Sports execs feel that a Triple Crown winner would most increase casual fan interest in horse racing, according to data from a Turnkey Sports Poll taken in September. Fifty-one percent of respondents said a Triple Crown winner would provide the biggest boost among casual fans, while 25% said a consistent presence in mainstream media would help the most. Execs were also asked if they had watched on TV, attended or wagered on horse racing over the past year. Fifty-five percent of execs said they had watched on TV, while 40% said they had not done any of those activities (Turnkey Sports Poll).
| Which of the following would most increase
casual fan interest in horse racing? |
| RESPONSE | % |
| Triple Crown winner | 51% |
| Consistent presence in mainstream media | 25% |
| More advertising by the industry | 5% |
| Promotions involving fan giveaways tied to winning horses | 3% |
| Larger purses | 2% |
| More focus on horses' backgrounds | 1% |
| More focus on jockeys' backgrounds | 1% |
| Not sure/no opinion | 12% |
| In the past year, have you done any of the following? |
| RESPONSE | % |
| Watched horse racing on TV | 55% |
| Attended a horse racing event | 20% |
| Wagered on horse racing | 22% |
| None of these | 40% |
