Irish courses in bid to halt slump in attendance
By Brian Fleming4.47PM 13 AUG 2009
IRELAND'S courses are planning to offer racegoers "value for money" in attempt to halt the decline in attendances this year.
Various special offers to paying customers will be discussed next month by racecourse managers in meetings with Horse Racing Ireland, although across-the-board admission price cuts may not be possible.
This year total attendances are down 17 per cent and the seven-day Galway Festival, so often the yardstick for the overall trend during the year in terms of crowd and betting turnover, decreased by 18%.
Paddy Walsh: 'value for money'
PICTURE: Caroline Norris
Paddy Walsh, chairman of the Association of Irish Racecourses, said on Thursday: "We held a meeting with racecourse managers during the Galway Festival and the key expression is value for money as that is what people are looking for these days given the current economic situation.
"It's a difficult time for every business and some of the offers on the table are ‘two for one' offers at certain meetings and a pricing policy for under 18s. No date has been set yet to discuss this matter further but I reckon it will be sometime next month.
"Reducing admission is not a guarantee to attract more customers on certain days so we'll have to look at each individual track and the day in question. It's at an early stage of development but the topic is close to all our hearts."
The level of admission at Galway, where entry cost €30 on the Wednesday and Thursday of the festival, came in for criticism and HRI do want to look at the issue.
HRI's director of racing Jason Morris told the Irish Times: "Attendances are obviously the main topic of conversation at the moment and we are planning to meet the racecourses to look at the whole area of returning attendances to previous levels.
"They will be open sessions where we will try to collect the best ideas from across the industry. Everything will be on the agenda, including admission prices. It will certainly be one of the things on our agenda."
I will be attending the Galway mini festival and the Irish Champion Stakes in a few weeks time, so I presume I will be asked, as a racegoer, for my views when I go through the gates?? I'd say not. When you hear things like "Some of the offers on the table are 'two for one' at certain meetigns" you know they are more than likely going to offer very little. It's a bit like the Cheltenham offer for the 4 saturdays. Make it a real offer and throw in Club on Paddy Power day.
I work in the hotel industry and some of the leading players there are coming up with creative ideas, particularly for those using their loyalty schemes. For example, previously you couldn't use your points during "blackout dates" so if there was a concert on or a big event. They've done away with that......so you could use your points to book a hotel in Galway which would have been €250 a night when a week later it would be €100. Kids eat free. 3 for 2 whether you are paying or using your points. Extra points if you eat in the restuarant or have a spa treatment.
Why can't the racecourses introduce something like this, a meaningful offer to attract people. But as I said, I'll be racing four times in a week in early September and I bet I won't be asked once for my view.
These are real offers.
By Brian Fleming4.47PM 13 AUG 2009
IRELAND'S courses are planning to offer racegoers "value for money" in attempt to halt the decline in attendances this year.
Various special offers to paying customers will be discussed next month by racecourse managers in meetings with Horse Racing Ireland, although across-the-board admission price cuts may not be possible.
This year total attendances are down 17 per cent and the seven-day Galway Festival, so often the yardstick for the overall trend during the year in terms of crowd and betting turnover, decreased by 18%.
PICTURE: Caroline Norris
Paddy Walsh, chairman of the Association of Irish Racecourses, said on Thursday: "We held a meeting with racecourse managers during the Galway Festival and the key expression is value for money as that is what people are looking for these days given the current economic situation.
"It's a difficult time for every business and some of the offers on the table are ‘two for one' offers at certain meetings and a pricing policy for under 18s. No date has been set yet to discuss this matter further but I reckon it will be sometime next month.
"Reducing admission is not a guarantee to attract more customers on certain days so we'll have to look at each individual track and the day in question. It's at an early stage of development but the topic is close to all our hearts."
The level of admission at Galway, where entry cost €30 on the Wednesday and Thursday of the festival, came in for criticism and HRI do want to look at the issue.
HRI's director of racing Jason Morris told the Irish Times: "Attendances are obviously the main topic of conversation at the moment and we are planning to meet the racecourses to look at the whole area of returning attendances to previous levels.
"They will be open sessions where we will try to collect the best ideas from across the industry. Everything will be on the agenda, including admission prices. It will certainly be one of the things on our agenda."
I will be attending the Galway mini festival and the Irish Champion Stakes in a few weeks time, so I presume I will be asked, as a racegoer, for my views when I go through the gates?? I'd say not. When you hear things like "Some of the offers on the table are 'two for one' at certain meetigns" you know they are more than likely going to offer very little. It's a bit like the Cheltenham offer for the 4 saturdays. Make it a real offer and throw in Club on Paddy Power day.
I work in the hotel industry and some of the leading players there are coming up with creative ideas, particularly for those using their loyalty schemes. For example, previously you couldn't use your points during "blackout dates" so if there was a concert on or a big event. They've done away with that......so you could use your points to book a hotel in Galway which would have been €250 a night when a week later it would be €100. Kids eat free. 3 for 2 whether you are paying or using your points. Extra points if you eat in the restuarant or have a spa treatment.
Why can't the racecourses introduce something like this, a meaningful offer to attract people. But as I said, I'll be racing four times in a week in early September and I bet I won't be asked once for my view.
These are real offers.
