Have you ever brought someone new to the track?
 

Most of us complain about the game we love dying. Just wondering. Good & bad.... who has brought people to the track? What was the result? Did they ever come back? Did they like it? What feedback did they provide?

I've brought dozens of newcomers to various tracks both existing and defunct (Del Mar, Santa Anita, Hollywood, Suffolk, Rockingham, Hazel Park, Northville Downs).

For the most part, they came as part of the twice-yearly company excursions I would organize. The rest were friends I invited individually.

Two have stayed on as fans/recreational horseplayers and will occasionally go to the track on their won now.

A handful more will still accompany me happily to the track if I ask.

The rest were one-and-done.

I have to be honest...the biggest sense I got as far as feedback is concerned is a general sense of being "too far" and too long of a day.

This topic gets trotted out pretty often here. I've brought various family over the years, they're all happy to play a couple races (none know much about how), and it's always fun if they win a few bucks. But a couple races is usually the limit. Nobody's interested in sitting there for :3: hours and pouring over PPs. :p

I have taken friends and family members to the track throughout the years. The majority of them got hooked when I organized a day at Ellis Park. Reserved seats in the Sky Theater and sponsored a race. Everyone had a great time. It has now turned into a yearly gathering. We have a core group of 8-9 of us. Usually end up with 12-15 total. Been going on 5 years.

Out of this group, 2 will usually give me a shout every now and again to go and see live racing. The rest we can count on being there once a year.

I also organized a day at Kentucky Downs this year to give them a different perspective. We tailgated and hung out by the paddock area. This went really well, too. Several are looking forward to doing it again in 2015.

The key to getting them interested was the offer to see live racing. No one is really interested in simulcasting.

Yes; I had an outing last year at the Meadowlands for my birthday. I hope to do a similar one at either Monmouth or Belmont next year.

They usually have a lot of fun, but don't really come back often. It's kind of weird.

And for those that haven't: make sure to bring at least one new person out to the track. It can only help grow the game.

My boss and I mention this all the time. We bring friends/family/acquaintances out all the time, they seem to have a great time, they say they had a great time.....then they never come back.

Here's the weird thing: my friends that used to go to several baseball or basketball games a year no longer do that either.

Obviously the ticket prices of pro sports far outstrip a day at the track so that's not a comparable metric.

It might just have to do with time and the lack of an ability to multi-task. I mean who has 3-4 hours to sit on one place anyway?

I've done it a bunch of times most was 15 -20 years ago. Almost a universal response. Fun early on, starts to drag on them in the middle and end. It has the feeling that 25-30 minutes between races is far too long for them.

I really think if the time between races was closer to 15 -18 minutes, it would change the experience.

By the way, out of all the people I've introduced to the game, I can't think of one who has gone on their own.

I have never brought a newcomer to the track...nor do I ever intend to. I have enough on my conscience...

I've introduced numerous folks to live horse racing, but not to any of the upper tier tracks.
We have a nice little hometown track in Eureka, Ks which offered an unusually "up close and personal" experience. When I was able I would take a few guests to the backside with me so they could look around and get acquainted with one or two horses as we got them ready to run. The guests always got really excited by that, enough that they afterward occasionally traveled out of state to go to other tracks we were at.
Unfortunately politics closed down our racing opportunity in Kansas ending Eureka's 140? year run.
The point is horse racing has lots of great things about it to attract fans if the presentation is right.

LMAO but I hear you...... don't want to be the cause of a 'problem'....

You are right. This game has a lot of positive to offer. Btw, what happened to Eureka? What shut it down?

I have brought over 100 newbies to the track plus i talk to everyone within earshot about the wonderful game ofhorse racing and horses in general. I always take them to the paddock so we can get up close and personal with the animals in question. A few became lifelong fans
And a couple serious bettors. Some became casual fans. About 50% left the track with me and never came back to my knowledge..

Horse racing is not for everyone. Some like my wife don'tlike whipping, so i always temper my enthusium about urging a horse when i am around her at the track. But she doeslike betting on her favorite horses.

Allan

Over the past 11 years I have done a group get together with my friends at MP where we watch the races from the grandstand with both new and existing players. Most of the newer players enjoyed the day but did complain about the major league baseball pricing on everything from food to beer to ice cream. Most comeback but go to the picnic area as a larger group where they don't need to buy anything except pari mutuel tickets.

I took an old girl friend to the track once. It is not a mistake I would repeat. In todays world, I would have serious moral qualms about introducing somebody to racing.