From: gjdodger <gjdodger@gmail. com>
Subject: [BANKED TRACK NEWS] Making a rare appearance here
To: bankedtracknews@ yahoogroups. com
Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 8:58 AM

 

First, welcome to the Group's newest member, gigifoulin; thanks for joining.

Now, just food for thought. I have put forth the argument in the past that, if the "old" Derby were to make a comeback, its best bet would be to follow the Arena Football model. They located in smaller but still populous cities, and play only on weekends so their players can hold down other jobs. And they've had a marvelous 20 year run.

Until now. The Arena Football League is about to declare bankruptcy and go out of business. And it appears to me there are similarities to the AFL's decline and that of the old IRDL, which expanded nationwide in the early 70s. Both ran afoul of runaway costs--in both cases, energy prices went through the roof--coupled with an economic downturn. The major sports are certainly not immune to these effects, but so many people have so much at stake in those ventures that they've become too big to fail. RD, like the AFL, was more akin to a travelling show; those, too, will simply fold their tents when the money hemorraging becomes too acute.