alhattab
10-26-2008, 09:54 AM
Now that it's over, what would you change? My two cents:
In my view the two day expansion is a good thing, but the BC tried to make the added day a big event before people were ready for it. Why would you try to expand the event into two big days when the one day event seemed to suffer from weak demand (51,000 at Belmont isn't exactly a big crowd, and the BC had to really try to get that many people there).
So first I would keep the two days, but as CJ suggested make the Friday the day for BC-sponsored novelties like the Marathon, Juvy grass races, F&M sprint, Turf Sprint. Having the Distaff on Friday was really a disservice to the fans. Maybe the capstone to the day is the Main Track Mile, particularly when run around one turn. I'm a pretty avid fan and bettor and can pretty much call my own shots and work, and I barely made it to the track for the last few BC races (watched one through the window of a bar at the Port Authority Bus Terminal). They really shouldn't have a big event during a weekday. Can you think of any other sport that does? Golf immediately comes to mind. None others.
Second, I would reduce the purses for the novelty races. Do the juvy grass races really merit $1 million? Make them $500k. Also the F&M sprint purse of $1 million is too high. Make it $500k to give the top filly sprinters more incentive to take on males. I would take say $1.5 to $2.0 million in purse savings and consider using it to expand the BC "win and you're in" days, which brings me to my final point.
Third, make the "win and you're in" program more meaningful. Most of us recognize the gimmickery around this slogan, but if you think of the days as "qualifiers" it makes more sense. I would have them year round so you can include the premier winter meets. Essentially the traveling BC show is these mini BC days held throughout the country. Branded with the BC brand, it increases awareness in the local markets of the big day. I think they have done a good job with this so far, and interest and I believe numbers at the tracks demonstrate this (I didn't research). Better coordination of these days would essentially give rise to the "main event" each weekend that we all look forward to and focus on. We have some of these events already established (Triple Crown obviously and also days like Foster Day at CD, Saratoga Opening Weekend, Calder Summit of Speed, Haskell Day at Mth, Travers, Arlington Million, even Delaware Handicap).
Other thoughts I didn't tackle- venue (none seem perfect) including rotation of venues or one venue, "small" venues, etc,; timing (i.e., day vs. night), time of year. Interested in thoughts. Maybe PA can package and sent to Avioli.
In my view the two day expansion is a good thing, but the BC tried to make the added day a big event before people were ready for it. Why would you try to expand the event into two big days when the one day event seemed to suffer from weak demand (51,000 at Belmont isn't exactly a big crowd, and the BC had to really try to get that many people there).
So first I would keep the two days, but as CJ suggested make the Friday the day for BC-sponsored novelties like the Marathon, Juvy grass races, F&M sprint, Turf Sprint. Having the Distaff on Friday was really a disservice to the fans. Maybe the capstone to the day is the Main Track Mile, particularly when run around one turn. I'm a pretty avid fan and bettor and can pretty much call my own shots and work, and I barely made it to the track for the last few BC races (watched one through the window of a bar at the Port Authority Bus Terminal). They really shouldn't have a big event during a weekday. Can you think of any other sport that does? Golf immediately comes to mind. None others.
Second, I would reduce the purses for the novelty races. Do the juvy grass races really merit $1 million? Make them $500k. Also the F&M sprint purse of $1 million is too high. Make it $500k to give the top filly sprinters more incentive to take on males. I would take say $1.5 to $2.0 million in purse savings and consider using it to expand the BC "win and you're in" days, which brings me to my final point.
Third, make the "win and you're in" program more meaningful. Most of us recognize the gimmickery around this slogan, but if you think of the days as "qualifiers" it makes more sense. I would have them year round so you can include the premier winter meets. Essentially the traveling BC show is these mini BC days held throughout the country. Branded with the BC brand, it increases awareness in the local markets of the big day. I think they have done a good job with this so far, and interest and I believe numbers at the tracks demonstrate this (I didn't research). Better coordination of these days would essentially give rise to the "main event" each weekend that we all look forward to and focus on. We have some of these events already established (Triple Crown obviously and also days like Foster Day at CD, Saratoga Opening Weekend, Calder Summit of Speed, Haskell Day at Mth, Travers, Arlington Million, even Delaware Handicap).
Other thoughts I didn't tackle- venue (none seem perfect) including rotation of venues or one venue, "small" venues, etc,; timing (i.e., day vs. night), time of year. Interested in thoughts. Maybe PA can package and sent to Avioli.