Saratoga Race Course Enhancing Advertiser Presence At Track

Saratoga Race Course for the first time has "company logos hanging from the infield rail near the finish line, flashing across electronic betting machine displays, plastered across the starting gate and on ATM canopies," and "even some of the meet's races and giveaway days have sponsors this year," according to Dennis Yusko of the Albany TIMES UNION. NYRA officials said that the new ad opportunities "represent a new way of doing business," and that the organization "has been 'conservative' about marking up" Saratoga in the past. NYRA Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Development Gavin Landry said that the ads "are being tastefully implemented, and the drive has raised $3[M] over last summer for NYRA." Landry added that "some of those funds were invested into track improvements at the Spa track this year, including work on the new restaurant row, the paddock and At the Rail tent." Yusko noted ad space "is not sold a la carte, but over time." For example, Landry said that NYRA "has a multiyear deal with Shadwell Farm that amounts to a seven-figure investment." Landry: "The idea was not to become NASCAR. We're not going to sell every pole and beer cup. We're trying to associate with brands and cross-leverage assets." Fan Frank Taddeo said, "The economy is not good right now. A lot of tracks are about to go under. It's never a bad idea to try and make money" (Albany TIMES UNION, 8/2).

CUTTING COSTS: In San Diego, Hank Wesch reported Del Mar Thoroughbred Club officials Friday afternoon, with "business being flat in some areas and down in others," announced a 3.5% reduction in purses effective August 13. The cut marks the "first time in more than 30 years the popular track has had to make a during-meeting cut." Del Mar CFO Michael Ernst said that the cutback "will amount to 'less than $10,000 per day,' or around $1,000 per race" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/2).