Worldwide Trend - COVID-19

[Emotive 306]

I have been following overseas trends during the COVID-19 onset, of interest the remedies available in regard to loss of participant's income.

1. 22 April 2020. The Birmingham track in Alabama closed in March due to the Coronavirus with plans to reopen in April. That plan has now been scrapped, with 150 dogs moved to other kennels, the remaining 440 now looking for retirement homes.
https://www.wbrc.com/2020/04/22/birmingham-race-course-working-relocate-more-than-dogs/

2.  18 March 2020. A story of interest from The Greyhound Board of Great Britain. All stadia racing to move behind closed doors. All open racing suspended to prevent travel between tracks. Since that story went to print, all tracks have now closed until further notice.

“However, as the situation develops at pace, we are also continuing to put in place contingencies and ring-fencing funds to support those working in the sport, should racing eventually need to pause altogether. We will be joining other industries in urging the government to widen the financial support for businesses and the self-employed incase of this eventuality.”
https://sbcnews.co.uk/retail/2020/03/18/covid-19-greyhound-racing-moves-behind-closed-doors/

3. 25 March 2020. Florida. All Florida tracks closed due to COVID-19. All tracks will close permanently by years end. There are 1500 dogs looking for homes now, a further 5,000 dogs looking for new homes come December.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/03/25/florida-dog-tracks-close-due-to-coronavirus-some-greyhounds-need-homes/

4. 02 April 2020. Tasmanian greyhound racing shut down due to COVID-19.
https://australianracinggreyhound.com/news/tas/tasmanian-greyhound-racing-shutdown-immediately/102795/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=5a010a2673e7c4f6e4bb7ed82e53476916d3c606-1587897491-0-ARWT4CbHdCEaX576_g6RO0WPowaDeyAG5fUUckHMi7sTRYT7ULs-2ua15xYoNqNtnyNYl1j5yilZwX03-PuzPn2NJn7RJKJdzPioxXouzd6BfaITsLk3OnIAqJ0Tu_7Xd5AvvwPg7Ah5bTN_oKu_f5q7oxpe9Yfw_RZ6UxGCEiOzXZFkzYS4W0Js2rOw4yi5nQPRPyUBNAuijVAgKf5p-B5_jhKYiTnmdDj97Lp6FvCxdXSioxSxaF1sxk4bJ3LEJ2zI0CDKCxXL0-X5JNcVtKK-YQ5NQ-dGiSTIvl-sziQx91CqFD47MnSpVNIDPaOBcp-LSPbmqs0T7TDiB5I3s4q2vDB3DDas8Rcy4k72Ul_f

5. 06 December 2019. From Ireland 4 tracks to close, possibly 3 more by 2022. All tracks have now been shut down due to COVID-19.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/four-of-16-greyhound-tracks-to-close-after-review-of-industrys-future-968914.html

https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/Curraheen-Park-and-Youghal-greyhound-tracks-close-in-Coronavirus-shutdown-dbfa8db4-6168-42a9-8199-aca6abdad623-ds

[GOM 1,017]

Thanks for that Em, Quite frightening but puts emphasis on how we have to look at the future here.

[Stables 577]

One question, why are there such large numbers of dogs looking for new homes, are you saying that these tracks have no intention of reopening?

[Emotive 306]

22 hours ago, GOM said:

Thanks for that Em, Quite frightening but puts emphasis on how we have to look at the future here.

Very sobering. The codes talk about working together to get through this crisis, but the evidence says otherwise. The TAB must be absolutely crapping its self. They will never return to pre-COVID wagering levels, customers have left for greener pastures across the ditch. And why wouldn't they? the products offered by Australian betting agencies are far superior. The TAB has given me money every fortnight to gamble, free bets. Will that save them? entice me to close my Aussie accounts, like hell it will. One operator gave me $250 just to sign up, another $500. We are far too small to match the Aussie equivalents.

Oppie's off to Oz, many more participants will follow. TB fields struggle, there is a continuous stream of racing stock flying out of the country. The Messara initiatives have not been completed. The Tri-code Waikato complex didn't get off the ground simply because the codes couldn't work together. And what happens when race meetings are abandoned again this winter? We've all been given a huge wakeup call. The people in charge won't fix this, self-interest will prevent appropriate forward-thinking. And what about the millions they have already wasted?

My advice to participants is this, ease yourselves out as soon as you can. If you were fighting for air pre-COVID, expect to drown. You cannot win on reduced stakes while the monopolies are allowed to continue as before.

The worldwide trend will continue, we are not immune.

[Rules For Some 163]

43 minutes ago, Emotive said:

Very sobering. The codes talk about working together to get through this crisis, but the evidence says otherwise. The TAB must be absolutely crapping its self. They will never return to pre-COVID wagering levels, customers have left for greener pastures across the ditch. And why wouldn't they? the products offered by Australian betting agencies are far superior. The TAB has given me money every fortnight to gamble, free bets. Will that save them? entice me to close my Aussie accounts, like hell it will. One operator gave me $250 just to sign up, another $500. We are far too small to match the Aussie equivalents.

Oppie's off to Oz, many more participants will follow. TB fields struggle, there is a continuous stream of racing stock flying out of the country. The Messara initiatives have not been completed. The Tri-code Waikato complex didn't get off the ground simply because the codes couldn't work together. And what happens when race meetings are abandoned again this winter? We've all been given a huge wakeup call. The people in charge won't fix this, self-interest will prevent appropriate forward-thinking. And what about the millions they have already wasted?

My advice to participants is this, ease yourselves out as soon as you can. If you were fighting for air pre-COVID, expect to drown. You cannot win on reduced stakes while the monopolies are allowed to continue as before.

The worldwide trend will continue, we are not immune.

Havent used NZ Tab for years now. Not only do I normally get fairly better prices on fixed odds, I find betting agencies have better incentives in Australia to use them than the NZ TAB

[GOM 1,017]

Em, Cambridge Jockey club have a new all weather track nearly complete 20 odd million cost. Do you think this was the venue originally touted for the tri code venue.(see tb thread)

If it is was what a crying shame. It would have been a winner for all .

[Emotive 306]

47 minutes ago, GOM said:

Em, Cambridge Jockey club have a new all weather track nearly complete 20 odd million cost. Do you think this was the venue originally touted for the tri code venue.(see tb thread)

If it is was what a crying shame. It would have been a winner for all .

Yes GOM, as the various factions couldn't agree, permission was granted to TB to build the new all-weather track, the first in the country. And yes it would have been ideal.

[Emotive 306]

1 hour ago, Rules For Some said:

Havent used NZ Tab for years now. Not only do I normally get fairly better prices on fixed odds, I find betting agencies have better incentives in Australia to use them than the NZ TAB

And that is the TAB's biggest problem, apart from paying numerous idiots too much money. That revenue would have supported NZ stakes, it is now gone forever.

[flyin 0]

Not sure greyhounds will recover from this, lots of greyhounds have been retired in the UK, Probably going to loose a few more tracks.  Auckland track will close in NZ sooner rather than later. The TAB are also giving me free bets to keep me interested.They must be haemorrhaging dosh left right and center. Best of luck to everyone involved.

[I know 150]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12329025