Jockeys, Horses Lag in Advertising Race

The sport of kings won’t necessarily get rich by allowing marketers to place advertisements on jockeys’ apparel and horse owners’ bright silks.

That’s because sports marketers say horse racing won’t command the big-dollar sponsorship deals enjoyed by NASCAR and other big league sports.

“The bottom line is eyeballs equal exposure value,” said Don Hinchey, director of creative services for Bonham Group, a Denver-based sports marketing company. “You have to ask how prominent the exposure is going to be, is it going to occur during marquee events and is it going to be televised?”

The California Horse Racing Board on Thursday voted to drop the state’s long-standing ban against advertising on jockey attire, owners’ silks and saddlecloths. Advertisements for tobacco, firearms and pornography will still be prohibited, and racing stewards at tracks in California will police advertising before each race. The state also will review the advertising policy after a full year.

Many in the tradition-bound horse-racing industry recoiled when the proposal surfaced five years ago.

“People looked at us like we were really out there,” said Barry Broad, an attorney representing the 1,800-member Jockey’s Guild. “It’s taken many years of meetings to get the many segments of this industry comfortable with the idea.”

In truth, at least one popular jockey regularly sneaks advertising into the winner’s circle by wearing a cap with a corporate logo. But many longtime racing enthusiasts clearly aren’t comfortable with galloping commercialism.

“I can’t truthfully say I find it necessary at all to put advertising on [owners’] silks,” said Bob Lewis, who along with his wife, Beverly, owns Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm. “Maybe I’m just a traditionalist, but my silks are very near and dear to me and Beverly. . . . I don’t want some advertising cluttering my silks.”

Although other states are expected to follow California’s lead, the notoriously fractious California racing industry first must agree on how to solicit ads and divide anticipated revenue.

One sports marketer questioned whether jockeys, horse owners, trainers and track operators will be able to forge an agreement.

“You can bring the boys and girls to the auditorium, but you can’t necessarily make them dance,” the marketer said.

Advertisers and sports marketers aren’t certain what value to place on the limited space available on silks, pants and saddlecloths. Some look to England, where advertising on jockey’s apparel, silks and saddlecloths generates an estimated $4 million to $6 million annually.

The Jockey’s Guild must determine whether advertisers can deal directly with the most popular riders or negotiate contracts through the guild. Sports marketers say advertising dollars undoubtedly will flow to the top 50 jockeys who win half of the $900 million in purse money available each year.

Other observers say powerful trainers will become the conduit through which advertising will flow--and that trainers also will want a share of the revenue.

Some racing enthusiasts clearly see the rule change as instrumental in helping to pull horse racing into the mainstream of corporate sports marketing.

“I applaud the industry for its innovative thinking,” said Keith Bruce, the San Francisco-based sports marketing director for advertising agency Foote, Cone & Belding. “But I’d have a hard time with any kind of proposition from a jockey or the ownership team without some evidence that the camera angles are going to work.”