Hollywood Park, Friday Night Racing! Why?

[Igeteven]

I stop bashing race track management for it does not good. However, I don't understand the reason behind this.


Most trainers get up early,

Most players like to start early

Most owners get up early

What I saw at Hollywood Park when I once gone to Friday night racing was a bunch of college students getting drunk and not betting.

Can some one explain this to me why they are doing this.

[Dahoss9698]

Are there more people at the track on aFriday night, or a Friday afternoon card at Hollywood?

After you answer that (honestly) it should make more sense.

[rwwupl]

Are there more people at the track on aFriday night, or a Friday afternoon card at Hollywood?

After you answer that (honestly) it should make more sense.


Number of people does not seem to matter. This has been going on since the days of Marge Everett at Hollywood... and the per capita betting is always much less than a regular day program,and the focus has always been to attract "Young People"... so after 20 years or so, we do not have any more young people than before.

They say the natural fan base is too old... but their numbers are more than at anytime in our history... but they are ignored and run off because they can not win because the cards are stacked against them with a dysfunctional business model. The marketing people blame it on the economy and the age of their customers... but does it matter what the age of the ticket buyer is?

I do not think so...what we need is a sincere effort to get more of them(Customers of any age) and stop old failed projects that produce nothing, like "Go Baby Go" and "Friday Night Racing" and join reality.

[horses4courses]

Number of people does not seem to matter. This has been going on since the days of Marge Everett at Hollywood... and the per capita betting is always much less than a regular day program,and the focus has always been to attract "Young People"... so after 20 years or so, we do not have any more young people than before.

They say the natural fan base is too old... but their numbers are more than at anytime in our history... but they are ignored and run off because they can not win because the cards are stacked against them with a dysfunctional business model. The marketing people blame it on the economy and the age of their customers... but does it matter what the age of the ticket buyer is?

I do not think so...what we need is a sincere effort to get more of them(Customers of any age) and stop old failed projects that produce nothing, like "Go Baby Go" and "Friday Night Racing" and join reality.

I fully agree.
I recall trying to fill seats in a Race/Sportsbook that I managed in Tahoe up until 2004. Fridays were so difficult when Hollywood Park raced.
Can't imagine how hard it would be at the track itself, trying to staff it and then have people coming back to work around noon on Saturday.
The backstretch people must hate it too.

When it started as an "experiment", I conceded that it was worth a try.
Didn't take long to realize that it was a bust - and they're still doing it?

Marketing people at the track should know by now - look after your best players! Those who give you good action through the windows should be highly rewarded for doing so. Call it rebates - call it whatever you want.
Those who like the game will continue to like the game, and will give you more repeat business if you give them incentive to do so.
Perhaps some tracks have programs like this in place. I'm not sure.

Racing on Friday afternoons again at Hollywood Park would be a welcome start in looking after existing horseplayers, and racing staff!

[Dahoss9698]

Number of people does not seem to matter. This has been going on since the days of Marge Everett at Hollywood... and the per capita betting is always much less than a regular day program,and the focus has always been to attract "Young People"... so after 20 years or so, we do not have any more young people than before.

They say the natural fan base is too old... but their numbers are more than at anytime in our history... but they are ignored and run off because they can not win because the cards are stacked against them with a dysfunctional business model. The marketing people blame it on the economy and the age of their customers... but does it matter what the age of the ticket buyer is?

I do not think so...what we need is a sincere effort to get more of them(Customers of any age) and stop old failed projects that produce nothing, like "Go Baby Go" and "Friday Night Racing" and join reality.

Well if you give up on trying to get young people interested in the sport, the sport will eventually die off. I don't really want to see that happen.

Getting people to the track is the hard part. Once they are there, show them how rewarding and fun playing the horses can be. Debunk the whole "horseplayers are degenrate losers" myth. Teach them with knowledgable people as on air personalities.

This is a conversation that has been had a million times. But we need a Chris Moneymaker for horse racing. Is it a coincidence poker boomed after he won the WSOP? Young and old people saw an average Joe compete on the highest level and said, "hey I can do that."

Horse racing can be like that. It's going to take some progressive and radical thinkers. But it can be done.

[jballscalls]

I went on a friday night last year and it was great, huge crowd, good racing, tons of fun. there are tracks that race at night all the time, why is HP an exception?

i dont understand why there isn't more racing at night, most people work during the day and during the week, so they are off at night and on weekends? granted many of racings older fans can get out during the day, but any younger fans cant come out cause they are working.

(i work for a horse track, so according to most on these boards i'm an idiot, so do take that into consideration when you read my industry biased statement)

:)

[Tom]

I thought they had good crowds and big parties on Friday nights.
I know I like playing that late from on the least coast. Don't they get a lot of younger people? Isn't that a good thing?

When I used to go to Woodbine for twilight Wednesdays, it seem to be a lot younger crowd than afternoons....and more packed.
In the afternoon, they would tell me to move it Sonny, and at night, they would tell me to move it Gramps! :D

[Robert Goren]

After 20 years those kids are now the 40 something regulars.

[Robert Goren]

If places like Penn National and Mountaineer ran during the day, would anyone bet on them?

[JustRalph]

If places like Penn National and Mountaineer ran during the day, would anyone bet on them?

Great point

[miesque]

There are a plethora of very serious issues facing the racing industry and the big complaint is that there is Night Racing at Hollywood Park? :confused:

As someone who cut their teeth handicapping while spending evenings at Penn National and Charles Town, I have rather enjoyed the few Friday evenings I have spent at Hollywood Park because they were very different and had a fun air about them. The energy level at the track was far greater than that which I have experienced at tracks that primarily race at night. In addition, I have found Friday Night racing to be an interesting contrast to the HP day cards in terms of both energy level and patron. Even from a home wagering perspective, I have enjoyed the HP Friday night cards, because they are a great way to wind down after a stressful week and there is usually a greater potential for more lucrative odds.

For those that don't like the Hollywood Park night racing, is it really that much more beneficial to just have regular Friday afternoon racing with a fraction of the crowd with an average age of three times as old? We are talking about only a few nights a year in total, this is not a tremendous sacrifice for those who want it the way it usually is. I have thought that exposing a new audience to racing was a goal in that even if they don't bet all that much they might bring a friend who could become a more serious participant in the game and that is more that will happen with the absence of no new people to the track.

[Zman179]

Plus it gives racefans who can't normally go to the races during the day as a result of performing trivial tasks, such as working for a living and earning a paycheck, the opportunity to go racing on a Friday night and wind down for the weekend. I think it's a great idea.

[ronsmac]

I agree to a point. Everyone I know is done betting long before 10pm eastern time. It's good for me since i work during the day, and i can bet the sucky hollywood cards that night.

[Tom]

If places like Penn National and Mountaineer ran during the day, would anyone bet on them?

Nope.

[JustRalph]

Those last two races going off at 1:30a-2:00 can be pretty tough sometimes

[Relwob Owner]

Well if you give up on trying to get young people interested in the sport, the sport will eventually die off. I don't really want to see that happen.

Getting people to the track is the hard part. Once they are there, show them how rewarding and fun playing the horses can be. Debunk the whole "horseplayers are degenrate losers" myth. Teach them with knowledgable people as on air personalities.

This is a conversation that has been had a million times. But we need a Chris Moneymaker for horse racing. Is it a coincidence poker boomed after he won the WSOP? Young and old people saw an average Joe compete on the highest level and said, "hey I can do that."

Horse racing can be like that. It's going to take some progressive and radical thinkers. But it can be done.


I agree....the challenge is that you do need progressive and radical thinkers and attracting those tyoes to manage our game isnt easy.....I was at Ctown for the Million Dollar race night last night and it was packed, with a lot of younger people. The downside is that the lines were huge, you couldnt get food without a huge wait, etc.....it was really a shame because many probably figure that is how it always is and dont bother coming back or learning more about the game....

[miesque]

Those last two races going off at 1:30a-2:00 can be pretty tough sometimes

Now that part I will agree with and it would be a bit easier if it started an hour or so earlier. I will fully admit that when I have taken a 5:30 AM flight out to LAX (complete with a connecting flight) that finishing out the Friday night card at HP later in the evening is a challenge, because there is a point mid to late in the card where it literally feels like I have hit a wall. :D

[toussaud]

wow seriously?


i've been looking forward to friday night for a couple of months now.

[rastajenk]

This goes to show that no matter what racing management does, there will always be a large segment that complains about it. :bang:

[Dan H]

I don't understand the reason behind this (Friday night racing).It's probably to accomodate the live bands that start at 10:30 pm. Either racing had to start late or the bands had to start early. Bands win! Joan Jett, Berlin, The English Beat, A Flock of Seagulls, and a host of other 80's sensations. At least Del Mar can book Devo!

[Relwob Owner]

I stop bashing race track management for it does not good. However, I don't understand the reason behind this.


Most trainers get up early,

Most players like to start early

Most owners get up early

What I saw at Hollywood Park when I once gone to Friday night racing was a bunch of college students getting drunk and not betting.

Can some one explain this to me why they are doing this.


From a local perspective, it seems to make sense as more people probably come to the track......do you have any sort of statistical comparison between handles on Fridays at Hollywood or SA when they run at night and when they dont? That would be helpful...... I dont see how the times that owners or trainers get up has much to do with anything. It is just one day a week and many other tracks do it.

From an off track perspective, it definitely costs them some people(like me) who dont stay up til 1-1:30 in the East but would watch and bet if it was earlier.....

[Monty Capuletti]

I live in NY and 95% of the money I wager on California is Friday nights at Holywood. Play the late pick 4 and if you get knocked out, at least you get to go to bed.

[Relwob Owner]

I stop bashing race track management for it does not good. However, I don't understand the reason behind this.


Most trainers get up early,

Most players like to start early

Most owners get up early

What I saw at Hollywood Park when I once gone to Friday night racing was a bunch of college students getting drunk and not betting.

Can some one explain this to me why they are doing this.


Also, as an owner, I would prefer night racing on a Friday because I am less likely to be working....