HAMBURG, N.Y. --- The 'Back To The Track' promotion returns to
Buffalo Raceway on Sunday afternoon (July 13) with a 1:05 p.m. post time. It's
a way to bring long-time horse players and newcomers to the track for a
fun-filled day of activities for all ages.
The day will include
the harness racing bingo game, free t-shirts, pony rides, sno-cones and cotton
candy along with some great racing including the New York Sire Stakes Series
for 2-year-old pacing fillies.A total of 13 races are scheduled.
The man in charge of the 'Back To The Track' event at Buffalo
Raceway is Director of Operations Jon Cramer. He said of the upcoming
promotion, "This was an idea by the United States Trotting Association and
we've been involved since its inception. They've taken the lead role in the
promotion of it. They've also done a great job with it along with the guaranteed
pool promotions such as the $5,000 Pick-4 we've had."
And while the USTA has
been involved in getting people back to the track on a national level, it's
Cramer who is spearheading the Buffalo Raceway campaign to increase business at
the Hamburg half-mile oval.
"I'm committed to Western New York and harness racing
here," Cramer said. "My family and I are all from here and I can't
see myself leaving."
But harness racing was
the furthest thing on Cramer's mind when he graduated from Keuka College with a
marketing degree. He said, "The only thing a knew about harness racing was
that there were horses involved. I wasn't involved in the industry at all. When
I was growing up as a kid, I wasn't thinking I wanted to work at a race track.
It never crossed my mind.
"I think I saw harness racing once before I got the job
here," Cramer added. "I worked for the Erie County Fair full-time and
as an intern. For marketing, it's a sprint with the fair because it's just 12
days long. In harness racing, it's a marathon." Cramer, who
also got his feet wet in marketing at Walt Disney World,
with the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Bisons, said, "When I took the job at
Buffalo Raceway, I really didn't know the harness racing end at all."
Chief Operating Officer
of Buffalo Raceway Jim Mango said of getting Cramer, "Denny Lang (Chief
Executive Officer of the Erie County Agricultural Society and Buffalo Raceway)
told me about Jon when he was working on the Fairgrounds.
Denny said Jon would be a good fit here on the racing side. I
didn't know anything about Jon but we needed someone because we had long-time
employees leaving back then. When we first met, Jon and I sat down and said
this is what we have to do to succeed here."
Well, it has become a perfect fit for Mango, Cramer and Buffalo
Raceway.
"Jon was a quick
study. He picked up things quickly," Mango said. "His value has grown
as I've gotten older."
Cramer was the Marketing and Simulcasting Coordinator for five
years and now has been in the role of Director of Operations for the past two
seasons.
"I am kind of like
the jack of all trades at our track," Cramer said. "You have to be
with a small staff like we have here. I've found the more you know, the better
off you'll be. If I can't find the answer to a problem, I'll call in an
expert."
Mango said of Cramer, "Jon really knows a lot about marketing
and simulcasting. He does everything I don't want to do and things I can't
do," he added with a laugh.
"He's in his 30's so he's a perfect fit for using social
media," Mango continued on to say. "Social media is something that
has long passed me by but Jon knows how to use it."
The 34-year-old Cramer
said, "I think social media is very important now. We are finding ways to
keep the fans engaged with the track and the horsemen. It's the generation
now. Using all the social media outlets is so important to keep everyone
informed."
Simulcasting continues to grow at Buffalo Raceway as the export
signal is up 20 percent this season. Since the arrival of Cramer, Buffalo's
export handle has grown from $7.1 in 2006 to what will exceed $14
million in 2014.
"It was an area
that I thought we were lacking in," Cramer said of the simulcasting
numbers he saw at Buffalo Raceway when he first started. "I think we've
made strides in getting into some key outlets. I attend
the annual simulcast conference and put on my salesman's hat."
What has also help
drive up the export numbers was the new television graphics that the track
added at the start of the 2013 season. "It made our simulcast product much
better," Cramer said. "We added new cameras, new sound, new video
presentations and graphics and improved lighting in the front stretch."
Mango said, "I've
think we have a pretty good relationship with our simulcast outlets now.
We give some priorities to some like the time we race. I also think we've
developed a pretty good relationship with TVG thanks to Jon and (former Buffalo
Raceway announcer) Gabe Prewitt."
Michael Carter, Buffalo
Raceway's first year announcer said of Cramer, "Jon is very professional.
He has great knowledge about the business side but equally cares about the
harness racing side as well. I know he cares about the long-term stability of
Buffalo Raceway. I also really appreciate him as well for taking a chance on me
as an announcer."
So for the guy who knew
little about harness racing when he started, he is now completing his seventh
season.
"The fun part of
my job is I learn something new every day. It's always a challenge. But we all
have to continue to work together, the track and the horsemen," Cramer
said.
And with Cramer still
learning, he's keeping all facets of Buffalo Raceway on the front burner.
by Brian J. Mazurek,
for Buffalo Raceway
