‘It’s not for any of you’: Maffei unveils plan to remake racing for a new audience

Greg Maffei delivered a message that likely wouldn’t be heard often at one of horse racing’s most influential industry gatherings.

“It’s not for any of you.”

Addressing racing executives, breeders, owners and stakeholders at Thursday’s Jockey Club Round Table Conference, Maffei said the target audience for the proposed Horse Racing League (HRL) is not the sport’s existing devotees but the millions of younger sports and entertainment consumers who have yet to form a lasting connection with racing.

The comment cut to the heart of the league’s strategy.

Rather than trying to convince lifelong racing fans why the sport matters, Maffei said HRL will focus on creating new fans through storytelling, celebrity appeal, team allegiances and year-round digital engagement.

The approach mirrors the formula he helped implement at Formula One, where narrative-driven content and personality-focused marketing broadened the sport’s appeal far beyond traditional motorsport audiences.

“Horse racing doesn’t have an attention problem; it has a retention problem,” Maffei said, pointing to the Kentucky Derby’s ability to attract millions of viewers who often fail to engage with the sport beyond its marquee event.

Set to launch in 2027, the Horse Racing League will feature 10 teams competing across a series of events at Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita and Keeneland. Horses and jockeys will be drafted to teams, while racing days will be designed as entertainment experiences featuring music, celebrity appearances, social-media-driven content and simplified wagering options.

Maffei said the objective is to make every moment of an HRL event engaging, particularly for younger audiences accustomed to consuming sports through highlights, digital content and cultural experiences rather than traditional race-day formats.

“The whole experience is the product,” he said.