IDEAS on how we can improve Harness Racing

[Messenger]

Thanks Wayne. If they are only going to do Saturdays, it will not compare with Vic's especially as Ch.7 already show the big NSW and QLD carnivals on their main channel
It will however be good for the NSW and QLD Saturday punters for they will know that they can see the metro meet every week without Foxtel, streaming or venturing out

[arlington]

No problems Kev. But it still puts more and more thoroughbred racing in family lounge rooms for free irrespective of which State. This only goes towards reducing harness racing relative exposure, hence turnover. Tabcorp are looking to use the Sky telecast, and using Vic as an example with us being joint venture partners (even with our 12%), there's no room or thought to televise some Saturday night big harness meetings?

The farce that is Sky with harness continually being bumped to Sky 2, if Tabcorp is going in on free to air, they have an obligation to look after all partners.

A broken record, was it Hamilton trots that was bumped to Sky2 whilst they waited for Qld gallops running late. But the greatest insult was the Qld race was on the other gallops Sky channel as well. So, for your minimum Foxtel package you could watch that same gallops race on two Sky channels but couldn't watch Hamilton trots. That's BS.

[Messenger]

Wayne, you know you will get no argument from me about 'Harness Racing Needs Better Than Sky1'
I have banged on for years about how we need to be on free to air only to be told that it is not as important as it once was - seems to me that the gallops are doing alright out of it

I have admitted before that I cannot watch Sky for any length of time - it is headache material not entertainment.
If I wanted to watch racing for entertainment and relaxation the pace of NSW's Thoroughbred Central would be my choice. Racing.com - Ch68/78 used to be ok then they started trying to pack to much racing and advertising into it (and I cannot resist the HD video of NSW's offering)

[Messenger]

I don't often read Greg Baum but did today and thought his Age article relevant to harness racing too

"..........

I'm jacking up at the way the presentation of sport is pitched exclusively at kids. Look around: the Big Bash League, the Australian Open, soon your friendly neighbourhood football code.

Here, something to bang together. There, something that explodes. Here, some dancing. There, bright colours and movement: remember those from your cot, and how they made you gurgle? Here, a big screen on which you might appear, if only you are colourful enough, and move a lot, and bang things together.

........

Through all the banging and crashing and firebombing and deafening, a sad subliminal message emerges. It is that promoters don't like, understand or trust their own game enough to make it the focus. They're scared that it is not engaging enough, and so, look over here, kids, and here, and here, anywhere but out there."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/sport-is...19-h0l2v1.html

You have to get your product right and sell your product not fluff

[arlington]

I don't often read Greg Baum but did today and thought his Age article relevant to harness racing too

"..........

I'm jacking up at the way the presentation of sport is pitched exclusively at kids. Look around: the Big Bash League, the Australian Open, soon your friendly neighbourhood football code.

Here, something to bang together. There, something that explodes. Here, some dancing. There, bright colours and movement: remember those from your cot, and how they made you gurgle? Here, a big screen on which you might appear, if only you are colourful enough, and move a lot, and bang things together.

........

Through all the banging and crashing and firebombing and deafening, a sad subliminal message emerges. It is that promoters don't like, understand or trust their own game enough to make it the focus. They're scared that it is not engaging enough, and so, look over here, kids, and here, and here, anywhere but out there."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/sport-is...19-h0l2v1.html

You have to get your product right and sell your product not fluff

Is he talking about Maria Sharapova?

[Messenger]

Import as much of this here as we can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25E5M0Vd5gI

(extended clip of Prix d'Amerique)

[arlington]

Import as much of this here as we can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25E5M0Vd5gI

(extended clip of Prix d'Amerique)

Relying on my form 3 French, did I interpret a big whip fine for Franck? Would nearly expect to have the race taken away if he got up here. I did notice some selective replay angles.

Lessons from this Franck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZlqd2Zp4tE

[Toohard]

https://www.standardbredcanada.ca/ne...on-future.html

Read about the idea of a moving grandstand

[Dot]

Although this article refers specifically to half mile tracks I think there is a message in it for all tracks

https://harnessracingupdate.com/2018...ss-of-betting/

[Messenger]

A good article Dot - you would have thought it was written in Oz