With NASCAR ranking as the number one spectator sport in North America, there is undoubtedly widespread interest in racing.
A race, in and of itself, is exciting.
There is something awe-inspiring about watching a single soul triumph over any comers to the challenge, whether in a track meet, stock car showdown or witnessing a Thoroughbred racehorse blaze past their opponents in a simple refusal to lose a race.
Racing, in any form, highlights the excitement of individual achievement above and beyond many other sports.
The very nature of racing is that a single victor bested a field of several contenders that arrived with all of their eyes on the same prize. And, in the end, it is the lone champion that captivates an audience long after a race is run.
NASCAR’s marketing gurus figured out the value of the individual athlete many decades ago. And, they showcased their athletes in response. Within fifteen minutes of wandering onto the NASCAR site, I left with the ability to name a few leading drivers, point to a couple legends in the history of the sport and access plenty of videos if I chose to learn more about the sport.
And, unlike many major horse racing sites, it was free to learn how to actively participate as a potential fan of NASCAR. I didn’t have to open an account or pay to watch races. Their champions, past and present, were easy to spot. I just clicked, “Drivers,” and there were plenty of drivers to read about and learn why they are exciting figures in the sport.
In contrast, horse racing doesn’t have a free industry-supported site that gives away non-stakes race videos or past performance records of the athletes that are currently racing. We also don’t showcase our champions throughout the history of the sport to potential fans at their first access point to the sport.
It made me wonder about techniques for marketing horse racing so that newcomers may find an interest in our sport, and ultimately, visit the track for a race.
Wouldn’t it be great if the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) had an introductory video compilation of some of the greatest moments in racing when a visitor arrived at their home page? A newcomer could see the glory of Secretariat racing in the Belmont, Zenyatta winning the Breeder’s Cup Classic, Seattle Slew being crowned the only undefeated Triple Crown Winner, along with plenty of other magnificent racing moments during their first glance at our sport.
What if the NTRA posted all of the live track feeds and race replays in one location for free on their site? A newcomer wouldn’t have to dog hunt from track-to-track to find a race or set up a wagering account to learn more about horse racing.
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a timeline of the historical moments in racing, with free video footage, for newcomers to browse when they visited the NTRA site for the first time?
What if the NTRA published a list on their home page of every Eclipse-award winning horse and provided a biography of each Champion for a newcomer to learn about the Kings and Queens of our sport?
Finally, wouldn’t it be nice to see horse racing being promoted via television advertisements and on billboards near major tracks? NASCAR doesn’t wait for mainstream media to get interested in their sport. Instead, NASCAR jumps right in to mainstream culture with ad campaigns geared toward building and keeping a fan base.
NASCAR has advertising campaigns to target their core base, reminiscing about the most captivating moments in the sport, as well as showcasing their popular drivers in the sport at the present. The commercials are emotional, fast-paced and highlight the excitement of attending the races. As a non-enthusiast of NASCAR, I actually wondered while watching a few NASCAR ads, “Why haven’t I ever been to one of these races?” It would be nice to instill that wonder in potential enthusiasts of horse racing with similarly inspiring commercials and advertising campaigns.
So, you may be wondering, why is NASCAR giving away so much information for free that fans pay for in horse racing? And, as the most popular spectator sport in North America, why is NASCAR advertising at all?
Simple. NASCAR recognizes that the athletes and the fans are what drive their sport. They showcase what draws fans to the races and continue to market to strengthen their fan base.
And ultimately, the focus of NASCAR’s website wasn’t to make money from information that was critical to learn about the sport and get involved as a fan. The NASCAR site seemed to provide fans with as much free information as possible about the sport as part of a larger goal – to drive fans to purchase a ticket to a race.
After looking at the NASCAR marketing strategies, it made me wonder what an industry-based horse racing site would look like to a curious NASCAR fan that didn’t follow our sport.
Would the NASCAR fan leave with any knowledge of some of the greatest moments in horse racing?
Could the NASCAR fan name a few of our champion racehorses throughout history?
Would the NASCAR fan feel like there was a community to welcome them into the sport if they wanted to attend a race and didn’t know another horse racing enthusiast?
Sadly, I believe the answer is “No” to those questions.
Yet, one vital question remains: “How can we get our core fans, along with newcomers, to come to the racetracks on a regular basis?” NASCAR’s marketing model provides some valuable ideas.
The horse racing industry should provide free access to educational tools about the sport, including past performances and race replays, to educate newcomers and showcase our athletes.
Horse racing also needs to highlight the greatest moments in the history of the sport, provide free video footage of important races throughout the ages and advertise the current excitement surrounding the sport on mainstream television.
At the heart, NASCAR’s success demonstrates that the athletes and the fans drive a spectator sport.
Put them in the spotlight first.
In the end, let the stands fill with the wonder of what may lie ahead.
Great article as always Jennifer!
I agree and have said the same thing about bringing fans to the sport for as many years as I have been following live horse racing. Marketing is everything in sports and horse racing rarely takes the opportunity to promote themselves beyond the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup. Educating the fans is essential, that’s so true. How can someone really appreciate what they don’t fully understand.
Thanks, Brian. I wish they would aggresively market this sport, aside from the Breeder’s Cup and TC Series.
BTW ~ I’m love your articles that you’ve been posting. Keep up the excellent work!
Wow - fabulous article. I came away with deep thoughts. A very interesting concept. I hope it makes the horse industry aware of what could be. Loved it.
Hi Louise ~ Thanks for the nice comment. I think horse racing is a great industry, but we could always do better. (I’d love to see more fans for such a great sport!!!)
Wow!!! That was the most interesting article I ever, ever, ever, read on horse racing. You need to create that web site, or because of your fantastic article someone is already working on it, because everything you said makes sense, and even though there is a lot of free into given away, someone ultimately will make a lot of money from what you wrote.
I agree totally with Jennifer. I am a fan of both NASCAR & Horseracing. I’ve been a fan of Horseracing for over 40 years. I’m new to NASCAR, but I admit the NASCAR website makes the sport more appealing to the fans. I wish the NTRA would do the same. I enjoy reading about the horses, jockeys, trainers and owners and I believe a detailed horse racing website from the NTRA would help attract new fans. GREAT ARTICLE, Jennifer
I too have often wondered why NASCAR is as popular as it has become. But there are folks in horse racing who are determined to make our info more accessible and attract new fans. There is a web site where you can get past performances for free, watch race replays and rate the best of all-time. It is http://www.HorseRacingNation.com. It is on track to be the site Jennifer is describing, we just need more fans to help build our wiki. It’s free and constantly updated, and you can even post your handicapping plays of the day. Check us out!!
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone.
And Candace - I love horseracingnation.com. I view most of my videos there. It is definitely a great resource for any fan.
Great story. I agree with what you have to say. The only thing I might add is an old line “Out of sight Out of mind”
If it’s not on TV, like it was years ago. It’s not in people’s minds.
Good beginning to open discussions of ‘track’ attendence.
Big point in favor of horses is that there are multiple races in a session rather than one long event.
Thanks, Fred. You’re right — That is a big point in favor of horse races.
What a very nice and inspiring story. I agree that horse racing also needs to highlight the greatest moments in the history of the sport, provide free video footage of important races throughout the ages and advertise the current excitement surrounding the sport on mainstream television.
Thank you, Kate. I think it would be great for the sport if we continued to highlight our champions.