CHURCHILL DOWNS DROPS OUT OF THE NTRA
In a story from the Thoroughbred Times, Churchill Downs has announced they will drop out of the NTRA by not renewing. This has been explained as a cost-cutting measure for the Louisville-based company. The $375,000 in dues Churchill will no longer contribute accounts for 3.8% of their annual budget.
It’s not exactly genius insight to say this is not good news for the future health of the NTRA. With the single largest racetrack company leaving the membership group, will others like Magna be too far along?
Read more at Thoroughbred Times
Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think
Tags: bradford cummings, churchill downs, Magna, NTRA, Paulick Report, thoroughbred times
May 7th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
I guess we know who’s the jockey and who’s the horse in this relationship. The NTRA is an influencer - one that has contributed some good ideas recently - but this goes to show how little power they have. The tracks are going to have to cede decision-making authority in order to unite the sport more thoroughly, but I don’t see a lot of willingness to do that.
May 7th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I would be hard pressed to really explain what I think the NTRA really does, despite many years myself in the sport. The only real function the organization seems to perform are lobbying duties on Capitol Hill. They seem to be a bit of a failure in uniting fans, horseman & tracks.
May 8th, 2010 at 7:40 am
The NTRA concept was a well-meant institution with a flawed political structure! It’s lack of mandate for its leadership to act as a regulatory body on major issues such as dates and format gifted to football, baseball et al. This was compounded by the appointment of million dollar men in succession that had only read about horses in history books and stood little chance of mediating the Hatfields and McCoys on saturday nights while sipping a new batch of malt. It went downhill from there appointing a CD retread from a law firm with few ties to the throne. The recent innovation of the accreditation plan was a good idea fraught with
a policy of “too big to fail” that has failed to hoodwink the pundits let alone the Feds. Leadership is as rare as common sense in our sport and industry and unfortunately will continue to chug along on its normal stream of rumor and innuendo.