tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post4374328828493114594..comments2023-10-12T11:54:04.700-04:00Comments on Power Cap: The Attendance MythG. C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07604839670701867384noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-51793101912669699192010-09-27T11:04:40.865-04:002010-09-27T11:04:40.865-04:00It's not the prices. It's not the traffic....It's not the prices. It's not the traffic. Fact is, horse racing just isn't relevant for the New York sports fan except for Belmont Stakes Day, and that is largely affected by the chance at a Triple Crown. It's a problem that feeds on itself as the occasional fan lured to the place for the day has to be turned off by the fact that 40,000 people in Belmont still feels like nobody is there. And when your core audience is spread across OTBs and home computers, it contributes to the sparse feeling at the track itself. <br /><br />You could have a nice picnic in the backyard, but there are dozens of places to have a nice picnic for free. Making admission free isn't going to make picnickers come to the track in droves, either.<br /><br />New York fans need a reason to go (Big Event) and they will put up with high prices, but Belmont and Aqueduct - outside of Belmont Day or the Breeders' Cup - can't deliver the Big Event. The Wood Memorial and the Jockey Club Gold Cup just aren't relevant alongside NCAA basketball season or NFL football and baseball pennant chases.<br /><br />So fretting over attendance is indeed overblown, but the low turnout does portend bad things. Namely, the fact that horse racing in the biggest market in the country at the most important racing organization in the country isn't capable of reaching the sports fan most days of the year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-65370639718311848752010-09-26T16:10:26.767-04:002010-09-26T16:10:26.767-04:00If they lowered made admission free and provided c...If they lowered made admission free and provided cheaper (reasonable) concession prices...more people would go for the day. The fact of the matter is that they charge Yankee Stadium prices for their food.Jasonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-56302296123319682122010-09-26T11:34:39.065-04:002010-09-26T11:34:39.065-04:00NYRA should eliminate paying for admission. Casin...NYRA should eliminate paying for admission. Casinos don't charge $3 just to walk through the door. In a market where ticket prices to see every other professional sports franchises are insanely high, NYRA could leverage and promote free admission to draw more fans. <br /><br />I'm no expert, but I have to believe the added number of fans who come to the track and pump money into the handle would offset the income lost from gate admission.NJDerekhttp://twitter.com/NJDereknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-45150555619826213082010-09-26T01:03:21.150-04:002010-09-26T01:03:21.150-04:00It's the same with Del Mar. They're both v...It's the same with Del Mar. They're both vacation tracks and social destinations. Handle as you mentioned is a better measure. It's kind of funny that Del Mar gets huge attendance, but a lot of the people there don't bet a cent, and handle has been declining as attendance rises.MHnoreply@blogger.com