Tonight's 60 minuets segment may include...

[The Exporter]

If tonight's 60 Minutes segment includes mention of the Tioga arson, will it be seen with a sympathetic eye or further erode the public's vision of horseracing?   

[Superfecta]

The general public will think the guy lost a bet because his horse was stiffed and the fire was his revenge.

[CMJAnew]

If tonight's 60 Minutes segment includes mention of the Tioga arson, will it be seen with a sympathetic eye or further erode the public's vision of horseracing?

When are these things taped?

[Kirbys Ace]

The segment was a big disappointment. Could of gave us more than 10 mins.

[Harness Stats]

According to them we are a "betting niche".  They gave us all of about one minute of SSDD.

[Generation XYZ]

According to them we are a "betting niche".  They gave us all of about one minute of SSDD.

The primary reason for the Niche comment, is that whether harness racing cares to admit it or not.  The average person, (young and old alike), any where in the country, has heard of the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. You'd be hard pressed to pick one person from each of the 50 states in the US, and ask them if they've heard of the Hambo. etc. Im doubtful less than 10 of the 50 would know what it is. 

[CMJAnew]

Best be considered a niche until it gets cleaned up. That said, we may be the low hanging fruit the “rights” groups pick first.

[LAW AND ORDER]

HARNESS RACING NEEDS TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND WAIT A YEAR FOR THE DETOXING AND CLEANING TO BE DONE, THEN START FRESH AND NEW WITH VERY STRICT LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. ACCOUNTABILITY AND STRICT PENALITIES ENFORCED FOR OFFENDERS. NO SECOND CHANCES PERIOD.

[kooter for hipin]

HARNESS RACING NEEDS TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND WAIT A YEAR FOR THE DETOXING AND CLEANING TO BE DONE, THEN START FRESH AND NEW WITH VERY STRICT LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. ACCOUNTABILITY AND STRICT PENALITIES ENFORCED FOR OFFENDERS. NO SECOND CHANCES PERIOD.

   

 

[LAW AND ORDER]

   

 

THANKS KOOTS 

[Bitter Truth]

Shut down for a year Great idea. Let the ones watching and carrying things , have to find something else to watch and wager on, especially nowadays, and see if they come back. Alot will sure, but there will be more lost. Let's face it, harness racing has no chance of growth in exposure or popularity. The ones you lost wouldn't be replaced with new people. It ain't happening.

[LAW AND ORDER]

Shut down for a year Great idea. Let the ones watching and carrying things , have to find something else to watch and wager on, especially nowadays, and see if they come back. Alot will sure, but there will be more lost. Let's face it, harness racing has no chance of growth in exposure or popularity. The ones you lost wouldn't be replaced with new people. It ain't happening.

THE ONES WHO WATCH AND WAGER ARE THE ONES WHO ARE IN THE BUSINESS. LIKE YOU JUST SAID THERE ARENT ANY NEW FANS TODAY AND THERE WONT BE ANY ONE YEAR FROM NOW EITHER. AT THIS POINT THERE IS NOTHING TO LOSE. ONLY PEOPLE LEFT BETTING HARNESS RACING ARE THE DEGENERATES AND BUSTOUTS. THEYLL BET SOMETHING ELSE FOR A YEAR AND WHEN HARNESS OPENS BACK UP THEYLL BE RIGHT BACK BETTING HARNESS. LIKE I SAID, GOTTA DETOX EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE.

[Stan durbread]

Harness racing must face two realities:

1) The subsidies (handouts) will not last forever. Eventually enough voters and enough politicians will end the handouts and probably approve decoupling.

2) With the explosion of gambling options, harness racing will never be able to support itself just on gambling. Harness racing must figure out how to make the product they offer something people will support beyond just as a gambling option.

The future is as simple as adapt or die.

Overnight racing will take a big hit. Stake races will be ok. Plenty of people want to pay to prove they got the best.

[Stan durbread]

There will not be stakes races if there isn't any overnight races. Well over 80% of the purses in PA are funded by handouts. If the purses of overnight races are less than 20% of what they are now the value of the top horses will plummet. If decoupling passes the casino companies which now own most of the facilities will shut them down. How much space does a table game or slot machine take up compared to the revenue they generate? Don't you think the casino companies can find a more profitable use for all that land?

If it was left up to casino companies they would kill off racing and close down every casino.  Go only online and have very little payroll and keep all the tips.  Ain’t going yo happen anytime soon too many jobs at risk