Smarty Jones Classic

[mes5107]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

120139 in attendance at Belmont Park that day---

I'm trying to understand why NYRA, or whoever reports the attendance, would flat out lie about the attendance. There are rotating gate counters at all of the entrances. Perhaps 20,000+ went out to their cars and came back in during the race and it skewed the numbers, but why would somebody look at a 90,000 attendance, and say "That's not right, let's add 30,000."?

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by mes5107

I'm trying to understand why NYRA, or whoever reports the attendance, would flat out lie about the attendance. There are rotating gate counters at all of the entrances. Perhaps 20,000+ went out to their cars and came back in during the race and it skewed the numbers, but why would somebody look at a 90,000 attendance, and say "That's not right, let's add 30,000."?

I don't know I wasn't at that one b/c of the weather and the crowd....But last year felt like more than the 60 something they announced. It was very crowded where I was and the people were obnoxious and drunk....These idiots are not fans, they are a bunch of drunks who ruin big days.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by mes5107

I'm trying to understand why NYRA, or whoever reports the attendance, would flat out lie about the attendance. There are rotating gate counters at all of the entrances. Perhaps 20,000+ went out to their cars and came back in during the race and it skewed the numbers, but why would somebody look at a 90,000 attendance, and say "That's not right, let's add 30,000."?

Most tracks most likely lie about their attendance on big days to make it appear to the others in the industry that they are doing better at drawing people to their tracks than they are.

Does this really surprise you considering the overall industry? If it does....wait until we tell you what really goes on at the yearling sales!

[sumitas]

one word---Birdstone

[mes5107]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Most tracks most likely lie about their attendance on big days to make it appear to the others in the industry that they are doing better at drawing people to their tracks than they are.

Does this really surprise you considering the overall industry? If it does....wait until we tell you what really goes on at the yearling sales!

If that is indeed the case, I would think that lying about attendance on an "off" day would be far more productive. Belmont was doing something on this day in particular that no other track can replicate. Lying about the attendance this day offers no incentive. Also, while drawing people to the tracks is nice, the handle is the number they look at.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by mes5107

If that is indeed the case, I would think that lying about attendance on an "off" day would be far more productive. Belmont was doing something on this day in particular that no other track can replicate. Lying about the attendance this day offers no incentive. Also, while drawing people to the tracks is nice, the handle is the number they look at.

they probably do lie about attendence all the time...they just don't claim new attendance records...because then they would be found out.

[mes5107]

Originally Posted by paisjpq

they probably do lie about attendence all the time...they just don't claim new attendance records...because then they would be found out.

If this does indeed happen, who are they kidding? When you have a business, the main thing is the bottom line. Falsifying attendance figures, while it may look like you are doing better to other tracks, doesn't help you one bit. I'd rather have accurate numbers to look at while making my business plan than to sort through phantom figures.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by mes5107

If this does indeed happen, who are they kidding? When you have a business, the main thing is the bottom line. Falsifying attendance figures, while it may look like you are doing better to other tracks, doesn't help you one bit. I'd rather have accurate numbers to look at while making my business plan than to sort through phantom figures.

You are not wrong. However, explaining a lot of things many racetracks do, in a logical manner, is a futile chase.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

You are not wrong. However, explaining a lot of things many racetracks do, in a logical manner, is a futile chase.

plus, would it really matter if attendence figures were off as long as handle is accurate?