LIVING THE JAI LIFE VOL 13: JAI-ALAI IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE 1990’S. A DECADE OF CHANGE, SURVIVAL & DIVERSIFICATION
- July 30, 2025
- Stu Neiman
Disclaimer: The League’s Director of Jai-Alai Operations seemed to enjoy his last blog so much we decided to let him describe Jai-Alai’s course through the 1990’s. Once again, the following observations and conclusions are those of Stu Neiman and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts & opinions of the W.J.A.L. or Battle Court Jai-Alai, L.L.C.
I would like to tell you that after the strike of 1988 that there was peace and harmony throughout the Jai-Alai universe and that everyone - players, owners, managers and fans lived happily ever after……… that’s not what happened. But the story is not all gloomy either. In 1990-91 a Saturday Matinee performance at Miami Jai-Alai could still regularly draw 2,000 patrons. The ‘90’s saw a continuation of the N.A.J.F. annual Jai-Alai Tournament. The Tournament of Champions between Tampa and Miami would also continue. Former Miami Stars Remen and Larrea would represent Hartford in a Hartford -vs- Miami Tournament in 1992 and the ‘90’s would also see the beginning of an annual “Dania - Miami Challenge” and Orlando’s annual Citrus tournament. But across the board Jai-Alai frontons saw their handles drop 80% during the ten-year period between 1985 & 1995. Great Jai-Alai was still being played throughout the ‘90’s but this did not stem the decline in attendance and handle.
1990’s Jai-Alai Landscape: To understand the course of Jai-Alai through the ‘90’s it’s important to separate the business and playing sides of the frontons. Six of the country’s 14 frontons would either close or convert their licenses to Greyhound permits between 1990 and 1995. Melbourne was converted to a dog permit in Feb. 1990, Big Bend closed in April 1990, Daytona converted to a dog permit in Feb.1992, West Palm Beach closed in 1994, Bridgeport converted to a dog permit in April of 1995 and Hartford would close at the end of the 1995 season. There was a consolidation of Jai-Alai players in the remaining frontons, which meant fewer opportunities for young players training in the Basque Country, France, Mexico as well as those training in the U.S.A.
Concrete Changes Resulting From the 1988 Strike: Objectively, the negotiated settlement did provide players with Union Representation, collective bargaining which “generally” (CBA’s differed between frontons) included a guaranteed minimum salary, 401K, healthcare beyond on-court injuries including their family, a minimum notification period for intended changes between seasons and most notably at the time, computer randomization of doubles partner’s and post positions. For 65 years this had been the sole responsibility of the Player’s Manager and “Matchmaker.”
Pictured Left Hartford Jai-Alai’s Game 12 on June 4th, 1977 Matchmaker Jose Luis Blenner)
(Pictured right numbered balls for manual randomization of post positions)
One issue raised by striking players was that the Player’s Manager had “too much power” in controlling game assignment, partners and post positions. Until 1990 you would never see Fronton’s top player in post #1 or playing with a top frontcourter / backcourter in regular quiniela play. Now this did create some betting favorites for the parimutuel bettor but most probably worked against weaker players in terms of prize money earned.
Two bright spots on the “playing side” occurred in 1991 & 1992 Respectively:
Jai-Alai (or “Cesta Punta”) was featured as a demonstration sport in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Games were held between July 26th & 31st, 1992, featuring top Basque (representing Spain), French and Mexican players. Qualifying rounds were played amongst American amateurs at both the Connecticut and Miami Amateur facilities but there was no American representation in Barcelona for technical reasons. The United States had previously participated in the 1968 Olympics when Jai-Alai was last featured.
Professionally, Jai-Alai returned to Mexico City in 1991 in the Diaz-Barroso series and summer Partido Play resumed in the Basque Country, with regionally televised events from Gernika and Biarritz.
Once again, there was no shortage of great Jai-Alai being played in the 1990’s. But the business of Jai-Alai was becoming far more complex. Let’s take the example of Hartford Jai-Alai. While the opening of Foxwoods in 1992 surely did not help, Hartford enjoyed an experienced ownership / management team and a dedicated fan base. But as seems to be the case in every Jai-Alai city, true fans of the sport were outnumbered by fans for which gaming / gambling came first. And a Fronton’s handle was its lifeblood.
Hartford Jai-Alai Programs Circa 1990’s)
Hartford Jai-Alai Closes September 1995 - The Cost of Player Healthcare
Now more than ever we have all had to become experts in our own healthcare. In the 1990’s the Connecticut frontons were at a disadvantage compared to those in Florida when it came to player injuries. In Connecticut players were subject to Worker’s Comp coverage whereas in Florida a player’s on-court injuries could be covered either by a specialized commercial insurance policy or by self-insurance (secured by a bond with the State). In 1994 Hartford’s average handle was $92,179 (roughly $20,000 in income after the State’s fees BUT before all expenses). Worker’s comp rates are set for a company by its claims in prior years plus a premium. Hartford’s workers’ comp premium for 1996 (was quoted at or about a cost of $400,000), which would take it into the red with no relief and little hope of obtaining a competing product.
Simulcast Wagering - Florida’s “O.T.B.” (Kinda)
“Inter-track Wagering” was approved for Florida Parimutuels in 1990. Unlike traditional “Off Track Betting,” you still had to place bets and collect winnings at a “track” (licensed parimutuel facility) but it opened an important new revenue source for frontons who broadcast their signals (“Host” tracks) and smaller, and more importantly “out of the way tracks” like Ft. Pierce and Ocala Jai-Alai which were able to take wagers on Jai-Alai, Thoroughbreds, Greyhounds and Harness racing. Most importantly it opened a new revenue source as Parimutuels faced mounting competition on all fronts.
(Simulcast Wagering in Florida - Photo courtesy “Win Derby 2025”)
Meanwhile in Rhode Island, Newport Jai-Alai continued to experience diminishing attendance and handle in the early ‘90’s and though its sister facility in West Palm Beach benefited by simulcasting it did not provide sufficient income to maintain two Jai-Alai rosters. Newport’s ownership successfully petitioned State regulators to allow for the installation of “Video Lottery Terminals” (or V.L.T.s) in 1992. While VLT’s look like your average slot machine they typically operate off a centralized random number generator tied directly to the Rhode Island lottery. VLT’s became the hedge against continued decreasing attendance and handle at Newport Jai-Alai for the next decade.
(Newport Grand Jai-Alai and Casino circa early 2000’s)
Where Some See Managed Decline Other’s See Opportunity: Still the leader in Jai-Alai was World Jai-Alai Inc., with its four frontons in Miami, Tampa, Ft. Pierce and Ocala. The tremendous overhead associated with operating three frontons year-round and one seasonally meant that World Jai-Alai did not emerge from the strike unscathed.
In 1988 a family-led investment group had divested from regional banking in Indiana and were interested in investment opportunities. In 1993 they were approached by a group seeking financing for the purchase of Fort Pierce Jai-Alai. After visiting the property and completing due diligence, it was decided that it would be a good investment for them. Fort Pierce Jai-Alai was purchased in February 1994 for $3mm. They focused on enhancing the simulcast product while simultaneously marketing Jai-Alai seasonally. The focus changed quickly to expanded gaming.
(Fort Pierce Poker Room Circa 2013)
From The Mid ‘90’s through Y2K The business focus of all Jai-Alai frontons would be on the expansion of gaming products (primarily poker rooms and eventually slots) to remain viable. Fort Pierce ownership formed Florida Gaming Corporation and in a bold move “hostilely” acquired the remainder of World Jai-Alai on December 31st, 1996 (Miami, Tampa & Ocala). Though they saw handle increase from $25mm to $125mm in that first year, there was a $4mm operational loss, primarily from “overbuilding” card rooms at Miami and Tampa Jai-Alai. By 1998 one of the two would have to be sold - Tampa ceased operations in July of 1998 and was subsequently sold. ON DECEMBER 31st, 1999, Jai-Alai in the U.S.A. was limited to seven frontons and approximately 210 players, 60 of which played seasonally between 3 frontons.