Trackside Radio?

[Newmarket]

Out of all of the cutbacks the TAB have made, I think stopping Trackside Radio is the worst. 
To the many that listen to radios, and plenty do , thats crazy. 

[All The Aces]

Complete bonkers!! 

 

[aquaman]

Never mind, John Allen says more bet types will fix everything.

[richard Yardley]

11 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Out of all of the cutbacks the TAB have made, I think stopping Trackside Radio is the worst. 
To the many that listen to radios, and plenty do , thats crazy. 

Unbelievable.

[Reefton]

13 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Out of all of the cutbacks the TAB have made, I think stopping Trackside Radio is the worst. 
To the many that listen to radios, and plenty do , thats crazy. 

The whole thing is just beyond belief

You have a business that is ailing so you cut off the exact things the customer wants.  The radio station that provides info and background to the service you are trying to sell, the newspaper fields that provide those who are not glued to computers with the vital info and the personalities(like Mark Stafford and, reportedly, the likes of Dave MacDonald and Tony Lee) and TV coverage that add the colour and(hopefully)encourage the customers to spend money.

And of course they close half the courses where people actually want to attend the races(and at those that do stay open they will alienate any newcomers by having no facility for manual betting at tote windows).

It is a wonder Dean McKenzie and his mates haven't decided to stop playing the actual races themselves on the Telly to save money as well.

I'm an Accountant (but admittedly no wizard with failing businesses nor a marketing expert) but this method of fixing the problem is one I have never ever ever seen before.  I am sure there are business experts out there who can explain the rationale

 

[nomates]

26 minutes ago, Reefton said:

The whole thing is just beyond belief

You have a business that is ailing so you cut off the exact things the customer wants.  The radio station that provides info and background to the service you are trying to sell, the newspaper fields that provide those who are not glued to computers with the vital info and the personalities(like Mark Stafford and, reportedly, the likes of Dave MacDonald and Tony Lee) and TV coverage that add the colour and(hopefully)encourage the customers to spend money.

And of course they close half the courses where people actually want to attend the races(and at those that do stay open they will alienate any newcomers by having no facility for manual betting at tote windows).

It is a wonder Dean McKenzie and his mates haven't decided to stop playing the actual races themselves on the Telly to save money as well.

I'm an Accountant (but admittedly no wizard with failing businesses nor a marketing expert) but this method of fixing the problem is one I have never ever ever seen before.  I am sure there are business experts out there who can explain the rationale

 

There's no business experts left " out there " , they're all working at the TAB/RITA , that's why racing is going to smash it over the next season . You watch . 

But not too close , could make your eyes bleed .

[Newmarket]

Surely they could just take the main trackside feed live, at least that would let punters listen to the races, especially local meetings. 
Could have saved by just having it on certain hours, noon to 7pm or whatever, to close completely was bullshit. I for one do a heap of driving, certainly wont bet if i can not at least listen. 

[Mark D]

This is good opinion on it.  It seems that some of the staff saw an opening but the cost cutting dinosaurs prevailed.  Just how they are going to bring about a recovery when no one knows that the races are on (with nothing in the papers) beggars belief.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/300021880/trackside-radios-demise-another-serious-blow-for-nz-sporting-world

[Bloke]

A real shame. One of my  highlights was to listen to Miles Davis and Ricardo Ball making their selections for the EPL at 9am each Friday.

 

[The Centaur]

On 29/05/2020 at 11:15 AM, Reefton said:

I'm an Accountant (but admittedly no wizard with failing businesses nor a marketing expert) but this method of fixing the problem is one I have never ever ever seen before.  I am sure there are business experts out there who can explain the rationale

 

Reefton, what I have seen you are good at setting up structures. Therefore to get started some sort of structure that will encourage investors to back a racing media business. Plenty media skills sitting idle at the moment and with some concrete commitment by RITA to support it perhaps it could be viable. Just needs someone to start the ball rolling.

[Reefton]

10 hours ago, The Centaur said:

Reefton, what I have seen you are good at setting up structures. Therefore to get started some sort of structure that will encourage investors to back a racing media business. Plenty media skills sitting idle at the moment and with some concrete commitment by RITA to support it perhaps it could be viable. Just needs someone to start the ball rolling.

Funny you should say that.  I have got a sister who knows the media game rather well and who owned a couple of sky channels a few years back. Suggested to her to set up another to cover the industry but.......

Your choice would be to affiliate with RITA/TAB in order to be able to use their footage or not affiliate and not be able to access it. Now I imagine the price of affiliation would be a no criticism agreement so where does that leave us?

The prospect of being able to have some heavy hitters giving their views regularly appeals to me but not sure it would appeal to Dean McKenzie or Bernard Saundry and since they hold the power......

Of course if said heavy hitters started espousing the closure of tracks and seizing of clubs assets then it might not appeal to me either but I guess if you live in glass houses...

You might be able to access it via sponsorship from an Aussie gaming outfit but that would not, as it stands right now, be of much benefit to the NZ racing industry.

[Chief Stipe]

11 hours ago, The Centaur said:

Reefton, what I have seen you are good at setting up structures. Therefore to get started some sort of structure that will encourage investors to back a racing media business. Plenty media skills sitting idle at the moment and with some concrete commitment by RITA to support it perhaps it could be viable. Just needs someone to start the ball rolling.

From what I've seen from a recent inside look into the costs of racing media the biggest cost is personnel - largely journalists.  The biggest revenue hurdle is simply generating revenue - the only way to do that is via subscription (i.e. paywall) and/or advertising.  So a media channel such as radio can't provide a quality programme without being funded by the business that benefits most - wagering.

That then gets back to the question of where does NZRB/RITA spend its marketing budget?

[The Centaur]

3 hours ago, Reefton said:

Funny you should say that.  I have got a sister who knows the media game rather well and who owned a couple of sky channels a few years back. Suggested to her to set up another to cover the industry but.......

Your choice would be to affiliate with RITA/TAB in order to be able to use their footage or not affiliate and not be able to access it. Now I imagine the price of affiliation would be a no criticism agreement so where does that leave us?

The prospect of being able to have some heavy hitters giving their views regularly appeals to me but not sure it would appeal to Dean McKenzie or Bernard Saundry and since they hold the power......

Of course if said heavy hitters started espousing the closure of tracks and seizing of clubs assets then it might not appeal to me either but I guess if you live in glass houses...

You might be able to access it via sponsorship from an Aussie gaming outfit but that would not, as it stands right now, be of much benefit to the NZ racing industry.

I was looking more at the RITA support via advertising. I don't know what the ex Informant crowd are doing with the breeders but seems a void at the moment where breeders can advertise. There has got to come a time when betting pools get aligned with products and services so using them as marketing tools needs outlets for advertising.

What could be viable is a $3.00 publication with plenty advertising, (The $3.00 just to cover retailer and distribution). Some radio time in conjunction with sport and TV channel in partnership with some commercial organisations.

Because RITA/NZTR/RacingBoard have been devoid of any commercial enterprise seems an untapped market.

[Brodie]

On 28/05/2020 at 9:27 PM, Newmarket said:

Out of all of the cutbacks the TAB have made, I think stopping Trackside Radio is the worst. 
To the many that listen to radios, and plenty do , thats crazy. 

Agree should be Radio Trackside, but you can watch every race on your computer, iPad or phone which is better than just listening, I would’ve thought?

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, Brodie said:

Agree should be Radio Trackside, but you can watch every race on your computer, iPad or phone which is better than just listening, I would’ve thought?

Na. I can drive the car, mow the lawns, fish on the boat, even watch the kids playing sport while listening to the radio.

[Extra Dollars]

We need Trackside Radio,I have spent many trips to&from a racemeeting,listening to results/times ,expert opinions on track conditions.Pluswe have to think of the oldies who listen to everyword faithfully while making their $1 EW on EVERY RACE.
Even little towns have their own Radio Stations.....how hard can it be to have our own Racing Channel?????

[Brodie]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Na. I can drive the car, mow the lawns, fish on the boat, even watch the kids playing sport while listening to the radio.

Chief, you can do the same while listening to it on your phone and even have the odd glimpse!

[Chief Stipe]

43 minutes ago, Brodie said:

Chief, you can do the same while listening to it on your phone and even have the odd glimpse!

We're not all on unlimited data plans.  Plus the video needs a lot of speed to function correctly because of the high definition they stream it in.  Bloody thing stops and starts!

[Mark D]

17 hours ago, Brodie said:

Agree should be Radio Trackside, but you can watch every race on your computer, iPad or phone which is better than just listening, I would’ve thought?

But its just another example of the TAB "dissing" their loyal longstanding customers.  They're competing for MY discretionary dollar but expect me to change to fit THEIR needs.

[curious]

21 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

We're not all on unlimited data plans.  Plus the video needs a lot of speed to function correctly because of the high definition they stream it in.  Bloody thing stops and starts!

What's wrong with just using the radio button?

[Newmarket]

2 hours ago, curious said:

What's wrong with just using the radio button?

Yes, i know that is an option. But many do not have smart phone, and if your working, need phone for work. Know a mate who is a truck driver, never bets now as can not listen, many places do not have wifi. Massive amount of drivers on the road, 

[curious]

4 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Yes, i know that is an option. But many do not have smart phone, and if your working, need phone for work. Know a mate who is a truck driver, never bets now as can not listen, many places do not have wifi. Massive amount of drivers on the road, 

I appreciate that it may be less convenient but you don't need wifi and you can still use the phone for calls. You'd turn the radio down or off for those anyway.

[Chief Stipe]

Check this radio station out:

http://www.radio-australia.org/sky-sports-radio

[Rusty]

It was a ridiculous decision to hit Trackside Radio on the head and remove it from the airwaves. Madness.

It's all very well to say "you can just listen to it via the website" etc but the thing is this... 

A large percentage (majority?) of people within the racing game live on rural properties, and wifi/mobile data can be a bit iffy at the best of times, especially down the back paddock etc. 

Personally, I have found the Rova app to be the best bet for playing Trackside Radio via a smartphone. One can turn the (phone) screen off, to save battery power/extend battery life, and it seems to be more reliable than the NZ TAB website, in that it won't cut out, or get the doomed circle of death.

When crusing the mean streets in an automobile, one can turn on mobile data, and bluetooth on a smartphone and run Trackside radio (via TAB website) through the car's bluetooth stereo. Nowhere near as convenient as old school radio, but it's a possible option for some people. 

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Rusty said:

It was a ridiculous decision to hit Trackside Radio on the head and remove it from the airwaves. Madness.

It's all very well to say "you can just listen to it via the website" etc but the thing is this... 

A large percentage (majority?) of people within the racing game live on rural properties, and wifi/mobile data can be a bit iffy at the best of times, especially down the back paddock etc. 

Personally, I have found the Rova app to be the best bet for playing Trackside Radio via a smartphone. One can turn the (phone) screen off, to save battery power/extend battery life, and it seems to be more reliable than the NZ TAB website, in that it won't cut out, or get the doomed circle of death.

When crusing the mean streets in an automobile, one can turn on mobile data, and bluetooth on a smartphone and run Trackside radio (via TAB website) through the car's bluetooth stereo. Nowhere near as convenient as old school radio, but it's a possible option for some people. 

Can you translate all that for all the old core listener's?