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Looking at an aerial view of the grandstands at Saratoga or Del Mar on this past Saturday, one would think that racing is the most popular fansport going. Thousands of people watching races and some even picnicking in the backyard. The truth is that the snippets of major weekends of racing do not tell the whole story. Certainly, these two tracks capitalize on “the place to be on a Saturday afternoon” --- hobnobbing with horsemen and celebrities. But the other 60+ tracks that hold racing tell a different story. Racing needs new fans. A study done years ago found that the aging racing fan base was eroding by about 4% per year. However, the good news can be found in the amount of money fans wager. Although racing has fewer fans they are wagering more. Handle for 2021 exceed the handle in 2020 by $1.286 billion. Can racing keep this growth up with a declining number of fans? Add the threat of sports betting erosion of racing fans’ discretionary wagering budgets and the answer is bleaker. Tracks across the country have been trying to increase their fan base. However, limited resources available to tracks curtails their reach into the public for new fans. Efforts like America’s Best Racing have focused on a new generation of fans. This is a useful approach, but one that takes years to mature. Many of us know how long it takes to learn the intricacies of our sport. The learning curve to be a proficient handicapper and bettor takes years and a significant loss of revenue at the window in the process. In the beginning young, new fans lack knowledge and finances to be profitable for tracks. After a few years they might be. This reminds me of a story. A few years ago, we were camping at a casino RV Park. When we went over for dinner, we met the Marketing Director. We asked, why so few people were shuttling to the casino from the RV park to gamble or dine. He answered solemnly. The RV Park attracts families. Their children will become familiar with our property so when they are older, they will come to us. “You see,” he said,” we are marketing for the next generation.” If only racing had that luxury of time. Across the world countries are using marketing companies to find and grow new fans. In Britain that task rests with Racing for Change. Even there the company has a limited budget to do what Britain wants to accomplish. Japan is another story. The racing fans in Japan idolizes their racehorse. The industry has invested a lot of money and energy in getting fans to know the horses as the stars of the game. They are “rock-stars” that fans want to follow. There even have trading cards of horses like baseball has in the United States. For that culture, the relationship fans have with the horses has raised the popularity of the sport enormously. According in an article in Blood-Horse a company, Horse Girl (translated), has developed a mobile gaming product that excites most fans and made the company very profitable ---$999 million in sales in 2021. There appears to be philosophical difference between how Japanese racing and American racing views the sport. The Japanese approach is incredibly open and fan friendly. The American approach is more protective of horses and jockeys. The controls on the fans are strangling their enthusiasm. For example, only fans with special credentials are given access to the Paddock or the backside at most tracks. Take one new fan into the paddock or the Winner’s Circle and you have started a lifelong fandom journey. Deny that fan the experience and you may lose her to another sport for life. Gulfstream Park’s exposed walking ring brings fans closer to the horses, jockeys, and trainers than most other American tracks. More tracks should follow Gulfstream’s lead. The message in this article has been known to the racing industry for years. However, little has been done to fix the problem. Why? Start at the top. Look at the composition of most Boards of major tracks. Few, if any, have a fan with a voting right on them. Industry folks, owners, trainers, and political appointees populate them. Structurally, this amalgam stifles the conversation about what fans want and need. Although ThoroFan believes HISA will help our sport, their Board and committees suffer from the same narrow view. Granted the enormity of their initial tasks requires people with the right experience. Hopefully, when they get established, they will bring fans on their Board or committees. Most state Racing Commissions focus more on casinos then on racing and their appointments reflect that mission. Doc from ThoroFan (Bryan Langlois) attends the Pennsylvania Committee trying to bring the fans point of view to their attention. But their committee lacks fan representatives to fully understand what is presented. So, if racing in the United States wants to emulate the fandom in Japan, it would be wise to start at the top. Giving the fans a voice on racing’s policy making boards.