from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — Today’s lead story in Harness Racing Update, written by Dave Briggs, is an interview with Converseon CEO Rob Key discussing the two-year-old social marketing and digital transformation joint venture between his company and the USTA and harness industry.

This weekend at the USTA Board of Directors annual meeting, funding for the initiative to continue will be a major topic of discussion.

With the foundation in place that includes the Harness Racing FanZone website and its social media platforms, mobile apps and some key video like the Harness Racing History video (more than 400,000 views) and This is Harness Racing video (used as a 30-second spot on CBS Sports broadcasts of the Hambletonian and Little Brown Jug for the past two years), the initiative is at a critical juncture.

“We’re moving into a critical moment around this entire initiative,” said Key. “It’s a social marketing and digital transformation initiative, because it isn’t just likes and tweets. It’s about, ‘How does the sport become repackaged for a digital environment where people are living on their iPhones and iPads and look like a major league sport so we can become relevant?’”

To read the complete story in Harness Racing Update, click here.