newjerseynewsroom.com

BY JOE FAVORITO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

ON N.J. SPORTS MARKETING

The past two weeks have seen glimpses of what once was in the racing industry in New Jersey. Two weeks ago a near capacity crowd filled Monmouth Park for the Haskell -- last weekend a big crowd turned out at the Meadowlands for The Hambletonian. Each showcased what the past and perhaps the future of the downtrodden racing industry in the Garden State looks like -- elite events, carefully planned and marketed that pull in a diverse fan base of families, casual fans and the die hard racing fan for a day or evening of inexpensive and diverse fun.

The days of daily racing at either track for thoroughbreds or trotters are long gone. The economy, simulcasting, other diversions and the alphabet soup of racing industries fiefedoms have killed a goose that once was golden, not just on the shore and the Meadowlands but in Atlantic city, Cherry Hill, Freehold and other places.

Mismanagement, poor marketing and a lack of long-term vision for the fan drove people from what was once a cash cow for the state, and brought the industry to the brink of extinction in a state which was once the crown jewel of the Sport of Kings. Whether all that now changes won't be easy or quick, but maybe it’s on its way.

The Haskell and the Hambletonian are the elite days on the abbreviated meet calendars for Monmouth and the Meadowlands. However, both served as litmus tests for what fans want and what the cost is to deliver.

This year's work by NBC to bring more technology into Triple Crown broadcasts that give the fan more of an insider’s look into the sport was another great start. Access to have young people see the great animals up close before a race, walking the paddock, getting close on the back stretch, is another step forward.  Having a clean, safe, healthy environment for fans is another.

Perhaps replacing massive grandstands with more intimate settings (not unlike the changes baseball went through in the '80's and '90's) could be another step. Shortened race seasons, with compelling purses that give all fans a date and destination to go to is another step in the cost controlled new racing environment. Added advances in technology to have fans get more of an experiential feel to the sport -- closer to the grace and power of the animals -- would be another move forward.

None of those aspects detract from the purity of the sport; they actually will enhance the going-on for all. They also do not decrease the core interest of many who head to the track: gambling. The great advantage horse racing still has over other sports in the United States is legalized onsite gambling. Continued streaming of the sport at new Jersey tracks will not decrease the gambling purses -- it will probably increase the take by increasing the interest from the casual fan.

Racing is an experiential sport for fans. Like NASCAR, those who appreciate its beauty and intricacies are those who go on race day. The power and excitement of the animals cannot be fully grasped on a tablet or TV -- it is to be appreciated in person. However the only way to do that is to add all those other bells and whistles to lure the fan to see it live.  Now it may only be weekends in a short meet, but enhancing a sport grows desire and fan base. That desire translates into passion, that passion drives interest, that interest increases attendance and then lengthens the season once again.