Horseracing Should Be Listening!

Leon Smuts writes in the Sporting Post Mailbag that racing could benefit from diversification. He has met with people from all three racing regions and learned a lot from them. They are passionate about racing and want it to succeed. However, they are negative towards solutions that are longer term in nature. They believe in traditional core product and don't believe it can deliver stronger and sustainable results. Marketing of racing is attractive and Leon would like to explore further. It is a tragedy for racing that the current philosophy is seeking non-racing solutions for a sport with more potential than any other form of gambling and gaming.

The racing industry is struggling and the people involved are limited in their belief in the product they have to sell.

Horseracing's fate is accepted. The sport has been unable to market successfully.

What are the main challenges that have to be overcome in order to successfully place racing on a winning growth path?

Racing has a lot of challenges to overcome. It needs to diversify its marketing strategy and introduce new products. Marketing is all about presenting the selected target market with an attractive, value for money offering. Racing needs a new philosophy to change its current philosophy. It should focus on creating an aspirational image and offering for long-term growth of the core racing product. The new product should be non-wagering to reach out to younger players and other enthusiasts seeking an alternative racing involvement. A second wagered product with similar design features should make transition from the one to the other seamless and logical.

Horseracing should be listened to. How to get younger, pre-gambling age people involved and how to make racing more entertaining and rewarding for a wider audience.

Horseracing should be listening to all suggestions.

Horseracing Should Be Listening! is an illustration series.