What are betting operators plans with racing in SA

In markets one effective way to assess a companies plans and longer term strategies are to analyse the known objectives that are set and strived for or alternatively to have a look at what is not targeted as a specific objective.

In the case of our local operators the latter is perhaps more appropriate as there are no clear evidence of an objective to grow the racing customer base. It is reasonable to assume that it cannot possibly be an intended target, as the continued bricks and mortar investment does not offer tangible customer information that could facilitate with accurate numbers on customers and their individual investment habits and preferences.

As on line, which would offer much more usable trend information seems to be a secondary pursuit I can only assume that growing the customer base has little or no relevance in how employee performance is measured and rewarded.

What then is the idea behind "Racing, It's a Rush" if the reach of the program could never be effectively measured?

Until growing the customer base becomes a clear and measurable objective we will never see an improvement in the local racing offering and must expect a further regression in the sport that we love.

I think racing it`s a rush was a great idea...

Unfortunatley it has hit hurdles from prima donnas in racing that don`t want betting promoted but fancy horses and champagne lifestyle promoted.The masses will never be embraced by the racing insiders afraik,like they are by the bookies and the operators

LSU - define what you understand under 'customer base'.

Not race day attendance Don, participating customers, ie players or owners.

precisely. There are different segments to the market, and the existing customer base. Racing It's A Rush is attending to attendance in phase1. This phase1 is meant to upgrade the experience offer to both existing customers, and newcomers, and to expose Racing to the general public in a more visible way. Without having to convert to punters, or owners (which is where Racing's income is derived).
The reason this is getting first attention (in Phase1) is because of market forces +competition.

so, if you're thinking of customer base as the existing customers, already converted, the only attention this segment is getting in Phase1 is the upgrade in experience on racedays, and visibility of identifying which racedays to attend to experience that 'great day out'.

Phase2 + will give attention to education, conversion.

L S U [ players ] this changes from day to day as the economic climate worsens or gets better only players that win come back regularly as most players that lose consistently move on to other forms of gambling ... i think the same scenario applies to owners who come and go in racing for whatever reason ...... how to get the existing client base[ players or owners ] to stay in the game to me should be the key focus area.

Well put Don and I do like the idea of "Racing, It's a Rush".

The concern is that there are no element in the program or any other in the organisation that measures tangible results.

How many people were at a particular race day, how many of these were first timers or repeat customers, how many placed a bet, what did they play on and how much was spent per person. What do they even think about racing, the experience and would they recommend it to others. How does it feature as a family outing, entertainment wise and value for money.

Right now you can possibly count the number coming through the turn styles but nothing more which is clearly not a very productive strategy as success cannot be measured in a useful manner.

The point of the question is how can we take efforts seriously, no matter how well intended, when tangible outcomes are not required and with no targets set annually.

Is local racing still of long term strategic importance? I for one cannot see evidence to support such a view as there is very little done to promote the sport effectively in the local market.

Most initiatives are aimed at international racing or non-racing ventures and these receive visible support and are achieving good results. The same can sadly not be said for the historical core business.

Len Sham wrote: L S U [ players ] this changes from day to day as the economic climate worsens or gets better only players that win come back regularly as most players that lose consistently move on to other forms of gambling ... i think the same scenario applies to owners who come and go in racing for whatever reason ...... how to get the existing client base[ players or owners ] to stay in the game to me should be the key focus area.

Len, we as players might not feel that we are getting the service we deserve but trust me the only strategy that the operator has (in terms of local racing) is to keep the current customer base intact and in fact to increase the per capita spend per player. The only growth (excluding co-mingling initiatives which has to be applauded) for years has been from churn related betting gains so I can assure you that the answer to a turnaround will not be coming from this area of the business.

This has been tried over and over for a few decades now without producing any meaningful impact. In the same vain the huge crowds seen at big race days have never resulted in customer conversion and never will as participation plays second fiddle to attendance. There are not enough race days to provide continuity to exposure and the market has changed dramatically. People don't even go to spectator sports anymore so what chance has racing, as a limited spectator sport, to attract sustainable and growing attendance.

Racing's challenge is to make physical participation more meaningful by offering an affordable, competitive and rewarding experience that will lead to repeat business and ultimately committed customers.

Nothing less than this will turn things around.

international racing = market forces, unavoidable. See Val de Ra, Variety Club. And now Futura. Unfortunately for our local fans (or fortunately, depending on which way you look at it), and fortunately for owners, our horses are sometimes good enough to compete on the global track. Owners with a potential star will maximize the horse's income - anyone would be stupid not to. The local market will lose the horse to tracks abroad, watering down the competition on local tracks, which does not help with maintaining interest and drawing crowds - if it is communicated using the correct mix.

National pride is not something to be scoffed at. Neither is a nation's participation in their own culture (tradition). Can racing be seen as part of SAF's culture? not yet. It is still considered Imperialistic. There is some growth necessary yet. That growth has to have a starting point. And that starting point has to do with bottom level structural changes - change management, if you wish, on market level and product offering, as well as delivery.

Don, it is clear that you have an undeniable passion for racing that you express very eloquently and that your heart is very much in the right place.

Racing needs scores more passionate people in the right positions to become part of finding solutions through change rather than the constant obstructionists standing in the way of progress by hanging on to antiquated thinking.

This is why I plea for clearly measurable customer growth objectives to expose the uncreative dead wood to a more challenging environment. It is high time that racing should move away from purely turn over growth objectives to adding customer number growth objectives as this will be positive for unlocking real creativity within the industry.

People will always hide behind convention if no measures are in place to force innovation.

A few weeks back Sam Cohen had Maps Mopanyane on her 702 show. I thought great here is this Its a Rush ambassador lets see what he says. He is an interesting young man, very clearly highly successful and intelligent. He was on the show with some other show biz woman and they chatted for about 30 minutes. Maps discussed his life, growing up as the son of a famous football player, his various interests and milestones. Not once was racing mentioned. Perhaps Don can enlighten us what he is expected to do as a Its a Rush ambassador? I am also hearing that there have been some resignations in the marketing department, in particular concerning people directly responsible for Its a Rush.