2014 admission hikes for Belmont, Saratoga: GA $5, Clubhouse $8

Originally Posted by Danzig

will a lousy fiver really make the difference between going to the track or not? hell, people pay hundreds every couple months to upgrade to the latest iphone, if they want to go to the track five bucks won't make the difference.

Its best to reward people coming to the track than to punish them. If you say an extra 2 dollars wont decrease attendance then the counter argument shall be....does it increase it? If so, how? Is there something new and spectacular offered at the track that the new increase is worth me coming? A fiver multiplied by 50 days times 1000 people is money that could be used in the pools. Would you not welcome that or are the hobos that much of a nuissance to you?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by helicopter11

Its best to reward people coming to the track than to punish them. If you say an extra 2 dollars wont decrease attendance then the counter argument shall be....does it increase it? If so, how? Is there something new and spectacular offered at the track that the new increase is worth me coming? A fiver multiplied by 50 days times 1000 people is money that could be used in the pools. Would you not welcome that or are the hobos that much of a nuissance to you?

ok, make it free for a week-let me know the difference in attendance.

[art vanderlay]

Originally Posted by Danzig

ok, make it free for a week-let me know the difference in attendance.

Just for my own curiosity how often do you go to the track?
I get the feeling the folks advocating price hikes don't have a lot of skin in the game.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by art vanderlay

Just for my own curiosity how often do you go to the track?
I get the feeling the folks advocating price hikes don't have a lot of skin in the game.

it's not so much advocating price hikes as saying a two dollar increase is no big deal. how long has it been at $3? prices go up on stuff all the time.

do i go as often as others? no. but whether i went every day or once every third blue moon, $5 is no big deal-especially when one considers it costs twice that, or more, just to park at other venues. or a cab ride to get to a game. the cold pizza i choked down at a football game costs more than that.


like i said earlier, last time i made the jaunt to arlington it was $7 to get in, now it's $8. anyone in that area know if it had an attendance drop due to the increase? you think people went to arlington, got to the ticket booth and said $8?! i'm out of here? and if it's $8 there, $5 starts to sound like a bargain.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Danzig

it's not so much advocating price hikes as saying a two dollar increase is no big deal. how long has it been at $3? prices go up on stuff all the time.

do i go as often as others? no. but whether i went every day or once every third blue moon, $5 is no big deal-especially when one considers it costs twice that, or more, just to park at other venues. or a cab ride to get to a game. the cold pizza i choked down at a football game costs more than that.


like i said earlier, last time i made the jaunt to arlington it was $7 to get in, now it's $8. anyone in that area know if it had an attendance drop due to the increase? you think people went to arlington, got to the ticket booth and said $8?! i'm out of here? and if it's $8 there, $5 starts to sound like a bargain.

Except that this isn't a football game. You go too bet on the races. That is where tracks make their money. And last I looked there are options all over the place for the gambling dollar.

[art vanderlay]

Originally Posted by Danzig

it's not so much advocating price hikes as saying a two dollar increase is no big deal. how long has it been at $3? prices go up on stuff all the time.

do i go as often as others? no. .

I guess I should just take your advice and suck it up, but from someone who actually attends the races the costs add up, $10 admission $5 program $32 for two seats in the Clubhouse and a couple of bucks for the person who wipes your seat with a dirty rag.
Multiply that by 4 or 5 days per week. So will $6 more dollars be a deal breaker, maybe.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by art vanderlay

I guess I should just take your advice and suck it up, but from someone who actually attends the races the costs add up, $10 admission $5 program $32 for two seats in the Clubhouse and a couple of bucks for the person who wipes your seat with a dirty rag.
Multiply that by 4 or 5 days per week. So will $6 more dollars be a deal breaker, maybe.

She doesn't get it. She never will.

[jms62]

I think this is less about the money and more about horse players getting pissed about being played for fools. First you have to battle the takeout and pay for the privilege of doing it and now they want more.

[JBJake]

Originally Posted by art vanderlay

I guess I should just take your advice and suck it up, but from someone who actually attends the races the costs add up, $10 admission $5 program $32 for two seats in the Clubhouse and a couple of bucks for the person who wipes your seat with a dirty rag.
Multiply that by 4 or 5 days per week. So will $6 more dollars be a deal breaker, maybe.

Exactly. Won't be my breaking point but for some it might be. As I think helicopter said - how does this attract more people to the track? If a couple has a budget of $200 for a day at the races, they are out around 30% prior to even betting.

Seems like they are following the real estate expression - If you own rental property , keep raising prices until someone move out.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by art vanderlay

I guess I should just take your advice and suck it up, but from someone who actually attends the races the costs add up, $10 admission $5 program $32 for two seats in the Clubhouse and a couple of bucks for the person who wipes your seat with a dirty rag.
Multiply that by 4 or 5 days per week. So will $6 more dollars be a deal breaker, maybe.

$6 is a deal breaker.

wow

[art vanderlay]

Originally Posted by Danzig

$6 is a deal breaker.

wow

Again how much did you spend last year watching live races. Was it more than zero? Just so you understand it is $6 times the amount of days you go.

[art vanderlay]

Originally Posted by Danzig

$6 is a deal breaker.

wow

In your rush to defend price increases you do realize they have also indicated they will be raising the price on seats and parking. But since you do not buy the product it won't cost you a dime.

[Crown@club]

Originally Posted by art vanderlay

I guess I should just take your advice and suck it up, but from someone who actually attends the races the costs add up, $10 admission $5 program $32 for two seats in the Clubhouse and a couple of bucks for the person who wipes your seat with a dirty rag.
Multiply that by 4 or 5 days per week. So will $6 more dollars be a deal breaker, maybe.

Don't forget the minimum for food & drink for those seats or are they included in the $32.

Has it been said that if you pay for a 4 seat table at Saratoga you have to pay for those minimums regardless if you have a full table or not. Ellis Park tried pulling that stunt this year.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by art vanderlay

I guess I should just take your advice and suck it up, but from someone who actually attends the races the costs add up, $10 admission $5 program $32 for two seats in the Clubhouse and a couple of bucks for the person who wipes your seat with a dirty rag.
Multiply that by 4 or 5 days per week. So will $6 more dollars be a deal breaker, maybe.

I must of missed this originally or it just didnt register, but where are they charging $16 seats on a daily basis?

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

I must of missed this originally or it just didnt register, but where are they charging $16 seats on a daily basis?

Clubhouse seats at Saratoga on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays are $16.

[art vanderlay]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

I must of missed this originally or it just didnt register, but where are they charging $16 seats on a daily basis?

It adds up to over 1100 for the season, 40 days for two seats in the clubhouse.
This was announced that it would also be raised.

As far as $5 for the program that's for my wife, the cost may be less but I wouldn't know I never got any change.