Racing for Change Project UK

WHAT IS RACING FOR CHANGE?
So what is Racing for Change all about? Project Director Rod Street answers some of the queries you may have

How would you sum up the aims and objectives of Racing for Change?
Racing needs to broaden its appeal, reaching a substantially larger section of the consumer market, while retaining its aficionados. In doing so, it will increase participation in the sport through betting, racegoing and ownership.

Are your aims realistic?
Horseracing has something for everyone; the excitement of a bet; the speed and drama of a race; the colour and glamour of a raceday; its mysterious language; and the beauty of the horse. By turning up the volume on these elements, we have the opportunity to reach many more consumers. We should also be comfortable in making racing more accessible to occasional customers.

Do you believe that the eight months spent on this project to date have been productive and where are all the 'ideas'?
The strategy is the key aspect at present. Taken in isolation, each idea to improve the customer experience or improve betting turnover might not look powerful. When they are brought together, they are much stronger.

The consultation period is set to last for three months, meaning that nearly a year will have elapsed without anything concrete happening.
There's no quick fix. What we call the Racing Industry is actually a diverse collection of business, associations and organisations - all with different priorities. Change will only come with the majority backing of the constituents in the sport. People are now thinking about where the sport falls short and what can be done to increase its popularity.

What is meant by consultation and who will be consulted?
It means involving those who play a part in the sport: owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff, bookmakers, racecourses, breeders and the media. Of course, with 22,000 people involved in racing, we cannot communicate directly with everyone, but we will speak with the heads of organisations, their senior representatives and individuals with a large stake in the sport.

Does the consultation involve racegoers and punters?
More research is being done with both racegoers and non-racegoers. The original consumer research involved a number of racegoers, and we are inviting racegoers and punters to contribute to the debate.

Isn't it just the same faces in charge of managing change?
The Racing for Change Board reflects those people recruited or elected to lead their respective organisations, or those with particularly relevant skills. It is their job to implement change.

What is your response to those who believe that change is not necessary?
Consumer research says otherwise. British horseracing maybe admired around the world, but it has lost its relevance, particularly although not exclusively with young adults in this country. This is a vitally important audience if the sport is to flourish in the future. In addition, we only have to look at racing's declining share of the betting market to know that the challenge is real.

When you talk of a team championship in the summer, what form is this likely to take?
The team championship is, at this stage, simply one idea. A big message from the consumer research was that people like to follow competitions, so perhaps an initiative involving names, colours, jockeys, trainers could be developed. But the bigger message is that we are seeking some fresh narrative to attract new customers and are flexible in our approach.

Central marketing has been tried before and failed, so why should it succeed now?
Marketing plays a fundamental role in every major successful sport. Previous central marketing in racing may have unnecessarily duplicated existing activity. Future marketing will be about leading the strategy for the sport, particularly through the media and with its betting partners.

What is the reasoning behind the betting job role, and how does this stand in relation to at least one leading firm of bookmakers moving part of its operations offshore?
Bookmakers are a key customer group. In consumer terms, there is a gap in our understanding of what bookmakers need and how racing would like to be positioned. Things have moved on in retail betting, and racing needs to catch up. The question of operators moving offshore is not a consumer matter and is being dealt with separately through the BHA and the Levy Board.

When you talk of clearly defined seasons and championships, what does this mean in terms of winter Flat and summer jumping?
We need to be clear about our major products and emphasise that jump racing charts a course from October to April through a succession of top fixtures and the Flat runs from April/May to October. The Flat season, in consumer terms, needs to start with a bang and end with a flourish.

You mention championships, so what areas do these cover? And, when you talk of a season finale with the champions being crowned, what does that mean?
While aficionados understand racing's key dates, it became clear from our research that people outside the sport do not understand how the season works or indeed who are the champion jockeys. How many jockeys would be recognised in the same way by the public as, for instance, Tiger Woods or Lewis Hamilton? So far as the horses are concerned, perhaps we miss opportunities to give them a higher profile. You only have to look at the impact of Kauto Star and Denman over recent years or Sea The Stars this season to appreciate the impact they can have on the public.

Why do you see the need for a new premier jumps championship where horses will be required to qualify for certain feature races at the Cheltenham Festival?
In some ways it already exists in the calendar of races that lead to the festival, but this would be aimed at making the build-up even more exciting. At this stage it is an idea that needs input from owners and trainers especially.

How is the link between the Cheltenham Festival and the John Smith's Grand National Meeting to be strengthened?
The possibility of a bonus prize for horses winning at both meetings might prove popular with owners, trainers and the public. We also need to exploit one unarguable fact. The Grand National is, currently, the only racing day that reaches the broadest customer market. We should use this day to publicise our stars.

How will the assessment criteria for the raceday customer experience work? Will this mean all meetings becoming alike?
Far from it! The raceday experience is subjective anyway. A picnic on a summer's day at Bangor-on-Dee is very different to but can be equally as enjoyable as ladies' day at Ascot. At whatever level a racecourse operates, it should strive to match the best raceday experience - one that will get the first-time racegoer to return and persuade the once-a-year racegoer to visit twice a year.

Much has been made of the premium product. When is it likely that we will have key meetings every Saturday and how will moving Group 1 races to a Saturday affect the current festivals?
Again this is a subject for discussion. Some meetings have traditionally been held mid-week for decades. But now racing has to compete with other sports for people's attention and often not enough is made of Saturdays, a day when people are able to go to sport, and racecourses admit children free.

Which are the premium branded racing events?
We're fortunate to be blessed already with a number of high-profile occasions that define the best of thesport. The significance of these finals, championships, landmarks and seasons need to be communicated more effectively to a wider public.

Can racing's declining share of the current betting market be reversed?
Yes, but only if we reach out to a much broader market and recognise that we need considerably more 'flutterers' to make up for racing's loss of regular punters. The competition for betting now means that racing no longer automatically recruits punters to stay with the sport for a lifetime. By making the sport compelling and relevant, we could reverse that trend.

Some of the premier ideas sound great for Coolmore or Godolphin, but isn't it just enriching them at the expense of smaller owners?
The Racing for Change strategy is about bringing new customers and new spending into the sport for its long-term benefit. Promoting racing as 52-week-a-year entertainment goes well beyond individual groups within racing. This will benefit everyone in the sport.

www.britishhorseracing.com/racing-for-change/what-is-it.asp