HorsesDaily: IEOA -The Equestrian Sports - Equestrian Competitive Sports

The 1999 International Event Organizers Association Meeting:
Isaac Arguetty: "Equestrian Competitive Sports - Are We For Real?"

Study the Sports that Work Well, and Why
The big popular sports, American football, soccer, baseball and basketball, start with formats that are highly competitive are easily understood. If you tune into any of these televised events, you quickly know exactly where you are in the competition, and you can make a fast decision as to whether you desire to get involved or whether or when you might return later to the broadcast. Media technology has further dramatized these events, even when the game itself is not that exciting. The television viewer is completely assisted in every way imaginable to access the sport and buy into the drama.

Drama and Understanding the Game the Drawing Card
Drama is experienced when the sport is highly competitive and easily understood. At this point, television can enter, which creates a large audience. The large audience is attractive to the commercial advertiser or sponsor, who can reach and influence this market segment for the purpose of selling its image and products to this audience.

What are the Characteristics of High Competition?
1. Chance to come back
2. Clarity of rules and format
3. Mini competitions within the larger game
4. Builds to a climax (payoff)
5. Big winner
6. Big loser
7. Emotion