Insufficient Rapid Solutions for Reducing Total Count of Installments or Parts
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) faces limitations in making short-term alterations to the racing calendar due to the ownership structure of racecourses. As racecourses own around 85% of the fixtures, they hold substantial control over scheduling decisions, restricting the BHA’s flexibility to make immediate changes[1].
The BHA's ability to modify fixtures is influenced by several factors:
- Racecourse Ownership and Control: Since racecourses possess most fixtures, they have significant input and rights over their allocated dates, making it challenging for the BHA to adjust these independently, particularly in the short term[1].
- Requirement for Stakeholder Agreement: Changes to the fixture list typically necessitate negotiation and consensus with racecourses and other stakeholders, making unilateral changes difficult and slow[1].
- Strategic Considerations: The BHA must balance fixture sustainability for all participants, prize money allocations, and the sport's overall commercial strategy. This is evident in their recent reduction of premier racedays, aiming to enhance racing quality and competition[1][5].
- Long-term Planning and Governance Changes: The BHA is undergoing governance reforms with a move towards a more independent board. While these changes may impact future fixture control, they do not immediately enhance short-term fixture flexibility[3].
In addition to the BHA's fixture list challenges, The Racing Post digital newspaper offers a comprehensive subscription service, separate from the BHA, racing fixtures, and racecourses. This service includes award-winning journalism from top racing writers, replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses, form study tools such as the Pro Card and Horse Tracker, expert tips from Tom Segal and Paul Kealy, and an extensive archive of horse, trainer, jockey, owner, pedigree, and sales data[2].
It is important to note that the BHA's short-term ability to amend fixtures remains limited due to the racecourses’ ownership and rights over those dates, requiring collaboration and agreement to effect changes[1][5].
[1] British Horseracing Authority (BHA) [2] The Racing Post digital newspaper [3] British Horseracing Authority (BHA) Governance Reforms [4] Racecourse ownership and control [5] Strategic considerations in fixture management by the BHA
- The racecourses' ownership of most fixtures makes it difficult for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to modify the racing calendar in the short term, as it requires cooperation and agreement from the racecourses.
- The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) must also consider strategic elements such as fixture sustainability, prize money allocations, and the sport's commercial strategy when making decisions about changing the fixture list.
