Harness: Handle revival courtesy of COVID-19

This year has made year-over-year comparisons in the sport of harness racing virtually impossible. This is especially true when looking at handle figures. At the time of this column, there have been 992 fewer racing days than last year due to the COVID shutdowns. That's approximately 11,000 fewer races, or a 38% decline from last year. Therefore, when looking at handle numbers, it is important to break things down a bit further.

Prior to the shuttering of Standardbred racetracks in mid-March, the year-over-year handle figures for harness racing were not flattering. Despite a 4.18% increase in race days, total handle had decreased over $16.1 Million, or 5.1%. Due to the increase in race days, the per-race average was even worse, down over 7.4%. The largest single contributor to harness racing handle, The Meadowlands, was only a small part of the problem, too. While like days were off at The Big M by over $3.3 Million, an extra day of racing at The Meadowlands made that cumulative figure only $1.6 Million, or just 10% of the total decline.

Post COVID-closing has been a different story. Since the return of harness racing, overall handle year-over-year is up slightly; nearly $2 Million more. But that figure is despite 419 fewer race days, even after racetracks re-opened. Therefore the per-race average for betting handle since racetracks re-opened reflects an increase of over 25.9%, which is massive.

The catalyst for that increase has to start with Scioto Downs, who despite eight fewer racing programs, has seen its handle increase from $19.5 Million to $55.3 Million. The Meadowlands also has yielded a sizable increase of over $25.7 Million since re-opening, granted with five more race dates.

Looking at the entire picture, harness racing handle is down 28.07% overall this year in the United States. That reflects $303 Million in lost handle. Of that number, $66 Million can be attributed to The Meadowlands being shut down for nearly three months.

Like I said earlier though, the declines are not the story. The story is what has happened since harness racetracks returned. Scioto Downs led the way, posting handle figures rarely seen in the track's history. Certainly the track initially benefited from being the "only game in town," but that only lasted for so long. Soon after Scioto returned, other tracks began to open and Scioto still tripled its handle from one year ago, despite racing eight fewer days.

The Meadowlands had an amazing stretch during the Championship meet. In fact, from June 5 through the eve of the Hambletonian, The Meadowlands yielded a handle increase of $7.34 Million over a span of 17 race dates. That equates to an average increase per racing card of over $431,000. Over that span, the per-race average grew from $200,000 to $227,000. Each night, the average amount wagered per betting interest was $23,531. Even on the nights when they ran 18 races, the amount wagered per betting interest was $21,400.

Meadowlands Pace night numbers were through the roof. Handle was monstrous at over $5 Million, equating to $388,500 per race and $38,267 per betting interest, which were huge increases compared to the $4.04 Million/$311,000/$33,400 line from Meadowlands Pace night 2019. In fact, The Meadowlands had not seen a $5 Million handle on Meadowlands Pace night since 2008.

From Sept 5 to 19, The Meadowlands has produced over $12.7 Million in handle over five racing programs or $2.54 Million per racing program. That is significant because The Meadowlands hardly ever conducts Standardbred racing in September. The last time they did, they amassed $6.6 Million in handle over four racing programs or $1.65 Million per card. This year, The Meadowlands is handling $900,000 more per card than they were the last time they raced in September three years ago.

The point here is that there has been a strong amount of interest in harness racing since its return from the COVID shutdowns. How long will this last? No one can be sure, but the fact that The Meadowlands is posting such strong handle figures at a time when they typically do not race is a positive indicator. People have been looking for an outlet and it appears that some people, who typically do not invest their time and money into harness racing, are now doing so.

Moving forward, these new players need to be retained. Obviously that cannot be done by implementing a business-as-usual approach. So, the harness racing industry faces an unforeseen challenge. How do they keep these new players that they never expected to have, once life returns to normal?

The good news is other options have returned at some level. With varying restrictions throughout the country, people can go out to eat again. Sports are back, with legalized betting in several states. Hotels and casinos are open in many locations. Meanwhile, handle figures on harness racing remain stronger than usual.

But what happens when everything is back? What happens when people can attend sporting events again, go to movie theaters or concerts again? What happens when people who don't like the idea of having to spend money on vacation while facing limitations on that vacation experience, no longer face those limitations?

Many people who typically spend money on a variety of things they enjoy, aren't spending that money right now. That is balanced somewhat by a higher-than-usual unemployment rate and some people don't have money to spend like they used to, but harness racing still is an opportunity for those with disposable income to partake in something fun. Maybe some of them like it enough to stick around. But there will come a time when people will be offered their usual variety of options for things to spend money on and you can bet that many people will be dying to travel again, go to fancy dinners and attend concerts and sporting events again. When that time comes, they won't be sitting on their couch, watching and wagering on racing through their A.D.W. of choice.

So again, harness racing better figure out a way to keep as many of these players as they can or they will see an arrow pointing down in 2021, when everyone else's arrow is heading back up.