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).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
NYRA Eyeing Zenyatta-Rachel Alexandra Race
August 19, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Delaware North Backs Out Of Aqueduct Deal
March 11, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Breeders' Cup Deal May Hinge On Tax Break
October 9, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
NYRA Likely To Emerge From Bankruptcy
September 12, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Horse Racing Venues See Decline In Numbers
September 4, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
Breeders' Cup Expects Attendance Bump
November 6, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Steve Wynn Drops Bid For Aqueduct Racino
November 5, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Churchill Downs Looks To Attract More Fans
November 3, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Breeders' Cup Eyeing Host-Site Rotation
October 22, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Magna Requests Auction Of Maryland Tracks
October 13, 2009 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
