BC and Keeneland explain the two days.

[Grits]

An explanation from Keeneland and Breeders' Cup. Still, we wonder how much, exactly, will those corporate swells be betting? And why we're reading about the sport's problems the other 363 days a year when the swells and the "insiders" have gone home?

I hope it's all successful, I hope that wagering records are set. However, I'm glad with my decision made, months ago, to not journey to Lexington. I don't want to be in anyone's three story, temporary structures with thousands of other people. No.

http://www.drf.com/news/breeders%E2%...tory-keeneland

Much more in the link:

Behind Elliston is a zeppelin-class hospitality tent, the kind you’d find at a sheikh’s birthday party. Dozens of tool-toting workers buzz around inside the 45,000-square-foot structure. When the Breeders’ Cup comes to Keeneland for the first time Oct. 30-31, the tent will have been transformed into a wood-paneled luxury space filled with 3,200 racegoers, multiple bars and food stations, and a stage for live music. Adjacent to the tent, toward the grandstand, is a three-story, 42,000-square-foot building that is the first triple-decker temporary structure to be built in North America, its spacious suites already booked to high-rolling corporate customers and sponsors. And next to that is another temporary structure of suites, this one 50,000 square feet and two stories high. It’s sold out, too.

Collectively, attendees this year have paid approximately $19 million for tickets, nearly twice as much as the patrons who went to any other Breeders’ Cup in history, according to Breeders’ Cup officials, with every reserved seat sold and every general-admission ticket already snapped up. And revenue has hit that level even though attendance this year will be well below half of the event that raised the previous record amount of ticketing revenue, in 2010, when attendance was 114,353 at Churchill Downs over two days and the track had room for thousands more.

[Stillriledup]

19 million just to get inside the track?

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by Grits

I'm glad with my decision made, months ago, to not journey to Lexington. I don't want to be in anyone's three story, temporary structures with thousands of other people. No.

I feel the same. I have been to 2 BCs at Santa Anita, '09 and '12. The differences I saw between the years, the trends I saw, really turned me off to attending again in person. Happy to just watch on TV.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

As a horse player I tend to find myself being a hypocrite.

We all lament the slow decline of this sport, complain about declining field size, bad product, and no one at the track. I read about the different meets and declines across the industry and think me getting into this industry now is crazy.

As a horse player, I hate it when the track is crowded, specifically at Monmouth. Food truck weekend, fathers day, Haskell, drives me nuts with all the lines and newbie hipsters running around. However, the sport needs new fans, so its a double edged sword. I go to Saratoga and sit in the back yard taking in the sights, but cant stand people setting up camp for the day right on top me. Good for the sport but bothers me. I see people renting picnic tables, or the prohibitive cost of the Kentucky Derby and think how the sport prices out a lot of the customer base that "keeps the lights on" at these places the majority of the year.

When it comes to the breeders cup, I am looking forward to it. I wish I could attend this year but cant. This is one weekend I would gladly pay $400 for a ticket to a reserved area with open bar and restricted access to bathrooms and wagering machines. The crowd im sure will be big, and the waiting time for things will be long. However, this is one event I would be more than willing to brave the crowds for.

[tanner12oz]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

As a horse player I tend to find myself being a hypocrite.

We all lament the slow decline of this sport, complain about declining field size, bad product, and no one at the track. I read about the different meets and declines across the industry and think me getting into this industry now is crazy.

As a horse player, I hate it when the track is crowded, specifically at Monmouth. Food truck weekend, fathers day, Haskell, drives me nuts with all the lines and newbie hipsters running around. However, the sport needs new fans, so its a double edged sword. I go to Saratoga and sit in the back yard taking in the sights, but cant stand people setting up camp for the day right on top me. Good for the sport but bothers me. I see people renting picnic tables, or the prohibitive cost of the Kentucky Derby and think how the sport prices out a lot of the customer base that "keeps the lights on" at these places the majority of the year.

When it comes to the breeders cup, I am looking forward to it. I wish I could attend this year but cant. This is one weekend I would gladly pay $400 for a ticket to a reserved area with open bar and restricted access to bathrooms and wagering machines. The crowd im sure will be big, and the waiting time for things will be long. However, this is one event I would be more than willing to brave the crowds for.

once in a lifetime..you simply gotta attend ya know? is it gonna have issues FOR SURE but this is like the holy grail Keeneland+BC..

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

As a horse player I tend to find myself being a hypocrite.

We all lament the slow decline of this sport, complain about declining field size, bad product, and no one at the track. I read about the different meets and declines across the industry and think me getting into this industry now is crazy.

As a horse player, I hate it when the track is crowded, specifically at Monmouth. Food truck weekend, fathers day, Haskell, drives me nuts with all the lines and newbie hipsters running around. However, the sport needs new fans, so its a double edged sword. I go to Saratoga and sit in the back yard taking in the sights, but cant stand people setting up camp for the day right on top me. Good for the sport but bothers me. I see people renting picnic tables, or the prohibitive cost of the Kentucky Derby and think how the sport prices out a lot of the customer base that "keeps the lights on" at these places the majority of the year.

When it comes to the breeders cup, I am looking forward to it. I wish I could attend this year but cant. This is one weekend I would gladly pay $400 for a ticket to a reserved area with open bar and restricted access to bathrooms and wagering machines. The crowd im sure will be big, and the waiting time for things will be long. However, this is one event I would be more than willing to brave the crowds for.

I know EXACTLY what you mean and feel the same.

I truly believe horseplayers are somewhat of a loner bunch. We may hang out with other players, but give us a somewhat secluded mini-environment at the track and I suspect most of us will be happier.

And yet we genuinely want and understand the need for bigger crowds.

One year I caught wind that my wife was thinking of surprising me with a trip to the Derby. I felt like a huge a$$hole convincing her I don't want to go, not unless/until I have a real connection to a horse. That's just me. I like the NFL too, but have no interest in partaking of the Super Bowl.

In 2009 I really enjoyed the BC at SA (happens to be my home track). The crowd was big, and there was the expected lines and pomp and circumstance, but the joint still felt like Santa Anita. Both days we showed up super early, walked shed row, wandered around wherever we wanted, etc.

In 2012 it felt like the joint was carved up into so many "separate ticket" and "I'm only here for the scene" areas I hardly recognized the joint. I missed out on my prime bet of the day because the food I like to get had been relegated to a part of the track where there were no TVs or totes in sight and I misjudged post time (yeah, ultimately my fault I admit).

Then in 14 I didn't attend but I had a horse owned in partnership running in the opener on Friday, so I went super early just to be there fully intending on leaving immediately after the race. I had my license. Well, the place was so locked down and I had to finagle my way to the paddock like trying to get through TSA on Thanksgiving weekend. I get it on the one hand. OTOH...it just felt wrong.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

Exactly, we are loners for the most part. I got a good group of people at Monmouth, one of which is on this site and the others might not know how to turn on a computer haha, but I look forward to seeing them on a weekly basis and if one of them is not there I have to ask why. They add to the experience for me.

As for the BC, I am planning on going next year when its at Santa Anita. Im in Tucson right now so its drivable.

I used to get football tickets offered to me every weekend, but the experience itself drives me nuts and im much more comfortable at home.

[letswastemoney]

I wish they gave me a parking pass as media for the racetrack. I have to park at a hotel 15 minutes away and take a shuttle.

[SuperPickle]

Don't blame Keeneland blame the Breeders Cup.

One of the dirty little secrets is tracks that host make no money. That's why NYRA won't host it. Basically if you hit projections the track breaks even. If you exceed them the track does pocket some cash but you REALLY need to exceed them.

Then there's what happened at Monmouth. It rained and the track lost millions.

What happened at Monmouth ended the days of mid-tier tracks bidding on it.

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe

As a horse player I tend to find myself being a hypocrite.

We all lament the slow decline of this sport, complain about declining field size, bad product, and no one at the track. I read about the different meets and declines across the industry and think me getting into this industry now is crazy.

As a horse player, I hate it when the track is crowded, specifically at Monmouth. Food truck weekend, fathers day, Haskell, drives me nuts with all the lines and newbie hipsters running around. However, the sport needs new fans, so its a double edged sword. I go to Saratoga and sit in the back yard taking in the sights, but cant stand people setting up camp for the day right on top me. Good for the sport but bothers me. I see people renting picnic tables, or the prohibitive cost of the Kentucky Derby and think how the sport prices out a lot of the customer base that "keeps the lights on" at these places the majority of the year.

When it comes to the breeders cup, I am looking forward to it. I wish I could attend this year but cant. This is one weekend I would gladly pay $400 for a ticket to a reserved area with open bar and restricted access to bathrooms and wagering machines. The crowd im sure will be big, and the waiting time for things will be long. However, this is one event I would be more than willing to brave the crowds for.

Not hypocritical Joe. I think it is more value for the $ or for the hassle. We are willing to pay- either monetarily or through some minor inconvenience- if we feel we are getting some sort of unique experience or benefit for the cost. We are willing to pay for, and in many cases have paid for, great racing experiences- Saratoga, Breeders Cups, etc. What most of us hate is when we are forced to pay- financially or otherwise- for shitty product or where our routines get f'ed up by people who are just slumming at the track, hogging picnic tables and betting $8 per capita, for food trucks or Father's Day. The only personal satisfaction I get out of Monmouth's Fathers Day crowd is that 1 in 50 of the 10 yo kids there will get hooked and will be roaming around the grandstand 5 years from now, betting his summer job money illegally and learning all of racing's wonderful nuances, just like we did at that age. Hopefully my 10yo is one of them! For that reason alone, I'm willing to huddle in front of circa 1993 TVs with a lot of people who are cramming the track on one of those days. The whole Saratoga experience, racing and pre/post racing, is worth the cost and the effort. The racing itself is relatively speaking so much better than the gruel to which we are subjected each non Saratoga racing day. We are willing to pay for the Breeders Cup and other big cards form the same reason.

What is my point? I don't really have one. I just wanted to say hi to Joe! I hope you, Katie and Amelia are doing well.

[Grits]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

I wish they gave me a parking pass as media for the racetrack. I have to park at a hotel 15 minutes away and take a shuttle.

Get on your bus very, very, early--take your coffee, your apple and your granola with you. Do not tarry in the hotel breakfast area.

ETA @zerodarkdawn. Without backups on New Circle, hopefully, you'll make the second. Do not drink a lot of liquids, good luck, and enjoy your Breeders' Cup.

[Tall One]

Originally Posted by Grits

Get on your bus very, very, early--take your coffee, your apple and your granola with you. Do not tarry in the hotel breakfast area.

ETA @zerodarkdawn. Without backups on New Circle, hopefully, you'll make the second. Do not drink a lot of liquids, good luck, and enjoy your Breeders' Cup.

Sounds like he's taking the Cox St shuttle which is by the Hyatt, so they'd take Versailles Rd straight to the track.

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Tall One

Sounds like he's taking the Cox St shuttle which is by the Hyatt, so they'd take Versailles Rd straight to the track.

T.O., I don't ever ask men where they're staying....

Anyway, I know you'll take the backstreets and shortcuts. Didn't you say that you were thinking about the Red Mile? I hope you have a blast and cash a bundle of hot tickets! There has to be a monetary reward for putting up with all these folks descending on your city.

[Tall One]

Well that would make 2 of us, grits.

Just pointing out he's saved from new circle at least.

Yeah, that's still the plan for Friday at least. Saturday I'll be tailgating at commonwealth stadium and watching the races from the satellite. I just hope it's not too big of a cluster out there, especially for the PA folks in town.

Here's something cool..they've got a huge TV screen downtown that is showing the works live.

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Tall One

Well that would make 2 of us, grits.

Just pointing out he's saved from new circle at least.

Yeah, that's still the plan for Friday at least. Saturday I'll be tailgating at commonwealth stadium and watching the races from the satellite. I just hope it's not too big of a cluster out there, especially for the PA folks in town.

Here's something cool..they've got a huge TV screen downtown that is showing the works live.

The works screen downtown, now, that really is cool. Check in this week and let us know how you're doing. Drink good bourbon, it helps with crowd control.