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$35 enrty tues/no free entry opening day.

West Australian Racing
GilgameshGilgamesh    5,009 posts
edited October 2013 West Australian Racing
I realise there has been no free entry opening day for a couple of years now but it's still part of my gripe. I thought we were supposed to have some inteligent business men down at Perth racing? Do they not see the value of the return dollar? And they wonder why the crowds are down.

Of my group of friends i am the one who follows racing closely. We are in our late 20's early 30's and enjoy a good time and a catch up as well as a drink and a punt. When October rolls around in previous years everyone, both guys and girls would start asking me about opening day and when we were going. Entry was free so we felt like we got something for nothing which is a great start, someone who had no idea about racing would usually fluke a tri and we'd leave in good spirits. After that there would usually be no troubles getting a crew together for cup day, everyone would come railways day and then we'd make it to at least a couple more meetings through the year, follow up money.

Now they dont ask about opening day. Me being the follower of racing would be the one getting people together for cup day however with an entry price of $35, i might have 6/7 beers at around $10 a pop, grab something to eat for $10 im looking at $115 before i've even had a bet let alone worked out how i'm going to get there and home. I dont see this as good value to go and usually not even be able to tell whats happening in the cup when I can get a carton of beer a feed and have what comparitively would be free money left over and actually be able to see the cup. Not only do they lose me though but the mates i would have brought along and not only once but probably the other times we would make it along because we had the good memmories.

It is to easy to blame poor crowds on the quality of services we can get at home now. Yes that is a reason for the bloke who follows racing week in week out but not for the social punter/entertainment where people who are out for a good time and a catch up. Perth racing has very little goodwill left. Employing a Hip Hop atrist who the under 25 crowd have heard of for railway day might draw some youngsters that one day but most of those youngsters wont even watch a race let alone come back later in the season. You need people to be leaving the races on these big days feeling like they got something from the day, not just ripped off.
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JayJay, Chelsea, bookielover likes this post.

Comments

  • JayJayJayJay    8,624 posts
    I'm 300 km away, so fuel ($120)  accommodation if the Perth based family away on holidays ..........geez, I need a decent trifecta to get even close to break even. Caught a cab lately??? Recently in Melbourne, $70 from Tullamarine to the CBD. Very short sighted about attracting people to the races.
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  • DamienWyerDamienWyer    7,991 posts
    Perth Racing declared several years ago, that they were party planners/hosts. So whilst I agree with the sentiment you express, it will fall on deaf ears.
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  • DaleDale    1,346 posts
    exactly damo, no one in the game gives a shit. dont turn up, who cares. i hate these morons. The whole club/racing body needs a re shuffle. but my bitching wont change that. If i were president, i would let you down to the 250 damo.

    RIO, Thoroly_Bread, AceV, bookielover likes this post.

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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts
    maybe the normal $15 entry could have been maintained. i cannot see why not.

    bookielover likes this post.

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  • bradybrady    1,463 posts
    Years ago we had the ledger Area for free Entry every week bookies tote bar snacks etc
    but things a different these days 
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  • DamienWyerDamienWyer    7,991 posts
    With something like $37M on hand from selling more assets, I can't imagine Perth Racing doing anything other than riding out any storm. 


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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    edited October 2013
    Given the various experts on this site it is surprising that there is not a better appreciation of the current business environment associated with racing clubs. Just to give a little insight, some 10 years ago Perth Racing was receiving circa $4m in fees from on course bookmakers. Diva may provide exact numbers but I reckon this year the amount will be closer to $150,000. Now this has nothing to do with PR or the bookies for that matter, but rather federal legislation and the related proliferation of corporate bookmakers in Darwin and off-shore. So PR is down the best part of $4m in profits but still makes as much as it did 10 years ago (this excludes anything to do with the land sales). Not bad for a bunch of morons. We have been able to reduce costs and find other sources of income. I know you all want to sling shit at PR but when your prime source of profit evaporates and you can still derive the same financial results over a decade that is something of an achievement. PR is specialist facility provider of premium thoroughbred racing. With the Belmont Development we will still be that but most probably generate as much from non race day activities. Anyway, the point of this is that we charge entry fees for a reason. If we still received $4m in bookmakers fees we most probably would not need to be so focused as a facilities provider. And Damo, we have $40m cash at bank, but this is virtually all earmarked for capital expenditure at Belmont and Ascot to keep our facilities at a reasonable standard. Not a great standard but reasonable. Perhaps with some government assistance we could up tier.
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  • youknowityouknowit    271 posts
    eddy- check your facts please 10years ago you did not $4mill from bookies - more like 1.6 mill.  Today you receive a lot more than 150 000. In stand fees alone you receive about 150 000. What about the 1% betting levy you get from on-course bookmakers, corporate bookmakers and betfair on all turnover on Perth Races.  Show me the annual report figures from 2003 where the $4million is shown
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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    Will check figures. That's why I asked Diva to confirm. Even if you are right on $1.6 m ten years ago and today about 10% of that amount that is a seriously deterioration in anyone's book. How does any business survive a 90% drop in revenue against a strong rise in costs? I think this thread is about charging entry fees.
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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    umm..don't care about 10yrs ago..when the commercial environment you operate in changes you have to adapt and change with it...We lost another $500k this year for the third year in a row. We lost at least 100 members for the first time in 3 years. We operated with no loan fees(about 1mil) and still lost as much as the year before???

    As a club we aren't doing a good job....The entry fees need to be charged on these event days, as the events are the attraction, not the quality of racing..it is an event and $35 for entry fee is fare..IMO.

    Costing me as a member another $200/year debt (on top of my $700 membership fee) to do this isn't fair.. IMO
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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    Rio, the loss of $557k is after depreciation. I think the cash profit exceeded $3m. The reality is that we need to spend $3m to $4m to keep facilities at a reasonable standard given the age of the facilities (I am not suggesting that we keep them in tip top shape, just reasonable), the true economic result is the loss of $0.5m. I don't follow your last sentence. Just about finished a bottle of red so could be my lack of brain power
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  • JayJayJayJay    8,624 posts
    Back to entry fees - $35 is outrageous full stop. How do you possibly expect to fill the place up charging like that?? Won't get me and I am an old fossil that  loves being "at the track". The casual "I might rock up" young person is going to look quizzically and go forget it.

    bookielover likes this post.

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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts

    eddie, you have your "committeeman" hat on.

    diva was not bookmaking 10 years ago...you have all the figures at your disposal....why ask diva?

    ok, the thread is about entry fees..a couple pay 70 bucks just to get in, get ripped off for drinks and food, moreso the drinks as the food has improved. as for getting home...bloody nightmare. can you not liase with the taxi companies to get an unending flow of taxis after our big days? there are hundreds at burswood just idling, they are named the "burswood bunnies"...get them hopping towards ascot. a well directed phone call to the taxi bosses might be the solution.

    in sydney or melbourne you are virtually knocking the cabs back with a stick. why not here? i am not attending melb. cup day for that reason.

    a mate was at caulfield for the cup...crownlager, $5...close to 10 here. why?? please do not say "pokies".

    bookielover likes this post.

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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts

    one other thing...it may be an idea to go, cap in hand to mr. barnett and say "sorry colin".

    the way you treated our govt. was not very nice...and that is being "nice".

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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    Yes, I am a Committeeman. I've been on the Committee for a year and I believe Diva has been bookmaking for longer than that. You are right about the taxis. We are looking at subsidising them as an additional incentive to come to Ascot. Seems like a hangover from the highway works last year when it was a nightmare to get in and out of Ascot. We have been in close discussion with the taxi companies. Any good ideas are welcome in getting taxis to the races. Prices have dropped for grog, now in line across Australia for prime race clubs. Perhaps it was a promotional day at Caulfield. We will follow up the $5 crown lager, albeit I would not feed it to my pigs. Hate the stuff! Worse beer on the market

    Chelsea, notapunta likes this post.

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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    Theodor said:

    Rio, the loss of $557k is after depreciation. I think the cash profit exceeded $3m. The reality is that we need to spend $3m to $4m to keep facilities at a reasonable standard given the age of the facilities (I am not suggesting that we keep them in tip top shape, just reasonable), the true economic result is the loss of $0.5m. I don't follow your last sentence. Just about finished a bottle of red so could be my lack of brain power

    With about 2,700 members. A loss of about 500k is close to $200/member of debt. I'm not suggesting that i have to pay the $200, but that we as members incur that debt to operate into the future..

    Maybe i can ease the load of all that red on the next WAROA day!!!

    As for $35 for the day at the races on Melbourne Cup Day... I know my 27yr old son and all his mates would see it as a cheap day out, compared to a $150 festival ticket or $120 for a 90 minute music concert. I'd rather all the normal days be open gate so the cranky old bastards like most of us on here could go along to the track and not have as much to whinge about.. maybe even buy 4 beers instead of 3!!!!
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts
    one last salvo, eddie...if you are drinking yellowglen i bet you paid no more than 7 bucks..a far cry from the 28 bucks on course.. L-)
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts
    thankyou for your endeavours with the taxis. the wait causes angst and trouble. if folks see them rolling in all is well.
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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    falcon, would you rather the Belmont Development or a facility 30km south of Perth of the freeway? Everything PR has achieved is without Gov't support. Perhaps if we were like rugby, cricket, car racing, netball, swimming etc ( ie stuffed) we might get some support. We are working positively with the Gov't and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.
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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    Rio, your comment on $200 debt is not right as we made a positive $3m in cash profits. The loss was after non cash depreciation. But do agree that on a holistic economic basis we went backwards.
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts

    good. but from what i understand is the rather quick way you hopped into the cot with golden river that got up colins nose.

    by the way, how much is GR contributing to the perth cup? just a question, thats all.

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  • TheodorTheodor    199 posts
    Well before my time Falcon. But the end result is a superior result.

    I will check on GR contribution to the Perth Cup.
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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    yeah i did read that Theo and i do understand it. An operating profit of 3mil is good, but a lot of that was gained from the cash for the land extinguishing the debt that we had - and i agree with that. But to be able to survive we have to not only have an operating profit - yes it is good - but we need a real profit. As we do have to put cash back into the infrastructure...

    I honestly believe that the RWWA funding is insufficient  - i think they are now seeing that also - and as a club we have picked up too much of their infrastructure costs....but that is a debate for another time.

    $35 for an event that goes for 5 hours is fair and reasonable IMO
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts

    agree with everything except the 35 bucks, rio.

    creative accounting is a wonderful thing.

    i am a member so to me the 35 bucks does not apply.

    $-)

    RIO likes this post.

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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,495 posts
    with that i am off to the cot...not with GR..... :))
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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    haha..the event days aren't for you or i anyway falc.

    I reckon a good trade off would be to once a month have a gold coin donation day for entry..Donate the proceeds to Telethon, Appealathon or local sports group, and it will allow everyone to get in for a dollar on normal race day meets.

    And i freely accept not too many will agree with the 35 entry fee...but i bet they still get 10,000 who will pay that and a lot  more!!!
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  • DamienWyerDamienWyer    7,991 posts

    There is a powerful scene in a Steven Spielberg blockbuster, it involves a well educated Jewish woman, in a concentration camp during WW2, where she points out the folly of the Germans in their engineering design of one of the buildings, and regardless of her being correct, they shoot her anyway as dissent will not be tolerated.

    Don't you just hate that ?

     




    AceV likes this post.

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  • TheDivaTheDiva    13,248 posts
    Sorry Eddie, I've only been a bookie for 8 years.
    I'm sure the club made a lot more in those days however by virtue of the number of bookies and the bigger holds.
    One thing I totally agree with you on is that I wouldn't serve crown lager under any circumstances. Peroni is great, but pretty expensive.
    Coopers is a great Aussie beer that would be a great alternative?

    Chelsea likes this post.

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  • Rogue_GreenRogue_Green    294 posts
    Surely if your on a horse racing forum your pretty keen on it, therefore i would assume you would already have a members ticket to get you in...

    Fact is, Melb cup would be one of if not the biggest day for Perth racing for 'non racing' people. I dont mind the $35 entry, as it sometimes will make the bogan types second guessing attending. Always going to get them i know, but the less the better.
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  • JayJayJayJay    8,624 posts
    Wrong assumption........when you are country based, membership not viable.
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