When the last Greyhound Star newspaper came off the presses in December 2015, there would have been many who saw its demise as symptomatic of an industry heading towards extinction.
Track closures and falling attendances had played through to our circulation figures which were around 6K when we pulled the plug.
The website had been running alongside the newspaper for the previous year but for many in the industry, it too was heading for the publication hospice.
“Greyhound people don’t want a website, they are too old school.”
But like the greyhound industry, the Star learned to adapt.
As the figures (right) suggest we didn’t just survive, we thrived.
But our very existence is due to various groups of people who I would like to acknowledge.
Firstly – our advertisers.
Without their leap of faith that we could make it work, we simply wouldn’t be here.
I am thinking particularly of the tracks and a greatly under appreciated group – the racecourse promoters. Most of them anyway.
Some have always put aside a portion of their marketing budgets when we were in paper form. Others never did, and still don’t. Free world and all that.
There is also a massive debt to the contributors to the site. There are two groups here, those who physically deliver the goods, people like Steve Nash, Mark Pierrepont, Rob Abrey, Peter Meldrum, and Michael Watts to name but five.
But very very importantly, this website relies hugely on owners, trainers, racing offices, GBGB staff and other key players in the industry.
Quite simply – all I do is compile the thoughts, opinions and expertise of others.
If I phone Graham Holland or Mark Wallis for their views and they decide, ‘why should I bother, there is nothing in it for me?’, the website and the industry is the poorer. If Seamus Cahill or Rab McNair can’t be arsed to take the call about their Sussex Cup Finalists, the story doesn’t get written. It really is that simple.
Ambitions?
I would be lying if that magical figure of 25,000 monthly readers wasn’t on my radar. I honestly don’t know if its possible, but three years ago, 20K was a pipe dream.
I would still like to crack the betting industry who, Star Sports excluded, don’t know that the greyhound world exists beyond Racing Post.
If we ever crack it, I can promise more resources for the site.
Finally of course, a massive massive thanks to the readers.
Without you guys, why would we bother?
Floyd Amphlett – Editor
