New Ways to Do Business

Two items this morning.

Ray Paulick has a post up from Barry Irwin, titled "Racings value, Where's the Beef?". In the item, Irwin asks for tracks and horseman to get together on medication (the high costs are murder), feed (there has to be a cheaper way) and takeout - he calls for 12%.

He is one of several lately calling for a takeout at that level - and they are not the usual suspects, i.e. bettors. They are industry insiders.

Secondly, a harness fan pointed us to this interesting article on Harnesscharts.com. This is the site for the "Harness Eye" a very good past performance sheet available throughout many parts of the US. They have proprietary speed figs, trip notes and a ton else. Several players have been asking for these to be available online. The editor of the site offers this about those questions (bolded part mine):

..... inquiries on the status of our past performances are something I simply will not be able to answer with any certainty. In fact, I’ll clear the air on that subject right now. In the early stages of 2009 we began supplying FREE past performances on our site for select Meadowlands and Yonkers cards to help promote the sport and increase the scope of our product. Unfortunately, we were asked to cease these postings by the United States Trotting Association. While we maintain a contract to utilize data from the USTA to produce our print products, any electronic distribution of our past performances is forbidden. I would certainly encourage our customers or anyone out of our print area to contact the USTA at 877-800-8782 or e-mail Executive VP Mike Tanner at Mike.Tanner@ustrotting.com. Mike is a great guy who is committed to the sport. Let him know you would like a choice when purchasing electronic past performances. Voice your opinion that Harness Eye offers a superior product. We want to be able to offer you our past performances when you want them and in the most convenient method possible. Help us help you by making your voice heard.

It's a problem when an entrepreneur can't offer promo past performances for a card of racing, to up the bet, and maybe get a few people energized about the product. We have said it before and we will say it again: Data deals signed and constructed before the internet was introduced should be thrown in the trash can and we should start over.

It's a new world out there and we have to stop acting like we are still living in the old one.