by Richard Eng

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association Marketing Summit began on Monday at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, and unlike most years when old ideas are simply repackaged as fresh, this year’s lead panel brought an exciting vision of utilizing technology to attract new customers.

Dana Byerly, Jessica Chapel, Patrick Patten, Dr. Troy Racki, and Kevin Stafford presented for the volunteer NTRA Online Task Force that also included Alex Brown, Norma Jean Fullmer, Lisa Grimm, Alan Mann, John and Bev Passerello, and Derek Simon.

Many of the participants engage in online dialogue via web logs. John Della Volpe of SocialSphere Strategies told NTRA President Alex Waldrop that these people had much to offer as they were communicating with horse racing fans on the grass roots level.

Waldrop agreed with Della Volpe and asked the bloggers to research some new ideas to present at the Marketing Summit. The result after six weeks of collaboration was a 48-page presentation that included many new ideas. NTRA.com plans to post the group’s presentation notes as well as a podcast of the actual presentation online.

Stafford led off with the theme of “Take Back Saturday” the way the National Football League has made Sunday viewing its personal domain. Stafford suggested that after the Belmont Stakes, Saturdays should showcase top graded stakes from coast to coast building up week after week until the Breeders’ Cup. He stressed continuity as key.

Patten spoke about using horse standings to support the “Take Back Saturday” concept.

“Standings create appointment based viewing,” Patten said.

Byerly got into the vast potential of using social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter as a way to allow fans to “discover” racing. Rather than advertising to consumers, you have a “dialog with consumers” and that interactivity will create community and loyalty among fans.

“Our only agenda is to make sure you’re heard,” added Byerly, “We don’t want to be decision makers.”

Chapel spoke about creating a new position of “vice president of online/offline community outreach” for the NTRA. She stressed the importance of interactivity and staying on top of emerging technologies. “Customers aren’t passive anymore, they’re interactive.”

Racki said that the NTRA Ambassador Program generated positive results at Del Mar and that the NTRA would roll out a beta program at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet that begins Wednesday.

Waldrop was the keynote luncheon speaker. He teased the audience with a new plan that will be unveiled in mid October.

“It will be transparent, enforceable and foment change,” said Waldrop. “We’re cutting a path to integrity. You need to jump on the train because it’s leaving the station.”

A legislative update revealed that repealing the dreaded withholding tax on pari-mutuel wagering “will not pass this year, but could do so next year”, said Greg Means of the Alpine Group.

The NTRA Marketing Summit concluded Tuesday morning.

For the complete marketing summit report, click here.

Richard Eng is a Las Vegas-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent