Breeders Cup attendance and ratings up! Because of Zenyatta!

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

There was definitely not that many people there. Sightseek is probably right about how they came up with that number.

If you were there Saturday, did it seem like 72,739?

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

If you were there Saturday, did it seem like 72,739?

It was packed but obviously I'd really only be guessing at the exact total...but yeah that is probably a pretty close estimate. Attendance wise between Fri and Sat it was like night and day...that's why I doubt Fridays number.

[hi_im_god]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

If you were there Saturday, did it seem like 72,739?

or closer to 69,214?

[Kasept]

I've been to every Oaks/Derby the last 10 years and have a pretty good feel for the building and how it is when full. Friday's crowd was shockingly sparse. Saturday was well attended, but the attendance numbers certainly were ticket sales figures.

As to the original point, the 60 Minutes story on Zenyatta undoubtedly drove TV viewership up, but Churchill always hosts the best attended Cups. Zenyatta wasn't as big a draw in person as she was in front of the box given the Saturday gate was basically at the average attendance of previous BC visits to the Ville:

1988: 71,237
1991: 66,204
1994: 71,671
1998: 80,452
2000: 76,043
2006: 75,132 (Avg. 73,456)
2010: 72,739

[ddthetide]

Originally Posted by Kasept

I've been to every Oaks/Derby the last 10 years and have a pretty good feel for the building and how it is when full. Friday's crowd was shockingly sparse. Saturday was well attended, but the attendance numbers certainly were ticket sales figures.

As to the original point, the 60 Minutes story on Zenyatta undoubtedly drove TV viewership up, but Churchill always hosts the best attended Cups. Zenyatta wasn't as big a draw in person as she was in front of the box given the Saturday gate was basically at the average attendance of previous BC visits to the Ville:

1988: 71,237
1991: 66,204
1994: 71,671
1998: 80,452
2000: 76,043
2006: 75,132 (Avg. 73,456)
2010: 72,739

we can atest to the 60 Minute piece helping. we had several neighbors contact us about the saturday schedule. most of them watched most of the day not just Z's race.

[slotdirt]

Wait, so this was the least attended BC at the Downs since 1994?

[Thunder Gulch]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Wait, so this was the least attended BC at the Downs since 1994?

And on a very nice- though chilly- day. I wasn't there in 2006, but if I recall 1998 and 2000 were cloudy and cold.

[slotdirt]

'06 was freaking freezing. I was there for almost a week, and recall seeing frost on the ground virtually every morning.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Kasept

I've been to every Oaks/Derby the last 10 years and have a pretty good feel for the building and how it is when full. Friday's crowd was shockingly sparse. Saturday was well attended, but the attendance numbers certainly were ticket sales figures.

As to the original point, the 60 Minutes story on Zenyatta undoubtedly drove TV viewership up, but Churchill always hosts the best attended Cups. Zenyatta wasn't as big a draw in person as she was in front of the box given the Saturday gate was basically at the average attendance of previous BC visits to the Ville:

1988: 71,237
1991: 66,204
1994: 71,671
1998: 80,452
2000: 76,043
2006: 75,132 (Avg. 73,456)
2010: 72,739

Next year is going to be a better barometer IMO, not comparing it to SA or past BC's.

Shouldn't you add Friday and Saturday together to make comparisons to previous years? Obviously they are watering down Saturday so direct comparisons to me don't make a lot of sense to other CD years.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

Next year is going to be a better barometer IMO, not comparing it to SA or past BC's.

Shouldn't you add Friday and Saturday together to make comparisons to previous years? Obviously they are watering down Saturday so direct comparisons to me don't make a lot of sense to other CD years.

no

[dalakhani]

I went in 2000. Saturday felt like So Cal compared to that day. It was pretty nasty.

The euro contingent was definitely lacking this time around. Did anyone else notice that or was it just me? This BC seemed the least euro that I can remember.

The excitement in the finale was like no other BC Classic that I have been to. There was a different kind of energy it seemed.

Friday was sparse...no doubt.

[Smooth Operator]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

I went in 2000. Saturday felt like So Cal compared to that day. It was pretty nasty.

The euro contingent was definitely lacking this time around. Did anyone else notice that or was it just me? This BC seemed the least euro that I can remember.

The excitement in the finale was like no other BC Classic that I have been to. There was a different kind of energy it seemed.

Friday was sparse...no doubt.

Rock star

[Thunder Gulch]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

I went in 2000. Saturday felt like So Cal compared to that day. It was pretty nasty.

The euro contingent was definitely lacking this time around. Did anyone else notice that or was it just me? This BC seemed the least euro that I can remember.

The excitement in the finale was like no other BC Classic that I have been to. There was a different kind of energy it seemed.

Friday was sparse...no doubt.

DIRT..no need for Ravens Pass, Rip Van Winkle, George Washington, et al.

[Slewbopper]

Originally Posted by Kasept

I've been to every Oaks/Derby the last 10 years and have a pretty good feel for the building and how it is when full. Friday's crowd was shockingly sparse. Saturday was well attended, but the attendance numbers certainly were ticket sales figures.

As to the original point, the 60 Minutes story on Zenyatta undoubtedly drove TV viewership up, but Churchill always hosts the best attended Cups. Zenyatta wasn't as big a draw in person as she was in front of the box given the Saturday gate was basically at the average attendance of previous BC visits to the Ville:

1988: 71,237
1991: 66,204
1994: 71,671
1998: 80,452
2000: 76,043
2006: 75,132 (Avg. 73,456)
2010: 72,739

So ticket sales for Churchill's first two day BC were 114,000. I wonder if the BC lost money agin.

The final hour of the telecast was up almost 200% from last year and was the highest viewed BC since the 80s. The one time TV viewers probably did nothing for handle but at least people watched. It was because of Zenyatta and probably the 60 minutes segment. Those who do not watch 60 minutes still don't know who she is and the ratings will go back to being abysmal again next year

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Slewbopper

So ticket sales for Churchill's first two day BC were 114,000. I wonder if the BC lost money agin.

The final hour of the telecast was up almost 200% from last year and was the highest viewed BC since the 80s. The one time TV viewers probably did nothing for handle but at least people watched. It was because of Zenyatta and probably the 60 minutes segment. Those who do not watch 60 minutes still don't know who she is and the ratings will go back to being abysmal again next year

Lots of people still claim she was bad for the sport.

Some are claiming the rise was cause it was on dirt.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

Lots of people still claim she was bad for the sport.

Wow....

[richard]

You mean ratings weren't up because of Somber Seth ?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

Lots of people still claim she was bad for the sport.

Some are claiming the rise was cause it was on dirt.

i'd love to see examples of folks who claim she was bad for the sport. i've yet to see that.