Thoroughbred Racing Fan Association, Inc.
Thoroughbred Racing Fan Association, Inc.
WHEN WILL RACING LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER?
5/3/2020
When Will They Place Nice in the Sandbox?
Ok, in the world of big business and sports branding is critical. When we think of a cola drink, we are trained to of “Coke”, the brand name of the Coca-Cola Company. When most think about Thoroughbred horse racing, they think of the Kentucky Derby. Even though it is just a race for 3-year-old horse race early in their careers, it has become iconic with racing –the “1st Saturday in May”.
Except this year compliments of COVID-19 it is the 1st Saturday in September. The race attracts a huge crowd, most likely this year watching on television as many believe the race will be run “fan-less”. The change in dates will demand plenty of marketing work getting the 25 million racing fans in the country refocused on an early fall race, not a late spring race. However, they are diverting some energy by protecting their brand ---the “1st Saturday in May”.
This week Churchill Downs announced they would be hosting a virtual Kentucky Derby Party, television on NBCSN. The show will run from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It will feature a virtual race for the 13 horses that have won the Triple Crown. Other novelties are planned, as well. So why should fans be concerned by this?
The “party” coincides with the two division of the Arkansas Derby that day. It is creating media competition that need not be. In the midst of the panic from COVID-19 and the fear that fans would not attend the Kentucky Derby in May, Churchill Downs abruptly announced it was moving to September. The move in addition to jeopardizing the Triple Crown by risking any move by the Preakness Stakes or the Belmont Stakes, they vacated the 1st Saturday in May as their day this year. One would have thought in thinking-out the move Churchill Downs would have accepted that they forfeited the 1st Saturday in May as “Derby Day” this year. Apparently, they didn’t. Churchill Downs cares little about that and more about the success of their own race. Realizing the impact of their action they doubled down by holding a special event on the Old Derby Day, even though the Arkansas Derby moved their race to the 1st Saturday in May from April 18th. They did so in hopes of good news on the COVID-19 front and fill the void on that iconic Saturday.
This shows a major thing wrong with racing –self-interest and siloism. Clearly, Churchill Downs had no intention of improving the sport, the racing industry or the fan experience with their move. They had 20-20 vision focused on a big day, banking on relief from COVID-19 restrictions. They seemed not to care that they were trampling on closing weekend at Saratoga and impacting horse connections working toward the Travers Stakes at Saratoga run one week earlier. All they did to reduce guilt was to notify the New York Racing Association and the Maryland Jockey Club (Preakness Stakes) of their decision, according to media reports. Churchill’s myopic strategy was to force those two races to fall in behind the Derby like soldiers in boot camp. Apparently, although they never said, they didn’t care if the chain reaction imploded the fall Belmont meet, the Keeneland fall meet and potentially the Breeders’ Cup.
If ever the time has come for a national leader of the sport of Thoroughbred racing, it is now. Churchill Downs just provided the closing arguments. It all might have been avoided if the racing leaders caucused to find a way to accomplish all their interests. This would have been a mediated approach that could have been led by our National Commissioner of Racing. How many more blunders must we endure before we get it? Or lose our sport?