Sandown and the rest of them...

[Posts: 139Joined: 19 Nov 2008, 01:53]

Seems like the 'core' racegoer these days is in the small minority of people who don't want to see alcohol sold, have a punt, spend money, etc.

The majority of 'non-core' attendees seem to be those who want to spend money and have a good time.

Probably a ratio of 1:10 income and profit for the tracks, should the tracks do what the core want and go out of business or try to keep going for everyone?

Don't get me wrong, I love Lingfield on a snowy day when nobody else can get there but I know I can't have that every time as they could not survive like that, they have to do busy days which I don't go to often.

Spot on Sberry. I guess if the "racing fan" was great in number and filled every racecourse like it was a Cheltenham Festival Day, there would be no need for the Concerts.

Reality is, there aren't enough racing fans to do that. I think what the racecourses have done to get people through the turnstiles has been excellent. The acts after racing are getting much better and, from what I've seen, they put on a bloody good show.

[Posts: 139Joined: 19 Nov 2008, 01:53]

Sorry - computer lagged & hit submit button too many times

[Posts: 4417Joined: 14 Mar 2006, 11:35Location: Doha, Qatar and Co.Clare, Ireland.]

Looks like they had a good turn out going by Paul O's photo. Turnover which goes back into prizemoney and helps keep the show on the road.

Concert free racing at Sandown this afternoon, Crizzy. Thats the wonderful thing about UK racing, the variety of it all.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

[Posts: 2656Joined: 16 Jan 2001, 18:51]

I'm not anti-concert, but I was looking at evening fixtures in my area (Sandown, Epsom, Kempton etc) earlier this summer with a view to taking a group of first timers along to the races. I couldn't find a single evening meeting without a gig attached, which also meant that there wasn't a single meeting with the sort of entry fee I'd feel comfortable suggesting to first-timers. So the idea quickly went out of my head.

[Posts: 328Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 11:25]

Looks like they had a good turn out going by Paul O's photo. Turnover which goes back into prizemoney and helps keep the show on the road.

Concert free racing at Sandown this afternoon, Crizzy. Thats the wonderful thing about UK racing, the variety of it all.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

Actually it wasnt as busy as i was expecting to other evenings ive been to Sandown

[Posts: 4526Joined: 03 Sep 2007, 22:56Location: Milton Keynes]

Looks like they had a good turn out going by Paul O's photo. Turnover which goes back into prizemoney and helps keep the show on the road.

Concert free racing at Sandown this afternoon, Crizzy. Thats the wonderful thing about UK racing, the variety of it all.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

That photograph was deceptive Cav - the crowd was very small, only a couple of thousand and nowhere near as many as they usually get at the concerts.

This photo is probably a better reflection of the "crowd" taken just before the concert started



Contrast that with Tom Jones last year taken an hour before the concert started

[Posts: 2177Joined: 06 Dec 2003, 19:04Location: Luton]

well done Paul , good pics


Fair play to Newbury ,,,good idea , and the way forward in my view


Its a simple decision for the others , do you overpay to see the racing , most folks would say no

For those wanting to do both(Concert plus racing) then fill yer boots


Ricky

[Posts: 1583Joined: 31 May 2004, 16:59Location: Warwick]

Seems like the 'core' racegoer these days is in the small minority of people who don't want to see alcohol sold, have a punt, spend money, etc.

The majority of 'non-core' attendees seem to be those who want to spend money and have a good time.

Probably a ratio of 1:10 income and profit for the tracks, should the tracks do what the core want and go out of business or try to keep going for everyone?

Don't get me wrong, I love Lingfield on a snowy day when nobody else can get there but I know I can't have that every time as they could not survive like that, they have to do busy days which I don't go to often.

This is completely correct. We cannot realistically expect our superb variety of racecourses to remain unless they make money. Ideally, I would like to go racing without trampling over half-cut X-Factor fans so that's why I go to Ludlow on Wednesday afternoons in January!

Mike

[Posts: 328Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 11:25]

I can see the value of racecourses putting on events such as large scale concerts and i wouldnt personally have an issue with it at all.........in fact it would be a very good idea but im just not of the opinion that its needed on racedays.........Now if there was a decent marketing team for the racing there isnt a reason why crowds wouldnt flock to race meetings but thats a different entity completely

[Posts: 4417Joined: 14 Mar 2006, 11:35Location: Doha, Qatar and Co.Clare, Ireland.]

Cheers, Paul. I stand corrected!

[Posts: 103Joined: 18 Dec 2002, 21:54]

I believe Newmarket aren't going to compete with the Opening Ceremony tomorrow evening so there's no concert and I believe it's also free admission.

York are going back to the 1980s for their music.

It will be interesting to see if the Olympics Opening Ceremony affects attendance at either of these venues or Chepstow.

[Posts: 82Joined: 07 Jul 2007, 15:57]

Fair play to Newbury for taking a sensible decision and recognising that a proportion of any racegoing crowd might only be interested in the racing.

If Newbury can do it any course can and should.

It's got nothing to do with core racegoers being anti anything, it's about the racecourses respecting all their customers.

[Posts: 1131Joined: 24 Apr 2011, 00:59]

I believe Newmarket aren't going to compete with the Opening Ceremony tomorrow evening so there's no concert and I believe it's also free admission.

Newmarket are only offering FREE Admissions for those who book online and even then a £2.50 booking fee will apply so be careful if just turning up you will have to pay to get in.

No concert after racing and it's an open all areas evening so no restrictions into the Members enclosure.