GOBATA has received various questions about the Premier League raised by members of the public. Below is our response to one which was posted on our website yesterday and encapsulates some of the concerns circulating. We believe this is an important initiative and it is proper to address all questions raised. 
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Question: 
“With this latest premier league initiative, where on earth is a plan for the good of greyhound racing in general? A premier league inspires the great but the majority are lower league where is the plan for them? They represent 80% of your membership so what are you doing for them? Please do not say that the GBGB will not speak to us. 

We need a greater debate and plan of action can we get one arranged?

A reply would be great.”
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Reply from Martin White (Chairman):
The mission statement of GOBATA is as follows:

To give an effective voice to all greyhound practitioners, owners, breeders, trainers, and ancillary staff with the aim of assisting the GBGB to:

(A) Develop a commercial strategy for the greyhound industry that will halt its
continuing decline and be capable of sustaining the long term success of the sport
(B) Formulate policy on welfare and common issue interest

Point 1: With this latest premier league initiative, where on earth is a plan for the good of greyhound racing in general?

It is a known fact that greyhound racing is losing its popularity and facing many challenges, not least threats of track closures, lack of prize money and practitioners leaving the sport.

There is no magic wand which will make all of these problems disappear nor do we have any financial resource available to us to do so.

The association is run on a voluntary part time basis by a few dedicated individuals who give their time, energy and resource free gratis. We have no sectional or self-interest other than the passion we have for the sport of greyhound racing.

Nobody should expect free hand outs. Nothing in this life comes for free. That said it’s obvious that we must generate an income. How can we achieve anything if we have no finance.

We are not in a position to afford the luxury of waiting for something to happen. In so far as we have a plan of action then, like any business project we can and must take one step at a time. If change is required then we need to develop and implement initiatives that are achievable, and above all will be self-sustaining. It is our belief, after many hours and months of research and meetings with a lot of varied interested parties that this concept will be a success. The commercial committee working on this is made up of experienced business people with a record of achievement.

It is our aim that the Premier League will benefit greyhound racing by:

• Raising interest and awareness in the sport by providing a different format of racing
• Giving smaller tracks the opportunity to hold races (non bags tracks)
• Involving practitioner who normally are unable to enter existing races due to their size
• Raising funding for further competitions and events across all sectors of the sport such as Grass Roots (a percentage of prize money will be reinvested).
• Being owned and controlled by practitioners

We are taking our first steps and given time and support this will work. The format will evolve over time. Every sport and every business does not become Marks and Spencer's from day one, it takes years if not decades to reach a certain size. The football league is a perfect example. It is naive to expect that we can change things overnight.

It is our judgement, having spent many hours working and researching all angles of this initiative that it will work and we are confident that the Premier League will benefit greyhound racing in general. We ask that you support us. We are looking for seed investment from within the sport to get this project off the ground.

If you think it will not work then do not subscribe to the shares but please do not knock us either until you have seen the results.

Point 2: A premier league inspires the great but the majority are lower league where is the plan for them?

We aim to support our entire membership base and that includes all breeders, owners and trainers no matter how small or large. To get such a concept off the ground we need to call upon all practitioners. The idea is to start with the Premier League in the proposed format and once established and running there is a realistic opportunity to grow the concept and open this up to different leagues and different formats at tracks all over the UK.

It is true that established trainers will want to get involved. That is a positive thing. It will generate exposure and good publicity which is needed when launching a new racing format.

This is nothing more than good marketing. It is good business use of a marketable asset to drive sales. Revenue can only come from a saleable asset, which in this case is the Premier League, and this will then filter down the industry. The top end of any sport or business must be successful and fully exploited in order to finance the entire sport. But it is the top end of a business which drives the sales and revenue.

The lower league, as you call them, have inspired this initiative; we are aware of our responsibilities to the entire sport.

And yes there may be a Derby winner running in a team, but that does not necessarily mean that it is unbeatable. If anything the Premier league will inspire those who are currently in the lower leagues to enter and form teams that play to their dogs’ strengths.

Individual owners or trainers can get together and form their own team; the competition is open to all. Teams can be formed by any combination of individuals from any location. So there is an opportunity for all to join in. But  irrespective of whether you are in the league or not the financial rewards of a successful league will stay with us and be used for the good of all. Yes the winners and those participating will receive prize money, good prize money, but
that is the nature of competition. There will also be opportunity to generate new revenue schemes.

Point 3: They (lower league) represent 80% of your membership so what are you doing for them?

We do not segment our membership or take an elitist approach, everyone is a greyhound fan and at grassroot level. The people who are working closest on this initiative have no interest other than to do the best they can for the sport. Their motives and bona fides are not in question I am privileged to act as Chairman and we all take our responsibilities to members extremely seriously.

I have had no more than a handful of dogs all my life. I have seen the term “elitist” used by some people to criticise this league. I resent people using the term “elitist” in greyhound racing. In my forty years in the sport I have found the greatest strength it has as a sport is that there is no elite in greyhound racing. There are only doggy men and women who have the best interests of dogs and racing at heart.

Yes, Charlie Lister is a legend, yes he is great. But he is not elite. He is a doggy man; but he is no more of a doggy man than me, you, or any of us. He is grassroots. There is nobody in greyhound racing more grassroots than Charlie Lister.

Like all of the executive committee of GOBATA, Charlie has often given up his free time selflessly on our behalf. Does anyone seriously think that he or any of us were thinking only of our own selfish interest?

GOBATA has a commercial responsibility to all its members and we take that seriously. We do not want greyhound racing to be elitist or closed off to the smaller practitioner. This is one of the main reasons that GOBATA was formed in the first place to give all members a voice. Since we were formed, we have actively been looking at ways to make improvements in areas of concern for our members.

• Kennelling times
• Staffing Levels
• Injuries
• Track quality
• Cleanliness of stadia
• Regulation and administration
• Provided the major funds for the recent inter-track

To do this we consult and engage with the necessary organisations that are able to make changes.

However, this association has no funds and is supported by the generosity of people who give their free time and pay their own expenses.

To begin to make a difference we have to generate some business and establish an income so that we can raise money and make changes that will benefit all our members and greyhound racing. It is for this reason that we devised the Premier League, a self-help business model that we own and control. It is a start, the first step on a difficult road. But we want and deserve the support and goodwill of all practitioners.

Point 4: Please do not say that the GBGB will not speak to us.

If the regulatory board refuse to engage in good faith with me in my role as Chair of the association then I will say so. What else do you want or expect me to do?

I understand that we need to work with industry bodies in order to initiate change. But in reality the GBGB will not speak to us at a level where we can make an impact. It is riven with incestuous selfish politics. It has not always been easy to engage with the GBGB and when the vehicle of communication offered by them has questioned the motivation of GOBATA and its executive committee we have no confidence in it. And it is right and proper that I highlight that.

On certain regulatory matters our hands are tied. However, we can, as an independent organisation, with an interest in reviving the sport take steps to change things by developing innovative commercial ventures for our benefit.

Point 5: We need a greater debate and plan of action can we get one arranged?

GOBATA holds regular Committee Meeting where issues are discussed and plans are formed. Our minutes are published on our web site, unlike the regulator who refuses to publish minutes. Like all organisations of this type the reality is that the onus and work falls on a small group of people, who are happy to involve themselves.

We are very open to ways of tackling existing challenges but the reality is that few people make the effort to actually take the time or to get involved. At our last AGM most of our severest critics (on stay-at-home web sites) couldn’t be bothered to attend. It’s one thing to criticise and knock people it’s a lot harder to actually come up with solutions, and even harder to formulate and implement plans with no funds.

Those who did attend had an open platform to make their views clear and they have been taken on board. I and the executive committee are accessible at all times. We have opened our web site up to make communication more simple. All communication, like this one, is answered and actioned without exception.

What I, as Chairman, will not do is to involve this association, its policies, plans and strategies in discussions on internet forums. The next Chair might have a different attitude but my view is that is commercial suicide and also inappropriate.

We are always happy to answer any questions and as an organisation have always been transparent about what our key objectives are. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us

If anyone wants to get involved then they should contact their GOBATA Regional Committee Representative to submit their issues or have discussion topics raised at committee, or better still they would be very welcome to attend the meeting.

In the following months we will be communicating via our website all the areas that GOBATA is currently working on and will continue to provide updates on the Premier League.