YOU BE THE JUDGE ON SOON!

Garrick, side shows like fashion is what bring people to the races. In England they have live bands playing at twilight meetings so the crowds, instead of just being as big as usual, are huge. The biggest attendance in Jo'burg last year I think was the Charity mile with the side-show that day being the Boks fresh from their world cup win.

One important point they didn't spend much time on in You Be The Judge was the effect of AHS. If it wasn't for AHS horses like Jay Peg would be coming back to run in our big races before heading back overseas again. Faull, who clearly thinks Japan has the best model for racing, didn't mention that one of the biggest days in Japan's racing history was when Deep Impact ran in the Arc. Thousands of Japanese fans went over to watch and I remember some of them crying in the stands when he was beaten. Had he not done that they would have never known how good he really was. It would be really unfair on our horses-trainers-owners who are already at a disadvantage due to the length of quarantine they have to endure to then slap a levy on them too when all they want to do is what Deep Impact can do by simply flying out and back.

In Faull's defense though I think his main point was that horses here are just using our racing as a testing ground for one or two minor races and being shipped out before we have even seen them running to anywhere near their full potential. The point about creating a real triple crown with R5million prize money + bonuses would be a good starting point to prevent this.

Thanks for that reminder Tipster, the support for Deep Impact was so great by the Japanese visitors that the horse was paying 1.2 on the PM [French tote] [1/5] and could be backed with the British bookies at 7/2, if my memory serves me correct?

In my opinion we are confusing on-course attendance with racing popularity.

Actually going to a race course is a function of culture and economics. Many racing supporters here are gamblers rather than enthusiasts and can float a banker in the quartet rather than differentiate between the knee and the hock of a Thoroughbred. In first world countries people have the time and money to travel and go racing.

Horseracing here only survived BECAUSE it took racing to the gamblers, not the other way around.

Imho the only hope is to make the gambling more interesting, use technology to create bets impossible without computers, and use racing information to make it different from casino and lottery gambling. Use the Thoroughbred to make horseracing gambling glamorous and socially acceptable, and the sport side of it to build up a loyalty following.

While I take the point of horses leaving, the best will always leave and who should deny them? If they are good enough to succeed, they would have been fools to stay and if they are not good enough it makes no difference here.

One last point, the absence of newspaper coverage takes so much away from the sport. I don't mean endless small print of fields, but the results and photos and dramatic reporting. Without the human interest and drama for everyone to read on a monday morning about a big winner on the weekend, or some bloke punching the air, what chance does horseracing have to capture the hearts of new people?

Some very good points made here; what I would like to point out is that even if by some miracle we get the people 'back to the track', does that mean our racing is now 'healthy'?

All the 'You be the Judge' shows could not stick to the topic, because in my opinion all the topics were on side issues. While one has to admire the passion of Charles Faull, as Matthew says, exporting is a no-brainer; so why devote a show to it? Yes, our racing is in dire straits, but not as a result of exports. Yes, broadcasting our racing 'product' to 20 or 30 destinations is a great technological achievement, but how does it help our racing?

Why not have shows on the real issues, and in my opinion some of those are the relationship between the RA and Phumelela, the upcoming merger between Gold Circle and Phumelela, the marketing of racing (as Robin Bruss said, we need to market 'the horse') and stakes. Get the appropriate guests and do not limit the shows to one hours slots. And get Neil to facilitate properly or get someone else.

AB has made some suggestions on the way forward; why can the powers that be not come up with these; why can they not be tackled one by one and workshopped and verified in terms of viability and then GET ON WITH IT?
Yes, our racing

Marketing basics
stage one: create awareness
stage two: engage customer
stage three: win loyalty

Basic marketing strategy people!: loyalty (STAGE 3)

What Mr Faull is referring to is creating 'heroes' and a fan-base and a marketing strategy to build the following of the sport, which includes understanding betting and selling the 'benefits' of participation. Like Japan did - many years ago they directed all of their marketing towards creating a fan base that would grow - by including the pitch to women and children as well and educating the public as to all of the participating parts of racing - from the birth of a foal right through to when he retires etc etc. That is why today, the fans will fly to see them run, and cry when they don't - the fans have a real emotional link with their 'hero' athletes/horses/sport. The ultimate in customer loyalty and what most in marketing aim for in modern society!! - hence e.g.(ref in U.K.) Tesco loyalty points, voyager miles, customer bonuses.

BUT unfortunately SAF racing has ignored STAGE ONE of marketing for so long that they have lost 2 generations of possible patrons - on basic product awareness alone!! Needless to add is that STAGE TWO 'engage customer' is meaningless with a diminished base of 'aware potential customers'. The Japs combined stage 1+2 very cleverly to arrive with confidence at stage 3.

With respect, anyone can research Marketing for Dummies, the question is, who is responsible/accountable for SAF Racing's Marketing and why has there been no UNITED EFFORT in the last 20 years!!!

correction, there evidently has been a united effort....apathy.

Forgetting for a moment the manner in which the sport/game/business was allowed to atrophy over many years here are some further thoughts on why the customer base may not be growing any time soon :

1.) 7% of South Africa's population pay income tax. One can safely assume that this is where the majority of owners would come from so it highlights the reality that we have a relatively small band of 'could be' owners.

2.) This buying group now has to compete against a steadily growing band of international buyers whose hard currency leaves them gasping for oxygen. What must be doubly discouraging is that for anyone who has taken the trouble to do a bit of homework on pedigree and conformation there is little likelihood of a well put together yearling with something approaching a decent pedigree selling for much less than R200,000+. And then some.

3.) The RA has already indicated its concern at the shrinking nature of the owner base. After owning bits and pieces varying from 25% -100% of about 30 horses in the mid to late 90's I would baulk at any suggestion that I get heavily involved again. Despite much geater affordability I have no intention of participating in a sport where I need a virtual 'A' divison class horse to just break even. So it seems the 'middle market' is being decimated.

4.) Insofar as punting is concerned our betting technology ( cellphones and internet ) are amongst the most expensive in the world so growing that base is likely to remain slow. The mainstay seems to be the off course tote which is probably the main reason why the sport is still alive!

5.) Literacy also remains a problem as mastering the nuances of racing is a lot more complex than going to a football game. Exacerbating this situation is the paucity of press coverage which might attract the so-called 'masses'.

6.) I often wonder what imapct language has on betting. It is easy for me to use the model as I am English speaking. But what of those whose mother tongue is one of the other languages?

So before we all wonder about the 20,000 turnout at, say, Redcar we need to be aware of the following : They are generally wealthier, better educated ( as an OVERALL population ) and also able to access a broader range of cheaper technology and betting options ( eg tote, bookmakers AND betting exchanges ).

Throw in the UK respect for history and tradition and maybe we have many of the answers which seem to elude us.

Pre-stage one replace the current marketing team

Marketing basics
stage one: create awareness
stage two: engage customer
stage three: win loyalty

Garrick Wrote:

> ... and also able to access a broader range of cheaper
> technology and betting options ( eg tote,
> bookmakers AND betting exchanges ).

... except that the bettings options on our tote put their's to shame and are about 20 years more advanced technologically.

Tipster,
it is all about having choice, which South Africans are being denied.
When will the stranglehold be broken?

Garrick,

I stand under correction but was there not a market research done (context punters) by an independent body a couple of years ago? Does anyone remember the outcome of this market research?

I don't know what you mean by stranglehold unless you're talking about the stranglehold the country's ruling party have on government. Under their rule fatcats are thriving and the poor are getting poorer. Therefore not many people can afford internet and thus access to betting exchanges. But they are available. There's interbet and I'm not sure whether betfair is illegal but people use it. Other than that there's a choice of bookies and the tote, the latter offering a far wider variety of choice than the archaic U.K. tote and the even worse Pari Mutuel.