How many racetracks' live racing view is blocked?

[kenwoodall2]

Is the view of the racetrack(s) you attend or know about blocked at least partially by the toteboard, buildings, trees, or any other stationary objects? How many and which tracks? What % of the outside seating is at least partially blocked?

[senortout]

While don't know exactly how many have blocked views, I think the big TV in the infield is probably the worst offender insofar as the blocking itself goes!

Imagine that.

second largest obstruction.....tote boards

[The_Knight_Sky]

Arlington Park's turf course has trees positioned at the most crucial point on the final turn. How many checks, steadies, and lane changes are not visible over the course of the season. One can only guess.

Santa Anita's ridiculous positioning of the video monitor takes the cake though.
They have had how many years to either lower it from the line of sight or position the camera for an unobstructed pan shot of the backstretch?

http://i48.tinypic.com/2iu6u85.jpg These are the geniuses who earn their pay thanks to the bettors.

[kenwoodall2]

How many other sports at any level have part of the playing field permanently blocked?

[wisconsin]

Gulfstream has a 2-story Jumbotron blocking a good view of the backside.

Arlington has those annoying trees, but then again, so does the Fairgrounds.

[jballscalls]

How many other sports at any level have part of the playing field permanently blocked?

if your on the apron at basically any track in america your view is blocked by the toteboard for a period of 3 to 8 seconds, if your up a little bit in the grandstand, your not, unless its a jumbo tv, in which case you miss 1 to 2 seconds of action.

there may be the occasional tree or something at some places, or a big tv at the bigger tracks.

in basketball if your behind the hoop your view is blocked by the hoop. in baseball i've had great seats behind home plate which are obstructed by the netting to save your butt from a foul ball. i've been to senior pga events where your view is obstructed by trees, hills, leaderboards and a million other things. at NFL games you have that stupid floating camera that gets in your way as it zips over the players head. Nascar you have tents, RV's, trucks all in the infield, and if your in the lower seats, those definately block your view across the track, or if it's a road course you certainly dont see parts of turns. Hockey there is glass all the way around and posts and players in penalty boxes that mess up your view if you have seats really low. hence why they charge more for seats a few rows up above the ice. Mixed Martial Arts there is a fencing and those big padded pieces that make it tough to see in. Boxing you got ropes and turn buckles.

[therussmeister]

How many other sports at any level have part of the playing field permanently blocked?

I'm guessing there are a few baseball and football stadiums with seats with partial view.

[Steve 'StatMan']

A lot of baseball and football stadiums that had partially blocked views have been replaced - though mainly to provide for/increase skyboxes and revenue. Often the teams play their states for money for the extremly expensive remoddeling costs.

In racing, though, that alone isn't going to keep fans away. A 9 race card can take at least 3 hours or more, with a very large amount of empty time between races for the casual/novice fan. A baseball game that takes 3 hours or more is considered an eternity, and if there is little action, scoring, or the home team is getting blown out, some consider those games as boring.

[kenwoodall2]

I'm thinking there are positive and negative things about racing that make it different to an extent if not unique as to sports viewing such as blocking views, and seperately to gambling. My current viewpoint is that many casino players would not go as often if not for some socializing, and state lottery players might not play as much if not easy to bet at the corner store; Many horseplayers consider socializing a distraction. At GGf many players would rather watch the race presented live, on the monitor.

[Jeff P]

if your on the apron at basically any track in america your view is blocked by the toteboard for a period of 3 to 8 seconds, if your up a little bit in the grandstand, your not, unless its a jumbo tv, in which case you miss 1 to 2 seconds of action.

there may be the occasional tree or something at some places, or a big tv at the bigger tracks.

in basketball if your behind the hoop your view is blocked by the hoop. in baseball i've had great seats behind home plate which are obstructed by the netting to save your butt from a foul ball. i've been to senior pga events where your view is obstructed by trees, hills, leaderboards and a million other things. at NFL games you have that stupid floating camera that gets in your way as it zips over the players head. Nascar you have tents, RV's, trucks all in the infield, and if your in the lower seats, those definately block your view across the track, or if it's a road course you certainly dont see parts of turns. Hockey there is glass all the way around and posts and players in penalty boxes that mess up your view if you have seats really low. hence why they charge more for seats a few rows up above the ice. Mixed Martial Arts there is a fencing and those big padded pieces that make it tough to see in. Boxing you got ropes and turn buckles.

If you adjust handle dollars for inflation, current year handle in 2010 is roughly HALF of what it was just 7 years ago in 2003.

IMHO, the above quoted post illustrates perfectly the crux of the problem:

Failure to address customer needs and wants.

Rather than even consider ADDRESSING racing's problems, many in racing will instead ARGUE with customers who take the time to point out racing's problems to them.

Now I'm not saying trees and jumbotrons are racing's biggest problems... Clearly, they are not.

Players taking the HANA survey last fall named high takeout, lack of pool integrity, and lack of drug integrity as the three most glaring problems in racing driving them to WAGER LESS.

From talking to track execs, horsemen, and racing commissioners over the past year and a half I am convinced the very same pattern illustrated by the above quoted post is far too prevelant in racing.

I submit the following to racing decision makers everywhere:

Instead of attempting to take what the customer is trying to tell you and turn in back on the customer making it his fault... Start thinking in terms of addressing customer needs and wants in a significant way.

Change is needed and it is needed now... especially when it comes to takeout, odds that change after the bell, and cheating through the use of drugs.

Unless of course you actually LIKE the idea of handle 7 years from now being half of what it is today.



-jp

.

[CincyHorseplayer]

How many are at the track with a pair of 10 X 50's that seek out the best vantage point for race watching?

[jballscalls]

If you adjust handle dollars for inflation, current year handle in 2010 is roughly HALF of what it was just 7 years ago in 2003.

IMHO, the above quoted post illustrates perfectly the crux of the problem:

Failure to address customer needs and wants.

Rather than even consider ADDRESSING racing's problems, many in racing will instead ARGUE with customers who take the time to point out racing's problems to them.

Now I'm not saying trees and jumbotrons are racing's biggest problems... Clearly, they are not.

Players taking the HANA survey last fall named high takeout, lack of pool integrity, and lack of drug integrity as the three most glaring problems in racing driving them to WAGER LESS.

From talking to track execs, horsemen, and racing commissioners over the past year and a half I am convinced the very same pattern illustrated by the above quoted post is far too prevelant in racing.

I submit the following to racing decision makers everywhere:

Instead of attempting to take what the customer is trying to tell you and turn in back on the customer making it his fault... Start thinking in terms of addressing customer needs and wants in a significant way.

Change is needed and it is needed now... especially when it comes to takeout, odds that change after the bell, and cheating through the use of drugs.

Unless of course you actually LIKE the idea of handle 7 years from now being half of what it is today.



-jp

.

I think the problem may be you misconstruing what i said. the guy asked if other sports do this and i pointed out many other sports have viewing problems at events.

JP, my job is to do what our customers want. and we've done just that in many instances. I'm an announcer and guest services manager, so unfortunately i have no ability to address issues of takeout, drugs, or late odds changes. however we post up to date takeout lists for our players and do our best to keep them aware of each place's prices etc.

however, the track i work at has had increases in handle year after year after year, maybe it's just fluke luck, or maybe we're doing things other tracks arent. things like staggering post times so we're not running on top of our competitors, giving players cash instead of hats or t shirts because thats what they want and many other things.

Also, the main poster didn't complain about the issue of toteboards or blocking views, he simply asked what and how many tracks have obstructed views and which other sports do. you seem to have interpreted that he was complaining about it, he was just posing a couple of questions.

[Greyfox]

Infield TV screen at So Cal.

Palm Trees block gate at Turf Paradise for sprints.

[jballscalls]

Infield TV screen at So Cal.

Palm Trees block gate at Turf Paradise for sprints.

i would add the trees at Tampa Bay for long sprints out of the chute to the list