Chicken - Egg Marketing

Is horse racing a game or a sport? Do you market the gambling or the finish line? My answer is both, but you market the sport first, the gaming second. Why? If you were to bring a friend to the track who's never been there before where do you go first? The paddock, seats, rail, picnic area, backstretch, or the window. Have you ever been on a track tour? Last stop the window. Troy Racki, NTRA ambassador extraordinaire ends w/ the window, he doesn't start with it. And this was one of the largest debates we had in the group, to market or to not market gambling. It's not a debate though, it's a situation. Gambling doesn't sell to the masses, nor will it ever unless we're officially taken over by the Chinese (this is more a reality now than ever, I'll give you that). The word itself is reviled. I'll use William Safire (it's bad when the pro-gambling guy says there's no skill involved picking a horse) and Dr. Frank Lutz to do my heavy lifting there. Gambling is a dirty word. It's why Las Vegas has a "Gaming" commission. We live in America, and image is everything. The image of gambling is not good, in fact it's bad. In Europe there is a Paddy Power on every corner, in Asia they spend money to get a lucky phone number. Culturally, America is far different, blame the Pilgrims and their Puritan friends. No arguments over how we should copy those other nations, we can't. Now, I know horse racing is gambling. I'm not dumb. The sport survives on the gambling dollar, but is that it's selling point? No. If it is, we're on a sinking ship. Every other major sport releases enough information to choke a gambling donkey, but don't think they'd admit they are doing it for the gamblers. Las Vegas is the home of legal gambling, but they sell the entertainment experience. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" also has a hint of sexuality. They'd rather get customers intrigued through hookers than through gambling. If that doesn't show that gambling doesn't sell I'm not sure what can. Football is the #1 sport bet on the United States. It's illegal. That's an even worse situation, but the image of football is pristine, people gambling on it aren't the degenerates we are, and thusly people are gambling more. I would wager (note: not gamble) that some of those same Puritans railing against gambling, and thinking that us horse players are all degenerates partake in fantasy football for money, are part of a survivor pool, put together an NCAA 64 bracket. Yet, they don't see those as gambling. It's image. The image of all the sports supercedes the image of gambling. Betting on that weekend's games isn't wrong, you're supporting your team. Guessing 63 outcomes in March isn't gambling it's bonding with your workmates over sports. These situations exist in horseracing. People will bet Prado because he's Prado, they will bet a horse with a rider up wearing the Pink and Green of Juddmonte. People will want to bet when a championship is on the line, when horses with context are facing one another. I'd even say many don't consider the Derby gambling, it's an institution. Now, if you've read all the way down here, thanks. After railing against gambling for the last couple hundred words, I did say you should market both. It's timing. Market the gambling once people are inside. Once they are in the facility and understand it's a sport, they'll understand the context of gambling and partake in it. Another example, outside of Las Vegas all you see is "What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" or the newer "Only Vegas." You see pictures of pools, hotel rooms, the skyline. Have you been to Vegas? Once you're there, what are the billboards saying? Not all, but a lot more are saying, "Loosest Slots on the Strip" "Best Crap Odds in Town" and "Poker tourneys nightly." This is when they sell the gambling. This is when we should sell the gambling. The first step to saving this sport is treating and marketing it like one. Please read our report, and contact your local track and tell them you like it.