to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.'
Making things happen requires clarity of vision, commitment and execution.
I don't think betting blackouts are the only way to signal how desperately this game needs to change tack. I welcome options.
I just can't think of anything more effective or immediate.
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3 comments:
We need to pick a date in the future for no betting, publicize it via blogs, internet, social media, and then see what happens. Can we effect change at the grass roots level this way? Maybe.
Sid-
I agree. I think HANA has an effective medium to get this out(along with the social media streams you suggest). I also think it requires the cooperation of the so called whales.
This requires a concerted effort in order to work. It could be a hard target hit of the BC or some similar event, in order to get the message across. KD is too soon and this might not be the best way to go about it. I am happy to have that debate.
It cannot however work if everyone just pays it lip service and then bets anyway for the hell of it. Big players need to get involved and pledge their support.
I don't think it will solve anything but I do think it will wake those at the helm. I don't pretend to know how to solve the problems. There are smarter and more knowledgeable people around who can do that.
My intent is to get them to pay attention and actually do something. This is the only effective way I can think of.
I stopped betting on any BC races because of name changing Distaff distaste and foolish Friday.
But I'm a minnow. And targeting this year's BC at CD seems a tad Davy and Goliath.
I'm in favor of change via creative destructuring and would love to see a 'don't bet this race' action featuring the dreadful biancone.
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