Serious Questions Posted on June 11, 2026 at 06:22:41 PM by Stu Neiman
The whole “who cares” thing I get. But to suggest that there were things that could have / could be done to stem parimutuel decline, especially post decoupling is not based in reality. “Capture new and younger fans” - ok, not using AI what are those acquisition costs per bettor? Including the parimutuel framework.
In 2021, and yes, it was at the height of Covid, but venues had re-opened, you had the very best players playing at Miami (Goiko, Lopez, Erik, Aritz……….) and literally no one came. Blame marketing - ok, but marketing to who - the “new Jai-Alai fan.” I very sincerely believe that if we took every “true” Jai-Alai fan, fans of the sport here in the United States we could literally fit all of us into the current seats at Dania and maybe 2 sections of the Miami auditorium. When I go to Dania, my conservative estimate is that the audience is conservatively 1/3 to 1/2, former and current players and their family members. And while I genuinely enjoy seeing them - that’s no basis for a viable business.
I really don’t follow parimutuel trends nation wide but are there any examples of parimutuels anywhere in the country thriving? Are parimutiels growing? No - I have seen no growth and in terms of Jai-Alai only negative growth for, wait - get this, 20+ years. The aficionado’s demands that owners go deeper into pocket pursuing unproven “customer” acquisition and retention schemes is not reasonable.
In the first years of MC, the days before BC, many “new” promotions, advertising (traditional & new) were tried in good faith. Each year -declining handle. Every genuinely “new” idea about how to make Jai-Alai work (again, I am speaking only about here in the United States), has been tried by MC during these past 8 years. We never promised success, only new ideas and effort backed by private investment. M.C. (or really Scott, Lindsay and West Flagler Associates) has delivered - very real dollars. Far more than any other entity here in the U.S. has been willing to commit. That and the effort of dozens behind the scenes whose livelihoods are at stake.
I hove no issues and generally admire the former owner / operators of the 3 Connecticut frontons. But one thing I will never understand is how in the Summer of 1979, or for a few years thereafter when Bill Rasmussen while founding ESPN, literally scouring the country to fill 24 hour content landed on Women’s college softball from 2,000 miles away without considering (or maybe he did) the three active and thriving frontons in his own State. Why didn’t the owners offer him anything to get it televised WHEN ESPN NEEDED CONTENT.
No operator has done more to legitimize the sport of Jai-Alai than us. Not the business of operating a parimutuel facility which is really just gambling based with a sports focus, so getting ugly about what we are or are not doing with parimutuels / quinielas is just part of the same, very old and tiring bullshit of fossilized “parimutuel enthusiast.”
So we’re doing it, the players are mostly happy because it gives some a chance to warm up for BC while providing an opportunity to earn more prize money. And maybe the net handle will cover that prize money.
Besides the years I spend working in the frontons the thing that really gives my occasional musings herein credibility is that I literally grew up, consciously since the the age of 5 around and among you all (whether or not we met). I think that’s when it’s all done I’ll probably write something somewhere - not holding anything back about my first hand conversations and interactions with owners, players, the union, fans and employees. They great stuff and the real nasty dirt. But for who, I’ll probably be too old or dead by that time rolls around, most of you will be to and the kids-don’t-care.
Jai-Alai was NEVER legitimized as a sport in the United States, the number of people who really care beyond the betting apps would not fill any U.S. fronton, parimutuel wagering is now a 100 year old wagering option that few people understand and Benny Collett’s quote about it all still rings both funny and true (may he rest in peace - though there was no money left for a proper funeral); “You wanna know how to make a little bit of money in pari-mutuel Jai-Alai? Start with a whole bunch.” ;-)
That aside, I hope you are all well and though, negative and annoying it’s still nice to be thought of.
Tiger's Jai-Alai Chalk Talk
