RACING’S MARKETING DRIVE IS DRIVING REGULARS AWAY

Imagine a time, if you can or if you will, when you had never heard the “Cheltenham Roar” before the Supreme Novices’ at Cheltenham. A time when you had never seen a Panama hat at Glorious Goodwood, never been on a fun fair ride at Epsom Derby. Heard a tribute band on a Friday night in Newmarket or ventured with the local throng to Ladies’ Day at Aintree, the Pitmans Derby at Newcastle or indeed heard the chink of champagne glasses and viewed the chic dress codes of Royal Ascot. 

Had you not been introduced to these by a friend, a family member, traditional BBC and ITV coverage or maybe corporate hospitality invitation, you may never have been hooked into this great sport that is UK horse racing. Many people became followers historically through their local meeting at the local course and groups of local townsfolk getting together and creating a genuine party / festival time. This was true of Warwick, for example, where during the May bank holiday meetings, the traveller community used to gather for their first flat meets of the year. At Newbury’s Hennessey Weekend, local people engaged with racing and met sociably and there are other examples such as the “Pitmans Derby” at Newcastle which is now run on the artificial surface at the course.

Over the recent past, the racing headlines have been about dwindling numbers at all forms of the game from the great festivals down to the evening fixtures on dirt. There are numerous theories about why this is the case ranging from the cost of entry, cost of sundries on course (food and drink), society moving to an anti-country sports position. Lack of competition and certain owners owning larger percentages of the better horses, racing fixtures and the general feeling that the “Premier Fixtures Plan” has failed to do whatever it set out to do. Then there is the lack of joined up thinking by all the various bodies who have governance of the sport. Some would consider that the issue is a combination of all of this and then there are some that say it is all down to the “marketing of the sport and what we are doing to attract new consumers” into it. 

The question the governing organisations seem to have failed to consider is, given the money spent on marketing, Premierisation, adding entertainment, and many other gimmicks. Why have those who tried it not returned for a 2nd or 3rd event? The numbers, particularly at the big festivals show that “diehards” are just about sticking with the programme, but the “first time out brigade” are not returning. This could be down to a very simple lack of customer care. There are so many simple suggestions that the governing organisations could do to make the day work for the customers to help to them enjoy the day more, resulting in a return for more enjoyment. Currently the enjoyment is removed by so many issues that are easy to resolve. Simple things like: making sure the Wi-Fi is strong and available to all, advising groups to have a meeting point through the day where they can arrange to congregate, not closing bars down 5 minutes after the last race, not herding customers through rows of metal walkways, providing members with complimentary vouchers to show they are valued as well as the new customer. Yes, reducing the costs of food and drink would make a difference, as long as the quality is not also surrendered, and making sit down meals available to more pockets would go a long way. There are examples of courses doing this successfully. Ascot introduced Gauchos for the 2024 Royal meeting where a good meal could be acquired without having to re-mortgage a 2-bed semi in Bracknell. Newbury have introduced vouchers for members where they can take a visitor free of charge to certain race days in the calendar. There is a genuine need for more of this type of activity and it should be driven through those who are regular race goers so that they become the games own salespeople, who understand where the enjoyment is.

The governing bodies have engaged with the “marketing people” but they have not engaged with the regular racegoers. This group will tell you that new racegoers spend most of their day trying to understand where to go and what to see. They spend many minutes on their phones asking their friends where they are and how to get to them, whilst not knowing their immediate surroundings, using a Wi-Fi service that is less useful than knowing "Tic Tac" on today's racecourse. 

What do you think racing should do to help the sport grow? (Tell us in the comments below)

written by Paul Taylor