"Attendance at RWITC has risen"
by Mohit Lalvani

April 8, 2005

I read with some interest the article about the RWITC and its state of attendance and sponsorship. As a member of the marketing sub-committee, I feel it is important to issue an official clarification on this topic.

Attendance:

Attendance has risen this year compared to last year. The average attendance this year (including non-Sunday race days) is at 6660 so far. This is compared to 6236 for the last year, 5984 for the year 2002-03 and 6185 for the year 2001-02. 

If we were to consider attendance figures on some of the important race days you will find:

The Eclipse Stakes of India, this year, had an attendance of 8088 as against 7212 from the year before.
The Dr. S.C. Jain trophy day had an attendance of 7305 this year as against 6756 the year before.
The Indian Derby has an attendance of an astonishing 25,596 this year as against 19988 from the year before.

This list goes on and in fact from race days run so far, only 14 race days have shown a decrease in attendance from the previous year to this. Also, ten of these days occurred before the new marketing sub-committee could be formed. As a final word on this subject, the marketing sub-committee is confident that attendance will be higher in Poona too. We are already working on a marketing plan.


Sponsorship:

The first point to clarify is on the subject of the club withdrawing its contribution once a sponsor is signed up. My personal opinion is that this is something that we should have done years ago. It costs the club to raise sponsorship funds and to market its product. Its common sense to assume that sensible business governance dictates that we should raise sponsorship amounts with an eye to profit rather than loss. We still have the highest distribution of stake in India!

This year we attracted new sponsors - outside of breeders - such as the Dheeraj Group, Porsche, Chateau Indage amongst others. In fact, we have a host of new corporate sponsors lined up for Poona and next Bombay but will refrain from naming them till we have signed them in the event that "politics" raises its ugly head during this effort.


Management and Marketing:

It is certainly true that club needs to be run like a professional corporate house and it must look to maximize efficiencies. We must look to further popularize the game, increase revenues, implement quality control systems and technologies immediately, lobby with the state government and bring down our costs over the mid and long term.This is already happening. We are looking at new projects, technologies and systems every day and hopefully, for the sake of this great sport we will all work together and support the changes that are already being implemented for the greater good of the sport and the RWITC.

READERS' RESPONSES

This is with regard to the heading of the article -"Attendance at RWITC has risen". Forget all nonsensical statistics, for as far as I can see, the attendance at the RWITC has risen but unfortunately and conspicuously, of only stray dogs and not human beings. As a senior club member of the RWITC( who knows the entire RWITC electorate(pretty well) and as a past sub-committee member of RWITC Poona Club House committee, I am totally not in agreement, by the way the present RWITC committee is administering racing and the Club in Western India. If the RWITC has to have a chance to retrieve their lost glory and wish to maintain their " Royal " image, which is fast sinking, then they must first and foremost expeditiously get back as many of the old stalwarts into the committee, before it is too late viz., - (i) Dr.Vijay Mallya (ii) Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla (iii) Air Commodore Vijaypat Singhania (iv) Mr Ravi Ghai. Two extremely imperative points that the RWITC electorate must do, at the earliest, is to ensure-(i) that the RWITC chairman is elected only by the electorate and (ii) that commercial Breeders are not permitted to officiate as Stewards . As the way things stand, the future looks extremely bleak for the RWITC, unless and until at least, some of the old stalwarts are coaxed by influential members of the RWITC electorate to get back and grip the RWITC reins of power.
BOB SAWHNY


I thought the article was splendid and threw much required light on the attendance and sponsorship issues posing a challenge to RWITC to come to terms with.
RAM

It is good to see members of the RWITC responding to such articles. It shows you all are being pro-active, because as a racegoer it is disturbing to read these articles. Keep up the good job…
NAYAN KUMAR

Glad to hear about the increase in attendance and with many sponsors there will be good competition and hence we will get good odds.
NAZIR G KAZI

It's good to see a constructive debate has arisen from the previous comments. But have all the facts been addressed is another issue. Following are the questions.1)With increase in patrons has there been an increase in revenue for betting's…. If the answer is 'YES' then how much and if it is 'NO' which I believe is a likely answer then please explain why?2)Who appoints marketing sub committee and are they qualified in their appointments.3)What measures are being taken to make racing a fair game again?4)What are the clubs projections for the next 5 years and will it be achieved.5)Why is racing not a 'Sport of Kings' anymore and if you believe it is then please explain.6)Is the introduction of mobile phones at the racecourse a good move to encourage Horse racing or is it because it is a Money-spinner for the club. The reason for the above questions is that I strongly believe that the club is heading in the wrong direction and it definitely needs an Overhaul
…"the crux of the matter is that presently the sport is the biggest loser. Irrespective of statistics produced, presently our race club is a massive losing proposition, with little hope or no hope of a brighter future in sight. Therefore in accordance with our status as being the "Royal" WITC one can only hope that "may God save our club"
RUSTAM MEHTA

I think Mohit is doing a great job keep it up
VISPI IRANI

Excellent reply. Very forthcoming. We will look forward to very good racing and sponsorship in the near future.
A N SURESH