only 33,000 on track at DMR opening day

[pandy]

Originally Posted by RunForTheRoses

Couldn't this be related to the extra meet they now schedule in the fall? I imagine if Saratoga started running a second meet the same would happen there.

That's what I thought as soon as I saw the numbers. People have more options now, they can come later in the year when there's less traffic and smaller crowds. Not everyone likes being at a track that's packed where you have to wait on lines, etc.

[Andy Asaro]

Originally Posted by pandy

That's what I thought as soon as I saw the numbers. People have more options now, they can come later in the year when there's less traffic and smaller crowds. Not everyone likes being at a track that's packed where you have to wait on lines, etc.

Opening Day got out of hand for far too long. Just about everyone had too much to drink and the cops had a field day handing out DUI's. People know that so not as many show up.

[tophatmert]

Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I don't know. But it is clearly happening. And honestly, Harper should stop publicly lobbying for another BC at Del Mar and try to figure out how to stop the bleeding. Tracks that lose their live fanbases rarely get them back.

With the exception of parking/traffic, the BC at Del Mar was great. But I'm sure you could have made it better.

[Afleet]

Originally Posted by tophatmert

Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded.

Yogi Berra quote?

[tophatmert]

Originally Posted by Afleet

Yogi Berra quote?

I believe so. Always one of my favorites.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

I just did some digging and I was there last Saturday August 10, 1996 an article in the Washington Post said the crowd was 35,000 and it was packed solid, so something must have expanded since then. That was the Pacific Classic where Cigar's winning streak was snapped.

I was there. It was comfortable, not "packed".

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Saratoga_Mike

With the exception of parking/traffic, the BC at Del Mar was great. But I'm sure you could have made it better.

That's because the actual attendances were tiny. I posted pictures of the empty aprons, seats, and lobbies here that day.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

I just did some digging and I was there last Saturday August 10, 1996 an article in the Washington Post said the crowd was 35,000 and it was packed solid, so something must have expanded since then. That was the Pacific Classic where Cigar's winning streak was snapped.

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I was there. It was comfortable, not "packed".

We obviously have a difference of opinion on what packed is. No need for your comments.

[castaway01]

If I'm running Del Mar and I get those attendance and handle figures back, "worrying" is not one of the things I'm doing. Maybe having one of those $15 drinks they serve there. That is, unless the attendance is inflated by 20,000 or something, but people are still betting on the product.

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

We obviously have a difference of opinion on what packed is. No need for your comments.

I was there too and remember how crowded it seemed. I never missed a day at Del Mar for 30 years and that day seemed extra crowded. Comfortable it was not!

The difference in perspective could be how one spends their time at the track. I always go to the paddock between races. Without a doubt the paddock was the most crowded and congested I had/have ever experienced at Del Mar. I am sure dilanesp was not mingling with the hoi polloi at the paddock so he was probably comfortable and not crowded.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by AndyC

I was there too and remember how crowded it seemed. I never missed a day at Del Mar for 30 years and that day seemed extra crowded. Comfortable it was not!

The difference in perspective could be how one spends their time at the track. I always go to the paddock between races. Without a doubt the paddock was the most crowded and congested I had/have ever experienced at Del Mar. I am sure dilanesp was not mingling with the hoi polloi at the paddock so he was probably comfortable and not crowded.

I have all my handicapping done the night before, if I am alone I wander all over the place, I usually am a rail bird at the finish line when the race starts.
I probably at least walk around enough to get the equivalent of walking a long golf course. Before a lower spinal fusion slowed me down at any track with an infield I would be on the backstretch rail to watch the start of the one turn races then sprint across to get as close to the finish line as possible to watch the finish. Of course if I have female company my wandering is cut down tremendously.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by castaway01

If I'm running Del Mar and I get those attendance and handle figures back, "worrying" is not one of the things I'm doing. Maybe having one of those $15 drinks they serve there. That is, unless the attendance is inflated by 20,000 or something, but people are still betting on the product.

What significance is attendance when handle is where the $$$ is?
Most people bet off track.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

We obviously have a difference of opinion on what packed is. No need for your comments.

I go to Del Mar a lot. It got pretty crowded on opening day in the past.

But the 1996 Pacific Classic? It was very hard to park, but once I was in, it was easy to bet, buy food, get to my seat, etc. It just wasn't packed.

EDIT: I will concede the paddock could have been packed. That's a small space.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Tom

What significance is attendance when handle is where the $$$ is?
Most people bet off track.

Attendance is a key part of DMR's summer business model. They charge a lot to get in and sit down and especially for drinks.