It's been called - a press release from Playersboycott.org asks for help in their quest to grow California racing, by addressing, what they think, must be done. Full release is below.
Organized Horseplayer Boycott of California Thoroughbred Racing is Launched
PRESS RELEASE
(San Diego CA – December 13, 2010) – Today a National Horseplayers Boycott website (playersboycott.org) was launched asking players to boycott California Thoroughbred racing. The website is calling for all concerned horseplayers to support the endeavor.
Playersboycott.org wants to emphasize that the purpose of the Players’ Boycott isn’t to punish or destroy racing in California. In fact, the opposite is true.
The organization is boycotting to create a better tomorrow and believes the actions of racing’s decision makers have been destroying racing in California, and elsewhere, for years.
If you take all sources handle today in 2010, and adjust it for inflation, and then compare it to all sources handle in 2003, you will notice that handle today is approximately half of what it was just seven years ago.
By supporting The National Players' Boycott Of California Racing effort, you can help us put a stop to this trend. We ask you to consider carefully the idea that every handle dollar spent on California racing is a vote in support of higher takeout and a vote to support the mistaken belief expressed by the CHRB and the TOC that the customer is irrelevant.
You have a choice when it comes to where you spend your money.
Every handle dollar not bet on the California racing product is a vote for change and a vote to send a very clear message to the CHRB and the TOC: The customer DOES in fact matter.
The organization is looking for numerous volunteers and some positions needed are listed on the website. All and any help is appreciated.
If you are interested, you can contact us at playersboycott@gmail.com. We thank you in advance for your help and support.
14 comments:
This is the wrong thing to do. You do not make things happen by radical means. No matter what your goal, the name itself (boycott)is offensive to the industry. I am afraid this is going to backfire in your face. You might sway some rebate players but most of us will run from this campaign. Not very well thought through gentlemen.
who are these people? no names listed.
Hey Anon - before I get in line and support this cause, what exactly hasn't been "very well thought through" ? Sounds to me they're serious about making an impact for the bettor.
Doing nothing, will see them raise the win-place-show takeouts to 20% or higher one day to temporarily fund the purses. Is that progress?
From the home page http://playersboycott.org/
Check back frequently. We will be announcing specific and targeted boycott races/dates right here in the very near future.
Your participation in The National Players' Boycott Of California Thoroughbred Racing effort will help shine a very public spotlight on the actions of the CHRB and TOC and bring about much needed change.
We ask you to consider carefully the idea that every handle dollar spent on California thoroughbred racing is a vote in support of higher takeout and a vote to support the mistaken belief expressed by the CHRB and the TOC that the customer is irrelevant.
If poker raised take to 5% from 4% there would be letters, thousands of comments, and Rome would be burning (from the Poker Player Alliance and players). In horse racing, where the people who care are all playing poker, takeout is raised 20% and no one gives a ^$&%. Horseplayers deserve what they get.
The right thing to do, but the wrong way to initiate it.
Requiring sign-ups to provide their names when the leaders do not is more than ironic. Why on earth would they want to eliminate any potential support from the start? Every non-wagered dollar counts. The time for names is when the boycott has proven effective and negotiations are ready to begin. If any HANA board members are involved, they should already know that exclusivity and non-transparency haven’t worked up to now in attracting large numbers of supporters.
Looks like they are looking for volunteers. I think they might need a name to email you back, but WDIK.
Handle is falling, takeout is rising, horseplayers are dieing by the day.... and someone is worried about a name!
..... Boy oh boy horseplayers get bogged down in non-sensical garbage. No wonder nothing gets done.
(not a reflection on HANA, of course)
#6,
As one who withholds his own identity. did you actually go to the site and try to sign-up? One is required to give one’s email address, city, state, zip, first name and last name. All else is optional. The following appears above the input data form:
“… When the time comes to sit down and negotiate with racing's decision makers, having real names puts us in a much better bargaining position than if we had a list composed of people's internet handles only. If you are a known personality on an internet message board you should know that submitting your real name and address will help us far more than submitting a handle such as PaceMaster7f ever will. Please: we are asking for real names only.”
The leadership remains a mystery despite the following post by HANA’s president who confirms his involvement in starting up the wbsite, and his support for it, but not his role going forward or that of any others:
http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1018414#post1018414
I support a boycott and want to help, but until I know more about the objectives, tactics, and motives involved, my internet handle will have to suffice for now. If anyone participating there from HANA thinks I can help, I hope they’ll email me.
#7
I emailed and introduced myself. It really was not very difficult.
Why is wholly boycotting CHRB racing the better option than boycotting only the exotics? If WPS wagering went up at SA with the re-advent of dirt racing, but exotic handle decreased, would the same message be sent? I don't play CHRB tracks today because of short fields, but I think that the synthetics were the primary culprit. Why not a WPSonly@SA campaign?
My onlu problem with the press release is that while it indicates it is a boycott of California Thoroughbred racing, they don't specifically mention Cal-Expo, the harness track in Sacremento.
Cal-Expo is not increasing takeouts and in fact is attempting to come up with wagers with reduced takeouts. This should be noted.
pacingguy: From page one:
By supporting The National Players' Boycott Of California Thoroughbred Racing effort, you can help us put a stop to this trend.
Note: We are not calling for a players' boycott of Cal Expo. Cal Expo recently said "no" to increased harness takeout and recently reduced their takeout on selected wagers.
#8,
Good advice. How pragmatic of you!
Indulto looks like he got an article published on the site. Good work!
http://www.playersboycott.org/article_playercommentary12142010.html
Help something "grow" by killing it. Brilliant.
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