Odd track promotion

[TheEdge07]

"Bottomless Saturday",Unlimited drinks for a flat $30 fee.


ALBANY (KCBS) – A promotion scheduled for Saturday at Golden Gate Fields has many with Mothers Against Drunk Driving concerned. Hoping to reel in a younger crowd, officials are starting “Bottomless Saturdays” with unlimited well drinks served all afternoon for a flat fee of $30.

Dan Cirimele of Golden Gate Fields said bartenders will receive additional training on how to deal with unruly drinkers. Additional security – mainly off-duty Alameda County sheriff’s deputies – will be on hand as well. To encourage further safety, wristbands will be handed out to designated drivers, meaning free bottles of water and soft drinks for them.
But some are taking issue with the promotion. A group of so-called “concerned employees” has started a letter writing campaign to stop the event from happening. They are also concerned about the promotion’s use of a scantily clad woman in its poster.

The Bay Area affiliate of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is also worried, especially about “the possibility of binge drinking” according to Jody Iorns, executive director of the group.

[tzipi]

Why don't they try to get a younger crowd in with better services, takeout and product?? No they use alcohol to get in the younger crowd to make them racing fans? Once again, they are way off the mark.

[horses4courses]

Unless they have a nightclub to go with it, they will probably be disappointed with this promotion. The younger crowd prefer dollar drinks, and most of them come out after sunset. Putting up $30 won't interest very many.

As far as attracting a younger crowd to the races?
Absolutely pointless, and pretty sad. :ThmbDown:

[Dave Schwartz]

Just what racing needs: more drunk players. :ThmbDown: :ThmbDown:

Perhaps they should have representatives of credit card companies standing by to increase cc limits on the spot. That should increase handle!

[Robert Goren]

Idiotic. Unlimited well drinks is not going to get young people unless they have changed meaning of what a well drink is. I never meant a young person who drank well drinks and I was in the liquor business for 20 years although I served my last drink in 1986. They all wanted speciality drinks or beer or the good stuff like Jack Daniels. JMO Now offer something $1 Colorado Bulldogs (I am old I know) or whatever the lastest in-drink is and you might get them.

[appistappis]

those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dh2g0TUKgc

[picojim]

Bottomless Saturdays Are Canceled

Golden Gate Fields has decided to cancel the Bottomless Saturdays promotion. Free t-shirts will still be passed out on Saturday...

http://www.goldengatefields.com/

[Milkshaker]

Bottomless Saturdays Are Canceled
This just in: Topless Tuesdays are the new promo.

[rrpic6]

This just in: Topless Tuesdays are the new promo.

Followed by Wacky Weed Wednesdays. Free prescription pads on site.

RR

[OCF]

As far as attracting a younger crowd to the races?
Absolutely pointless, and pretty sad. :ThmbDown:

:ThmbUp: The attempts to attract a younger crowd by creating a "fun", dance club-like atmosphere are doomed to fail. Old men yelling at TV's kills that ambience.

Why not try to attract more old (and middle-aged) men to come and yell at the TV's? I suspect that's horseracing's wheelhouse. Thirty years from now the current twentysomethings would be the fiftysomethings that could be lured into coming to yell at the TV's.

[Robert Goren]

:ThmbUp: The attempts to attract a younger crowd by creating a "fun", dance club-like atmosphere are doomed to fail. Old men yelling at TV's kills that ambience.

Why not try to attract more old (and middle-aged) men to come and yell at the TV's? I suspect that's horseracing's wheelhouse. Thirty years from now the current twentysomethings would be the fiftysomethings that could be lured into coming to yell at the TV's. My thoughts exactly. As the baby boomers retire, they should be promoting horse racing to them. We already know that a lot of older people like horse betting as oppose to younger people who prefer poker.

[tzipi]

My thoughts exactly. As the baby boomers retire, they should be promoting horse racing to them. We already know that a lot of older people like horse betting as oppose to younger people who prefer poker.

Poker is over rated as to where all these young people are going. Poker had it's boom in the mid 2000's and now it's settled down.
Young people like betting sports games and with the expansive media information on the teams and players now, it makes it more appealing. Plus, it's easier to bet today than it once was.
Also younger people including myself, are putting or gambling money I should say into the stock market and even bigger is putting/investing money money on computer technology. A lot of smart ways to invest your money out there today.
I think the younger generation in more in tuned to investment these days than quick gambling. They want to know where their money is going and how it will be treated and how they will be treated IMO

Younger people I think are smarter about money today. Casinos are a lot emptier than they have ever been and even at the casino like Aqueduct, I don't see many young kids there.

[OCF]

Poker is over rated as to where all these young people are going. Poker had it's boom in the mid 2000's and now it's settled down.
Young people like betting sports games and with the expansive media information on the teams and players now, it makes it more appealing. Plus, it's easier to bet today than it once was.
Also younger people including myself, are putting or gambling money I should say into the stock market and even bigger is putting/investing money money on computer technology. A lot of smart ways to invest your money out there today.
I think the younger generation in more in tuned to investment these days than quick gambling. They want to know where their money is going and how it will be treated and how they will be treated IMO

Younger people I think are smarter about money today. Casinos are a lot emptier than they have ever been and even at the casino like Aqueduct, I don't see many young kids there.

Hi Tzipi, thanks for posting.

I'm curious, would the promotions along the line of Friday night racing, live music, drink specials, etc., entice you to gather up a few of your friends of similar age and go to the track for a good time? Or maybe they already have, i.e. enticed you to do just that?

I really am curious, no hidden agenda.

[tzipi]

Hi Tzipi, thanks for posting.

I'm curious, would the promotions along the line of Friday night racing, live music, drink specials, etc., entice you to gather up a few of your friends of similar age and go to the track for a good time? Or maybe they already have, i.e. enticed you to do just that?

I really am curious, no hidden agenda.


No, I am surely at the track a lot. I've done well in life and have the time to spend some good time at the track :) I love racing. I was brought up on the game and I do take my friends. But they have other outlets for their money as do I. I play the horses for fun.
Younger people invest their money a lot today and watch their money and are into technology a lot more. As I was saying you don't see young kids filling even casinos today.
I'll give you an example of something that are not the best though. When I brought friends to the track recently, the beer cost at the track was $8 for a bottle of beer. The casino gives you the same pint for $6 and change. So now you have people walking into the casino for their beer and spending their money there on games, etc for fun. You can also make vouchers for free food at the casino and their restaurants.

Again it also comes back to technology. You see the younger generation lining up for the high tech Ipads, phones,etc. They love High Definition, sharpness, convenience, service, etc.
Actually have to run to the track. Will be back later ;)

[OCF]

Thanks Tzipi. I get the impression the tracks with these promotions are trying to create experiences similar to dance clubs, sports bars, tailgate parties/games, festivals, etc. and I as said before it just seems futile. I know you're just one younger person, but I'm guessing you and your friends are representative in regards to your response to those promotions.

[woodtoo]

Bottomless Saturdays Are Canceled

Free t-shirts will still be passed out on Saturday...

http://www.goldengatefields.com/

The big question is.....will they be wet?

[tzipi]

Thanks Tzipi. I get the impression the tracks with these promotions are trying to create experiences similar to dance clubs, sports bars, tailgate parties/games, festivals, etc. and I as said before it just seems futile. I know you're just one younger person, but I'm guessing you and your friends are representative in regards to your response to those promotions.


I don't think free booze giveaway does anyone good or promotes the sport at all. If they do get a younger crowd for that, it's probably 20-23 yr old people who just will go for the booze and not care if they are at a horse track, concert or a fair. It's about the booze and being drunk doesn't make anyone concentrate on the sport/game/etc in front of them.

Again the problem is today you have so many outlets for younger people to make money. I've heard people say well the track is online now, younger people are missing out and they should flock to that. Well the stock market and investing is online now(E-trade,etc,etc). Sports betting is online now too. Game betting like poker is online now also. So much competition.

I've heard older generations say well the young people have no patience, they are not smart and won't take the time to learn the game. That frustrates me. I have friends who write computer programs for masses(can handicappers write difficult computer programs as a whole?), friends who have started up beverage companies(I'm involved in). Younger people are investing in the market, technology,etc and have a lot of patience and smarts to know what they are doing and to compute stuff that is not simple. Younger people today are making more money and starting businesses than ever before. They see the downfall of casinos, etc. No way to make a living. We are not stupid or lack intelligence. We go where the value, service and return is. We go where we enjoy ourselves and enjoy getting up and investing/working in certain fields.

Again racing could do a lot better. I know many in the field are trying and have their hearts in the right place but year after year younger people are more and more absent from the tracks and casinos. Of course during the summer you'll have more younger people come out for a sunny day at the track and have some fun. Sometimes my friends do come out but they do not play otherwise. Be it constant drug trainers in the media, high food/beverage costs/ high takeout decreasing value/etc.

Again I love the game and always will but racing has to modernize it self a bit I think and start catering to younger fans a little better. Putting out better value, promotions, and VISIBLE winners. Not charging so much for food beverage and entry/programs. The younger crowd is already spending money when they do go and feel ripped at the extra charges. Also most sports are in high def today and racing is not in a lot of places and the younger crowd loves clarity if watching on TV all day. They love high technology.

Also a big thing is exposure. The media and racing HYPES these horses in the triple crown, etc and everyone and their mother gets behind them but in a flash they are retired or injured/retired for big breeding money. You can't root or get into a horse for more than a short period of time in racing unless they are a big time gelding which is not often. Then you have drug media yells at a lot of these horses. Just not good overall when casual bettors and fans are looking on. Horses people like and horses racing promotes like hell to the people are gone in a flash.

One thing I've heard being discussed on here and other places is race odd changes and time the betting should close. Well I agree you have to let people bet up until last minute but computer whales dominate that and have programs I hear that scan combinations and money,etc. Well the bettor at the track can not wait until last minute to bet because lines are too deep. So being at the track is a disadvantage. Not a good thing at all.

Just some thoughts. Again, I love the game. But the game has to change a bit or catch up in certain ways. Also I know people are doing their jobs and in the changing racing world today, have their hearts set straight but they have to look at the online stock markets, online tech, online games, sports competing with them. You have too look at the filled stadiums and money turners. Racing has to compete. Casinos don't help the fans or cater to them as horse fans at all. In fact they take away fans, from what I see. That's all. I HOPE racing does succeed but changes they have to make might never be made in certain areas.