By Kip Cornett
If there are two sports whose paths have mirrored each other historically, it would be baseball and horse racing in America.
Both are tradition-driven and both enjoyed prominence for decades. And both recently have dealt with challenges, scandals and declining interest.
One sport though has chosen to embrace innovation.
Baseball has developed multiple changes over several years as they fought to gain fan, media and sponsor revenue. To our credit, racing has innovated in several spaces, specifically health and safety, but not so much in product presentation.
The last major product innovation in racing happened four decades ago with the creation of the Breeders' Cup.
Major League Baseball announced this week that they enjoyed their biggest year-over-year attendance increase since 1993. Because they listened. And they changed.
The energy is back in baseball. Media attention is back. And the fans are back in the ballpark and watching games on a bevy of media options.
Can we say the same of racing? Unfortunately, no.
But fortunately, it is not too late. As long as racing will step up to the plate right now and embrace meaningful innovation.
Need one example? There is a 100% chance that realigning the Triple Crown on a better schedule would result in more media attention, more wagering and a stronger safety message.
Earlier this year, leaders within the sport–Churchill Downs, Stronach, top breeders and others cried out for increased cooperation and collaboration.
There is no question that much of this was due to our safety crisis, but clearly the safety issue is only one of many that should–and must be addressed by a broad coalition of our industry.
That is if we want to remain relevant and follow a proven path, like our friends in baseball just showed us.
It took bold thinking and a never-give-up attitude by John Gaines to create the Breeders' Cup. And equally as important, it took thinking of the greater good by breeders and racetracks.
The evolution of racetrack ownership should make innovation much, much more possible than ever. You can count on one hand the entities that control the sport.
Throw in the Breeders' Cup and The Jockey Club and representatives from those seven could fit around a small dining room table!
There are 30 club owners in MLB involved in the decision-making process. Not to mention the Players' Association and others.
Undoubtedly, a Commissioner-led model greatly facilitates changes to baseball, but with so few involved to create meaningful innovation in racing, we can still change without requiring a Commissioner.
Want to truly pay homage to the 40-year anniversary of the Breeders' Cup? Create a “Gaines Commission” to study and implement strategic changes within racing.
Outside professional support would moderate our “think tank” project, at first with only representatives from the racing entities mentioned above.
As the commission begins to develop and agree on potential action, others (deservedly so) will be brought into the process. But for now, one step at a time.
Just as baseball went to a pitch clock, the Gaines Commission would be on the clock as well, directed to finalize their recommendations long before Breeders' Cup 2024.
Baseball changed and has been rewarded. Racing can do the same. Our changes will be different. Our changes won't be as easy.
But we don't have another 40 years to wait.
Kip Cornett is a Thoroughbred owner, bettor and sports marketer.
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