bc at keeneland ticket prices

[DelMarJay]

Beautiful and awesome race track. Will be a friggin nightmare. Not nearly enough parking. Put in far, far too few temp seats. No food or drinks allowed in. Concession and wagering worst in history of BC.

Yeah, I will be betting at home, 'cause good fields and betting opportunities
But F the BC people, who have turned into raving megalomaniacs and have subverted the entire original concept.

Only a few short years ago admission and parking were just the regular price of the catering track. I get the concept of inflation, but these numbers are staggering. Add the "miserableness" factor and WAMMO.

[tanner12oz]

Taking into account all the expenses a trip for two for the cup might cost you in the 5k plus range for 2 days. Awful lot of money for most people

[uncbossfan]

Originally Posted by DelMarJay

Beautiful and awesome race track. Will be a friggin nightmare. Not nearly enough parking. Put in far, far too few temp seats. No food or drinks allowed in. Concession and wagering worst in history of BC.

Yeah, I will be betting at home, 'cause good fields and betting opportunities
But F the BC people, who have turned into raving megalomaniacs and have subverted the entire original concept.

Only a few short years ago admission and parking were just the regular price of the catering track. I get the concept of inflation, but these numbers are staggering. Add the "miserableness" factor and WAMMO.

Out of curiosity, how can you complain about cost of getting in and the fact it will be too crowded in the same post? If that's the case, sounds like they could be charging even more if that many people are still willing to pay it.

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Lines at the tote windows are unavoidable with gigantic crowds. When I was a kid, 10 to 15 minutes to bet at Santa Anita was actually standard. It's actually a lot better now.

But when there's a one-off big crowd, like at the Breeders' Cup, there's a huge requirement for temporary staffing, and there's just no way that ANY track is going to have no waiting to bet anywhere in the facility. When the BC was in New York, New Jersey, Canada, South Florida, and Louisville, it was the same way.

I beg to differ.

The last 2 years at Santa Anita we paid for our seats and were rewarded with a great experience of short lines, little to no waiting, and food and drink whenever we wanted.

The lesson we learned is that sometimes you have to pay for convenience.

The previous two years at Churchill were much different. We had boxed seats in the Grandstands, but the long lines and numerous people weren't an issue as Churchill deals with that type of crowd every year at the Kentucky Derby and were extremely fast and efficient in dealing with the numbers. The lines may have been 20+ deep, but they were quick in dealing with them.

We will be paying for seats again this year that are in their own section with a smaller crowd. The couple extra hundred or so is well worth it in my opinion.

[Lemon Drop Husker]

We got our tickets!

84 Club it is. $550 per seat for the 2 days (if we get a seat?). Will be built strictly for the Breeders Cup on the corner of the first turn. Similar seats at Santa Anita, and we loved them (although we were 20 feet above the track at SA in prime viewing position as opposed to on the ground.)

As Bart Scott so eloquently quoted: "Can't Wait!"

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

I beg to differ.

The last 2 years at Santa Anita we paid for our seats and were rewarded with a great experience of short lines, little to no waiting, and food and drink whenever we wanted.

The lesson we learned is that sometimes you have to pay for convenience.

The previous two years at Churchill were much different. We had boxed seats in the Grandstands, but the long lines and numerous people weren't an issue as Churchill deals with that type of crowd every year at the Kentucky Derby and were extremely fast and efficient in dealing with the numbers. The lines may have been 20+ deep, but they were quick in dealing with them.

We will be paying for seats again this year that are in their own section with a smaller crowd. The couple extra hundred or so is well worth it in my opinion.

I think you misconstrued my post. I also attended the BC the last 2 years at Santa Anita (and many others), and 2 years ago, I was in a spot (the clubhouse theater, which no longer exists) where there were no lines at all. Last year I was in the grandstand and there were lines.

My point isn't that you will stand in line no matter what; my point is rather that when a crowd is big enough, there's inevitably going to be lines SOMEWHERE in the facility. It is just an inevitable function of the fact of track configurations, temporary mutuel clerks, and a one-off event. This sort of thing just doesn't get pulled off perfectly, and if your primary interest is to bet rather than to see the event live, it's probably better to do it online or at a simulcast facility. Betting at a big "event" horse race is always going to be a crapshoot in terms of waits.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by DelMarJay

Only a few short years ago admission and parking were just the regular price of the catering track. I get the concept of inflation, but these numbers are staggering. Add the "miserableness" factor and WAMMO.

Actually, the first time the BC took control of the pricing and raised it above "regular" price was way back in 1990-- although the amounts we are talking about back then were trivial (tickets were $20 instead of the normal $4 for admission and a reserved seat at Belmont back then). I do remember paying $4 for my seat in the grandstand in 1986 at Santa Anita. So there was a time....

Eventually, what the BC realized is that there are a whole bunch of people who will pay big money to attend the event. That's what's behind the $200 tickets, the two days, etc. And that's not something that's ever going to be turned back, unless television comes in and gives them a lot of money. (It's notable that the BC's most lucrative TV contract was its first one, with NBC. And it was during that contract that the seats were cheap.)

And there are things specific to this BC that make it even more expensive-- there's a shortage of seats and plenty of rich Lexington-area breeders who will pay top dollar. Frankly, I'm surprised the grandstand seats are only $425 for the two days-- I was expecting it to be even higher. If Keeneland tried to price this at their normal prices ($5 or $10 or whatever to get in plus a few bucks for a reserved seat), there would be an instant sellout and a ton of scalping anyway.

People hate price gouging, but when you have huge demand and low supply, the alternative to price gouging isn't that everyone gets in cheap-- it's that everyone has to buy from scalpers.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Two completely different crowds.

I think the OP was referring to the logistics. Columbus is not that large of a metro area that it would be difficult if 100k people showed up for the Jug and another 100k for a Buckeyes game.
There are essentially 3 major roads in the metro area.
I-70, I-71 and I-270...Tough sledding with that many people out and about

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by DelMarJay

Beautiful and awesome race track. Will be a friggin nightmare. Not nearly enough parking. Put in far, far too few temp seats. No food or drinks allowed in. Concession and wagering worst in history of BC.

Yeah, I will be betting at home, 'cause good fields and betting opportunities
But F the BC people, who have turned into raving megalomaniacs and have subverted the entire original concept.

Only a few short years ago admission and parking were just the regular price of the catering track. I get the concept of inflation, but these numbers are staggering. Add the "miserableness" factor and WAMMO.

Like most other marquee sporting events, the regular guy/gal who is the regular customer has been shut out by prices.
No doubt the low end chain motels will be charging the highest permitted rack rates and throwing in 3 and 4 night minimum stays.
To put it mildly, it will be a feeding frenzy.
One thing these people may want to be aware, "don't ef it up. Because if you do, you'll never have this opportunity again".

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Actually, the first time the BC took control of the pricing and raised it above "regular" price was way back in 1990-- although the amounts we are talking about back then were trivial (tickets were $20 instead of the normal $4 for admission and a reserved seat at Belmont back then). I do remember paying $4 for my seat in the grandstand in 1986 at Santa Anita. So there was a time....

Eventually, what the BC realized is that there are a whole bunch of people who will pay big money to attend the event. That's what's behind the $200 tickets, the two days, etc. And that's not something that's ever going to be turned back, unless television comes in and gives them a lot of money. (It's notable that the BC's most lucrative TV contract was its first one, with NBC. And it was during that contract that the seats were cheap.)

And there are things specific to this BC that make it even more expensive-- there's a shortage of seats and plenty of rich Lexington-area breeders who will pay top dollar. Frankly, I'm surprised the grandstand seats are only $425 for the two days-- I was expecting it to be even higher. If Keeneland tried to price this at their normal prices ($5 or $10 or whatever to get in plus a few bucks for a reserved seat), there would be an instant sellout and a ton of scalping anyway.

People hate price gouging, but when you have huge demand and low supply, the alternative to price gouging isn't that everyone gets in cheap-- it's that everyone has to buy from scalpers.

I went to the 1985 BC at Aqueduct( chilly and damp). We paid $5 for a seat on the second level about the 16th pole. $2 grandstand admission.
Went to the 1990 BC at Belmont( ccccccold that day.) The price my seat ticket says $25. We paid a guy in the parking lot $10. If memory serves, Admission was included.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Actually, the first time the BC took control of the pricing and raised it above "regular" price was way back in 1990-- although the amounts we are talking about back then were trivial (tickets were $20 instead of the normal $4 for admission and a reserved seat at Belmont back then). I do remember paying $4 for my seat in the grandstand in 1986 at Santa Anita. So there was a time....

Eventually, what the BC realized is that there are a whole bunch of people who will pay big money to attend the event. That's what's behind the $200 tickets, the two days, etc. And that's not something that's ever going to be turned back, unless television comes in and gives them a lot of money. (It's notable that the BC's most lucrative TV contract was its first one, with NBC. And it was during that contract that the seats were cheap.)

And there are things specific to this BC that make it even more expensive-- there's a shortage of seats and plenty of rich Lexington-area breeders who will pay top dollar. Frankly, I'm surprised the grandstand seats are only $425 for the two days-- I was expecting it to be even higher. If Keeneland tried to price this at their normal prices ($5 or $10 or whatever to get in plus a few bucks for a reserved seat), there would be an instant sellout and a ton of scalping anyway.

People hate price gouging, but when you have huge demand and low supply, the alternative to price gouging isn't that everyone gets in cheap-- it's that everyone has to buy from scalpers.

I can tell you this. Ticket brokers will end up with the majority of the tickets anyway.
They use computer programs that allow the purchase of large blocks of seats in an instant.
And because after market ticket sales are mostly electronic, anti scalping laws are unenforceable.

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Like most other marquee sporting events, the regular guy/gal who is the regular customer has been shut out by prices.
No doubt the low end chain motels will be charging the highest permitted rack rates and throwing in 3 and 4 night minimum stays.
To put it mildly, it will be a feeding frenzy.
One thing these people may want to be aware, "don't ef it up. Because if you do, you'll never have this opportunity again".

I am staying at hojo for 277 for 5 nights, guess they missed that this is a Hot weekend.

Allan

[bdownes]

Columbus is the 32nd biggest TV market in the USA. Lexington is the 65th biggest market.

http://www.stationindex.com/tv/tv-markets

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by thespaah

I can tell you this. Ticket brokers will end up with the majority of the tickets anyway.
They use computer programs that allow the purchase of large blocks of seats in an instant.
And because after market ticket sales are mostly electronic, anti scalping laws are unenforceable.

Had no problem getting tickets. 3rd floor grandstand section E.

Allan

[FlyinLate]

Originally Posted by biggestal99

Had no problem getting tickets. 3rd floor grandstand section E.

Allan

Tickets do not go on sale until Wednesday?