The Moves Keep Coming and are Encouraging

The Meadowlands announced yesterday the appointment of Valerie Harlan as Director of Marketing.  With the additional appointment by American Racing and Entertainment Group of Christopher Abraham to be in charge of brand synergy, these are exciting times for the Meadowlands.

While the level of racing may not be equal at all three American Racing Group tracks, operating three racing facilities allows for the development of a brand, similar to Churchill Downs.  Now, I am not suggesting the three Gural tracks are peers of Churchill Downs in terms of brand recognition, but having three tracks owned or operated by the same organization does allow for development of a brand.  For example, there can be coordination of stakes events, development of unique wagers such as a weekly Pick-3 on a Saturday night involving Meadowlands, Tioga and Vernon Downs, the development of a racing network for simulcasting purposes, as well as joint promotional efforts.

But the hiring of Valerie Harlan is the bigger story.  With Harlan's appointment and casino industry background, it appears the Meadowlands will be run more like a casino, even without slots.  While the Meadowlands will be seeking to attract more people from all backgrounds to the track, expect to see a customer relationship model enhanced so the Meadowlands knows who their big customers are and treat them accordingly. 

Sure there will be the typical promotions at the Meadowlands, but the truth is racetracks need to stop thinking like racetracks.  While the free t-shirt promotions are a great way to get people in initially, these 'freebies' are not going to keep them coming back. While each person should be treated equally, the truth is to be successful, some people need to be treated more equally.


Meadowlands Countdown -  Racing applications due December 10; first qualifiers December 20; opening night December 28.

John Brennan of The Record provides another update on the NJ Sports Betting Lawsuit.

A bill has been posted in the Garden State to allow New Jersey residents to use their NJAW account when they are out of state.  I guess it is somewhat helpful.  However, to be really helpful, the state should allow NJ residents to use the ADW of their own choice.