Racing's first pitch competition to bring innovation to a business steeped in tradition is one of the highlights of this week's Symposium on Racing & Gaming sponsored by the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program.
The event begins with a reception Monday evening and continues with all-day sessions Tuesday and Wednesday. It has “returned home” to Loew's Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson after being held at nearby hotel for the past decade. Several hundred racing executives from around the world are expected to attend.
The pitch competition is titled the “Innovators Circle” and will be the opening session on Wednesday morning. Entrepreneurs will attempt to dazzle a panel of racing executives with new ideas designed to revive horse racing. The panelists will have the chance to question each person or group making a pitch, and audience membersmay also be permitted to ask questions.
Creators of the presentation deemed most innovative and promising for horse racing will win a cash prize of $15,000.
Audience members will also get a chance to vote for their favorite pitch in the Innovators Circle. The “peoples' choice” winner gets a cash prize of $1,000.
The Innovators Circle is a presentation of gaming author Vin Nararayan and the technology firm Neomancer in conjunction with the Race Track Industry Program.
The Symposium on Racing & Gaming leaps out of the starting gate at 8:15 Tuesday morning with a fast-paced session titled “45 Ideas in 45 Minutes.” Speakers will offer concise suggestions for ways that racing can improve its product. Moderator Joe Harper, president and CEO of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, will keep speakers to their one-minute limit, and attendees will receive a written synopsis of the ideas at the end of the session so that they need not take notes.
Those invited to present ideas are Steve Byk, host of “At The Races with Steve Byk”; Darryl Kaplan, editor of Trot magazine for Standardbred Canada; Steve Koch, Executive Director of the NTRA's Safety and Integrity Alliance; Peter Rotondo, Breeders' Cup Vice-President for Media and Entertainment; and Amy Zimmerman, The Stronach Group's Director of Broadcasting.
Later in the day attendees will hear from experts on the importance of holding laboratories that perform the post-race tests to the highest standards.
“Selecting an Official Testing Laboratory: Value is not the low-cost option” should be a lively session given concerns in this area recently. Steve Koch will both speak on this topic and also serve as moderator. The other speakers are Dr. Diane Benson, Executive Director and COO of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and Dr. Mary Scollay, Equine Medical Director, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
It's no secret that regular media coverage of racing has plummeted in recent years, so a Tuesday afternoon panel addressing that issue is sure to attract a large audience. It's titled “Evolution of News Dissemination: How Racing Media is Adapting to Remain Relevant.”
Jim Mulvihill, Director of Media and Industry Relations for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) will moderate this session. Speakers will be John Hartig, CEO of the Daily Racing Form's Sports Information Group; Melissa Hoppert, Assistant Sports Editor/digital for The New York Times; and John Keitt, president, Publisher and CEO of The Blood-Horse.
Other Tuesday sessions will address the relevance of big data and fantasy sports to horse racing, digital marketing strategies, and attracting new owners.
On Wednesday, attendees will hear presentations on international simulcasting, insurance issues in racing, and the realities of fantasy sports.
The final session of the two days is titled “Fixing Racing” and will focus on what racing can do to stop manipulation of race outcomes. Cases from Pennsylvania, Texas, and Louisiana will be discussed and speakers will describe how it's essential to find violators and remove them from racing.
Jane Murray, Director of Service for the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, handles the moderating duties on this hot topic. Attendees will hear from Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, COO, Racing Matters; Mary Ann Roberts, Staff Attorney, Oklahoma Racing Commission; and Lisa Underwood, who is associated with the law firm of Wyatt, Tarrant, & Combs, LLP.
The Racing & Gaming Symposium concludes Wednesday evening with an “Hasta La Vista Fiesta” for all participants.
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