It’s not about the money, it’s the principle. . .
We’ve all heard it. Most of us have said it. But is it true?
Assuming next Thursday’s second protest at GBGB offices takes place (whether the Board members assemble at a different venue is an interesting gamble) you can be fairly certain that it is ‘principle’ rather than cash that drives people to spend their time and diesel attempting to make their point in chilly Central London.
I – hand on Bible – honestly do not believe the GBGB is corrupt. If I did, I would be among them. If I am subsequently proven wrong, I am prepared to eat industrial quantities of humble pie. Quite frankly, any wrong-doers will get what they deserve; there is enough legislation available to prosecute.
So far though – nearly four years of GTA allegations and still nothing to take to UKAS, DEFRA, the Serious Fraud Office, Companies House, the RSPCA, the Gambling Commission or the Police.
I would also reiterate a previous observation – who is shafting who? The GBGB is paid for by special license fees, so it is the tracks would be the ones entitled to question the slightly shaky handwritten expenses claims for ‘recreation and entertainment’ (cocaine and hookers).
Most of this stuff has been noted before. What really prompted this editorial was the response by a Facebook ‘friend’ – BUT IT IS OUR MONEY!
There folks is the real issue.
Not the last word! The penultimate word: ‘OUR”
There exists in greyhound racing, and always has in my 40 plus years in the game, a feeling of entitlement.
This is OUR industry.
I suggest next Thursday’s protestors group will be a mixed bag. There will be some who have fallen foul of GBGB rules and have grievances, deserved or otherwise.
Then of course there is the Greyhound Trainers Association whose relationship with the Board borders on Tourettes: ‘We want to work with you. . . f’ckin f’ckin crooks . . . so sorry about the misunderstanding. . .cheatin b’stards, f’ckin crooks’
The interesting element though are those who are turning out to ‘protect’ greyhound racing. The ‘Our’ group.
The first thing that they need to address is this somewhat difficult relationship between passion and money – and not the kind on a GBGB expense form (allegedly).
Put simply, if it wasn’t for money, greyhound racing would not exist.
When four businessmen opened Belle Vue 90 years ago this July, it wasn’t because they loved dog racing. It was strictly business.
It has always been strictly business.
The whole escalation of the sport to its 90 million a year attendances was a money making opportunity on a level associated with Amazon or SKY TV today.
When the profits fell, the tracks closed and became . . .whatever made the most money. For years it was warehouses (due to planning issues), then leisure complexes, and now housing.
Of course money is the last thing on a trainer’s mind when his fingers stick to the freezing lock on the kennel door. Or when he snuggles into bed at 2am with a trophy on the kitchen table.
Greyhound owners and trainers have always moaned about their fate. In the early days, tracks owned most, or all, of their own dogs. They then set up a national agreement to limit prize money.
They then only allowed a limited number of outside runners to race at their tracks. And the prize money was never enough.
I have press clippings from the late 1940s and 1950s of owners giving up the game because prize money was “so poor”. It was a bloody fortune compared to today!
In 2016, just about everybody involved in the ‘hands-on’ side of greyhound racing is subsidising it.
Understandably there is huge resentment, but even that is skewed by human nature. An owner or trainer is much more likely to whinge about prize money at wealthy Newcastle (bottom grade £121) than he is at persevering Pelaw Grange (bottom grade £33).
Clearly there is not enough money in greyhound racing but I don’t think there ever will be.
If by some strange quirk of fate, tracks started to make tens of millions of pounds per year, the first thing they would do is throw out the owners and keep all the prize money.
If every greyhound stadium closed down, there would be groups of owners and training banding together to build a track and run for nothing.
If the protest at GBGB goes ahead, I hope to hear of three people trapped in a lift: an owner, a track promoter and a bookmaker. Please fit quotes to match.
“My hobby is subsidising your business”
“My business is subsidising your hobby”
“My business is subsidising your business.”
