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Racehorse TALK
Racehorse TALK » Racing Talk » Topic: How do we get people to the races?
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Author Topic: How do we get people to the races?  (Read 25981 times)
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DJH
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Original Post 2010-Apr-19, 02:04 PM

It is no secret crowds have dwindled to all time lows and something has to be done on some level to prevent racing from dying.
I would like anyone with any ideas on how to get people interested in attending race meetings to post their thoughts here.
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specialweek
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2010-Apr-19, 05:31 PM

Quite a few years ago I visited Japan and as part of the visit I was taken to the Main Tokyo area Racetrack. Some miles from the track police had blocked most arteries I am told because the Racetrack had already filled the track to patron capacity. Cars except those with entry qualifications were turned around after being told the Racetrack was full.

The crowds at the racetrack were so huge in Japan that they run half the races clockwise and half anti-clockwise so that the crowd does not have to move and a fair access near a winning post is possible for a much greater number of patrons.

Cheers.


This racing in opp directions was when exactly?
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pisces
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2010-Apr-19, 05:35 PM


Didn't say "girls don't like chips"..............said I doubted if  "frocked up ladies" at the races would be interested in a bucket of greasy chips and a schooner.

IMHO I don't think that is the answer to attracting heaps of them trackside!  Ladies, that is! 

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worldisavampire
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2010-Apr-19, 05:47 PM

I just don't understand why this is an issue. People don't go to video stores anymore but that doesn't mean the movie industry is dead. Crowds at the races are completely irrelevant. The problem is building a model that rewards the clubs for their product. Races are being shown to more people than ever before.

Get that right and forget about stressing whether a few extra thousand people turn up and have their share of hot dogs. This is the future. Sell your product to Japan, Europe, America, Hong Kong, China etc.

You guys are romantic dinosaurs. Getting people through the gates isn't going to save racing or help it compete against other sports. Embracing this huge advantage it has with constant streams of revenue and being able to duplicate that in multiple markets is the only way to go.
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Mark
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2010-Apr-19, 05:52 PM

Wrong approach goveror,

Tracks do not want to entice the hard nosed punter, that bird has flown since the invention of the internet, and the online bookies.

What they need to attract, is the younger generation, looking for something different to the niteclub, pub, club, social scene.

They need to make it a social event, where friends catch up and have a few drinks togther, and have a laugh and a good time, this can be done, and it can be done on a weekly basis.The younger generation, want to socialise with their friends, and they want to do it weekly most times, and the races offer a uniquie place for friends to gather, and have a good time.

Once there, guys and gals will bet, trying to impress each other, some will fall in love with the industry, and will continue their love affair with the gg's through the rest of their life.

One thing we need to get past, is thinking we can get the serious punter back on track, if they are serious, then they won't come to the track, when they can bet at home with 2 and 3 computer screens, mointor the prices, and doing the form, unless you are going to start giving money away 




This is Magic, the spring carnival (down here at least) gets full of this age group, which is really annoying since they don't even give a shit about horses.. They'd go in the winter etc if they were interested, because they certainly don't appreciate it for being G1 racing or anything.

Another problem Magic, is that under 18's can't get on course without an adult, which is ridiculous imo.
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governor
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2010-Apr-19, 06:00 PM

i tend to agree with vampire and its the current model that needs fixing and everything else will fall into place, including crowds.
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MagiC~*
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2010-Apr-19, 06:02 PM

I am not talking about getting 100k people through the gate, I am talking about getting an extra few 1000 to what they already get.

18+ doesn't have anything to do with what I am talking about

How often do you go to the races Mark, people only interested in punting, are not what race clubs should be targeting.

Punters, are never going to flock to the races like they use to, no matter what you do, you need to attract another type of crowd, and if you do that you will prosper, and so will racing.

They may not be interested in the racing when they first go, but there will be plenty that get converted, and that is more than what is being coverted now
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Mark
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2010-Apr-19, 06:10 PM

Yes Magic what you say is right, but I'm just saying this audience gets their taste (teen wannabes, 'I'm so cool going to the races'), however outside the spring - none of em go back do they.
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DJH
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2010-Apr-19, 06:30 PM

Some good ideas thrown out there Thumb Up
I still believe programming has something to do with it ie 2yo racing does not create real interest and if anything the opposite.
Magic suggests giving up on the punter and going for the party crowd. I think this is what race clubs have done in recent years and it has backfired.
With punters in qld now allowed to use computers on course the clubs should be promoting the fact and getting some of the pros back on track.
Vampire says people don't need to be on course and I partly agree, mainly in respect to the industry getting proper funding from sky/Tab for what they offer.
I recently learned that the clubs actually pay Sky more money to give a mounting yard coverage wtf
What a great idea, lets pay more money to give patrons another reason to not come on course wub

My biggest thing however is getting the govt to legislate accordingly and allow these corporates/betfair to field back on course where they want to be.
That alone will get many punters back to the track IMO
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el zoro
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2010-Apr-19, 10:01 PM

This has been brought up before.
The question is what is the object of getting more people to the races. Is it for the survival of the race club? As others said, low attendances at racetracks doesn't mean racing is in trouble. Most people have too much on to go every week anyway. Expect Crowd numbers are low & never get back to the old days of huge crowds.

I reckon you have to entice people along. (whether it be party-goers or racing people) Turn it around & ask what turns you off going to the races. As some have said the costs are not worth it to many. Transport, parking, entry can set you back $50 & a reason a lot of people would just watch at home or go to a pub.
Poor Food at dear prices also a problem & high drink prices also a turn off for many. They have to be competitive.

Racing is about Big Social Days. You don't get people enthused about going to a track when 100 people are expected to attend.         

   
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GamblingMan
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2010-Apr-19, 10:51 PM

Entry fees are too high and there's no entertainment. Last year Railway Stakes i think they had Barnes post races for only $30 or so total. That's a bargain. Sydney/Brisbane/Melb expect you to pay for nothing and the food is shite.

Big days it's $90 or so and the place is full of drunk bogans. not good for families. Footy too a ripoff and full of swearing bogans.

When you can buy a decent plasma for $590 why bother with live sport?
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wily ole dog
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2010-Apr-20, 08:09 AM


Can't think of any Club that gives away free food! 

Can't imagine any frocked-up lady being excited about a bucket of chips, a pie and schooner! 

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease! 



Never said it should be free, you did


The fact remains that the prices across the board are excessive and a deterrent
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pisces
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2010-Apr-20, 08:29 AM


Never said it should be free, you did. 

The fact remains that the prices across the board are excessive and a deterrent.

/quote]


Nope wrong Wily!  Wasn't me! Scroll back! 


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MagiC~*
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2010-Apr-20, 08:35 AM

I agree, they need to make it more attractive for people to want to go to the races.

Be it dropping the prices, maybe even dropping the price of food and drink earlier in the day, to attract people there, like a happy hour
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richo
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2010-Apr-20, 10:46 AM

I think the biggest problem there is no consistency with meetings, they're on any day of the week and people get out of the habit of going to the races. When i started training here every sat there was racing at either lismore ,ballina or casino and a bit south grafton or coffs would race and at night either lismore or casino dogs would race so there was a big group of punters who were in the habit of every sat going to the races and a lot to the dogs that night, now they race mainly midweek so a lot can't go, so now they're in the habit of betting away from the track and never bother going to the track

Lismore has two meetings a year for young people they have a Woodlawn college day  and a university day and they get big crowds of young people there and i guess if only 15 or 20 of those young ones turn into a regular then they've had a win.

Liquor licensing laws dont help bars have to be closed straight after the last local race whereas in clubs or pubs no such restrictions apply.
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pegasyber
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2010-Apr-20, 02:38 PM

For Specialweek; My trip to Japan Racing was in 1973 or 1974, but I was not mentioning this as a way to attract patrons to a racetrack, just trying to show the size of crowds at Japanese Tracks, even after wide off-track TV viewing of races became available.

Two other things they need to do:-

1. Take an exit poll at the racetrack exit gates after one or two hot favourites have been denied a fair chance of winning.

2. School all Jockeys in business ethics, so that they  realise that their livelihood depends on an increasing involvement of punters in racing, whether on track or off track.

 
Quote
It is no less than rare to find a racing executive who really understands and appreciates the relations between pari-mutual wagering and their customers' information needs. ..... Young adults tend instinctively to avoid participating in games in which they take a shellacking. So they stay away.....".  From the book "Hi-Tech Handicapping in the Information Age.  ISBN 0-688-05388-2"
« Last Edit: 2010-Apr-20, 07:27 PM by pegasyber » Logged
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