What are your thoughts on paying for reserved seats at the track?

[NTamm1215]

I was on a plane yesterday reading the Dallas Morning News and there was a feature story in the Metropolitan section about the openings of three major venues in the Metroplex over the next five days. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...n.386daa7.html

The first was Texas Motor Speedway, which hosted a left-turn competition on Sunday. The Ballpark in Arlington is set to open today and Lone Star Park is opening on Thursday.

The purpose of the story was to analyze what each of these venues are doing to entice fans to come out even though money may be tight due to the economy. Assistant GM G.W. Hail had this to offer, "We're very sensitive to the economy and the impact it's had on everybody, including our employees. We try to play to our strengths and present the product offering we have and customer service ... but that doesn't mean we're not going to be watching things."

What baffles me about Hail's statements is the continued ridiculous pricing structure for reserved seats at Lone Star http://www.lonestarpark.com/Ticket+I...etInformation/

If you want to take your wife and two kids to Lone Star and sit in the Silks Terrace, which overlooks the track on the 4th floor, on a Saturday it'll cost you $56 just to get a table. Want to eat the buffet? That'll be another $112. What about on Derby Day? That'll be $88 for the table and $124 for the buffet.

If you sit on the 2nd floor in a Finish Line Box Seat, it'll set you back $108 for a four-seat box. Want to do it on Lone Star's biggest day, the Lone Star Million on Memorial Day? A staggering $128.

Just to put things in perspective, the seating charge at Saratoga for the Turf Terrace is $7.50. There isn't a seating charge at Santa Anita for Frontrunner, nor is there one at Gulfstream.

Further, there are some seats on the Apron at Lone Star right in front of the building. These are the seats Neil Drysdale was sitting in on BC day in 2004 when he was shown smoking right before the Mile. Those are $8. Lone Star doesn't discriminate. It's not just indoor, climate-controlled seats that are incredibly over-priced, even outdoor barely covered seats are expensive.

What are your thoughts on paying for reserved seats at the track?

NT

I don't care.

[Sightseek]

I think if you're sitting in the dining room, if your bill is x amount of dollars you shouldn't have to pay a seating fee. Most tracks have overpriced food as it is.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Most tracks have overpriced food as it is.

Watch it sister...

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Watch it sister...

Except for the well-dressed man selling BBQ.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Except for the well-dressed man selling BBQ.

you cant beat the price I was giving you food for!

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Just to put things in perspective, the seating charge at Saratoga for the Turf Terrace is $7.50.

The "seating charge" may only be $7.50, but it will cost you quite a bit more to get a table upstairs at Saratoga.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Except for the well-dressed man selling BBQ.

... and Hattie's selling fried chicken! WHOOHOO!

[Travis Stone]

One of the most tired arguments I hear people make is that you pay $50 to sit at a ballgame, so sitting at the track for $20 is quite the deal. Well, when they start offering gambling at the ballpark, let me know, otherwise that argument is super weak.

Most racetracks make about ~20% off a dollar wagered on-track on the live product. Without factoring in contributions to purses, taxes etc., a $20 seat given away for free would need $100 worth of wagering action to offset its worth, provided it's on the live product.

Would random visitor, if given a $20 seat for free, wager $100? If they were not given the $20 seat for free, and had to pay for it, would they wager $80? That's assuming that visitors when attending the races have an average spend of $100.

At Lone Star, the per-capita wagering is not $100... people go to the track and enjoy racing, but don't really bet. So, offsetting their lack of action with a seat cost makes sense.

The question is... what is a fair price for a seat?

[brianwspencer]

I'll get seats on Million Day here, but other than that, don't see a need for it at all when there are plenty of good places to hang out.

And on almost every day, there are free seats at Arlington anyway.

[NTamm1215]

I should clarify that I don't think reserved seating should be free across the board at a racetrack, but I do think Lone Star's prices are wildly out of control.

NT

[Rudeboyelvis]

Gulfstream was getting 65.00 a piece on FL Derby day.



I laughed uncontrollably at the guy. Sorry dude.

[Left Bank]

I tell you what,just to have a place to sit and read the form is well worth the price.Tracks just don't get it,that they need LOTS OF TABLES for people,and they don't provide them.At Keeneland so far,If I had a dollar for every person who came and sat at my table just so they could eat,I would be a rich man.Keeneland is already gouging the piss out of people with 10 dollar parking and jacking up the price of food.A 2.00 dollar hot dog went up to 3.75,and the price of a cheeseburger,fries,and a coke is TEN DOLLARS during the live meet.If you are a simulcast player,drive to Churchill because their is NO WHERE for you to sit at Keeneland,and they got rid of most of the signals anyway.And be ready to stand in line,for the wagering terminals are few and far between.A gambler should be able to make a bet,and if he can't,then he does not make money,and neither does the track.Why can they not understand this??? SAM machines should be all over the place.They require electric outlets every 8 feet or so,it should be the same requirement with wagering machines at racetracks.

[booner]

Originally Posted by Left Bank

I tell you what,just to have a place to sit and read the form is well worth the price.Tracks just don't get it,that they need LOTS OF TABLES for people,and they don't provide them.At Keeneland so far,If I had a dollar for every person who came and sat at my table just so they could eat,I would be a rich man.Keeneland is already gouging the piss out of people with 10 dollar parking and jacking up the price of food.A 2.00 dollar hot dog went up to 3.75,and the price of a cheeseburger,fries,and a coke is TEN DOLLARS during the live meet.If you are a simulcast player,drive to Churchill because their is NO WHERE for you to sit at Keeneland,and they got rid of most of the signals anyway.And be ready to stand in line,for the wagering terminals are few and far between.A gambler should be able to make a bet,and if he can't,then he does not make money,and neither does the track.Why can they not understand this??? SAM machines should be all over the place.They require electric outlets every 8 feet or so,it should be the same requirement with wagering machines at racetracks.

I noticed yesterday when I went that the prices for food and drinks had gone up. But parking is still free. PREFERRED parking is $5 on weekdays, $10 on weekends.

Lone Star's prices are too high.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I received my Belmont Stakes Day ticket application in the mail early last week. Here are the prices:

Seaonal Seating (3rd floor, split between the Clubhouse and the Preferred Grandstand, right on the wire): $350 [includes Belmont Stakes Day and every Saturday and Sunday, spring and fall meets, and a few holiday race days that aren't weekends].

Preferrred Grandstand (2nd and 3rd floors, from the wire to the 1/16th pole): $120.

Preferred Grandstand (4th floor, same span of the track): $65.

Grandstand (2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, from the 1/16th pole to the top of the stretch): $65, $45, and $20, depending on the floor.

Basically the same as last year is what it seemed but maybe a $5 increase for the grandstand? I am of the opinion that there are few bad seats in the Belmont grandstand, so I had no issue with paying $60 for seats in section S for the Big Frown debacle last year.

NT

[pmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by Cardus

The number that really confounds me -- from a race-watching perspective -- is the $120 seats in the Clubhouse, which has sections well past the finish line. To me, those seats are useless (at that price, particularly).

I am debating which to apply for and thought exactly the same thing.

Those $120 Clubhouse sections past the wire look to be no value.

I like the idea of some kind of NYRA Season Ticket, but $350 for just Belmont it seems steep.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by philcski

... and Hattie's selling fried chicken! WHOOHOO!

I don't eat fried chicken, but their cranberry coleslaw totally rocks.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Most tracks have overpriced food as it is.

Thankfully, Bethany Frankel is working on the quality of the food at the tracks. We are going to be able to get Skinny Margarita's, Skinny Mint Julips and all kinds of skinny drinks soon and great food to boot!

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by pointman

Thankfully, Bethany Frankel is working on the quality of the food at the tracks. We are going to be able to get Skinny Margarita's, Skinny Mint Julips and all kinds of skinny drinks soon and great food to boot!

Skinny drinks?! If that is the case, I'm writing Bethany a thank-you note!

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by pointman

Thankfully, Bethany Frankel is working on the quality of the food at the tracks. We are going to be able to get Skinny Margarita's, Skinny Mint Julips and all kinds of skinny drinks soon and great food to boot!

!!!