Sunday Surge

[Chief Stipe]

On 16/03/2026 at 7:53 PM, Shab said:

For decades the show was funded by a % takeout around half of what it is today and it was going a lot better than what it is today. Don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that 130% markets are going to snuff the game out completely 

I gather you and @curious don't understand track funding   Both of you are so wrong it is laughable.

@curious show us all in financial numbers when Racing paid its way.

 

[curious]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

@curious show us all in financial numbers when Racing paid its way.

 

Sorry, I don't have time to do that in any great detail. If you want it, you'll have to do it yourself but here's a quick AI summary of the timeline and deterioration with centralisation and bulk funding.

Summary

✔️ Pre‑1951: Clubs ran racing and funded themselves from on‑course wagering.

✔️ 1951–2003 (TAB era): Nationalised wagering grew, funding increasingly centralised.

✔️ 2003: NZ Racing Board created — full centralised funding and governance model began.

[curious]

9 minutes ago, curious said:

Sorry, I don't have time to do that in any great detail. If you want it, you'll have to do it yourself but here's a quick AI summary of the timeline and deterioration with centralisation and bulk funding.

 

Summary

✔️ Pre‑1951: Clubs ran racing and funded themselves from on‑course wagering.

✔️ 1951–2003 (TAB era): Nationalised wagering grew, funding increasingly centralised.

✔️ 2003: NZ Racing Board created — full centralised funding and governance model began.

If you want to dig out my and others' social media posts from the beginning of this century warning of the impending disaster the detailed financial figures are there.

Edited 3 hours ago by curious

[Shab]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

I gather you and @curious don't understand track funding   Both of you are so wrong it is laughable.

I know you and your buddies at Entain wish price elasticity wasn't a thing but it is. Remember from Econ 101 as the price of having a punt increases demand decreases. Just the way it is. You gotta work out a different and better way of funding than ludicrous takeout rates.