We had a flashback over the weekend. Saturday gave us the Kentucky Derby and the latest fight of the century. It wasn’t all that long ago that these were two of the biggest sports in America, horse racing and boxing, but today they are relegated to “fringe” sports. Boxing’s problem has been greed, because there is no centralized organizing body. Promoters and TV outlets make all the money and have shut out casual fans. Horse racing’s decline started after World War II when Americans began to abandon rural life for an urban area and our base knowledge of these beautiful athletic animals deteriorated while horse racing just became a bet we make three times a year. Which begs the question, why can I bet on a horse at any race, anywhere in world, at anytime, anywhere in America, but I can’t bet on a boxing match, a football game, or any other sport? The popularity of horse racing and boxing are declining and ebb and flow depending on the interest level. But one thing that will always be popular is gambling and it is high time we open up all sports for wagers. Why should horses have all the fun?
