Racetrack Admission Fees

[Deleted]

Century Mile just announced that beginning this Friday they will be charging $10 general admission which includes a past performance style program. Minors under 18 will be admitted free. Previously there was no charge for admission. Parking remains free. From the outraged comments on their Facebook page you would think this is the absolute death knell of racing for them.

There was no mention of a season pass for regular players but I’m sure they must have something in mind.

It got me wondering what other tracks charge, if anything, for general admission on normal race days. Here are a few I’m aware of:

Free - Woodbine, Assiniboia Downs, Oaklawn Park, Turf Paradise, Sunland Park, Fonner Park

Belmont charges $5 for daily general admission. Canterbury Park charges $5 and they still get large crowds of non-serious gambling types that come for the party atmosphere.

I’m interested in other examples and your thoughts on paid admission vs free. I suspect the argument gets more complicated than the initial knee jerk reaction.

Fire away!

[cherokeescot]

Florida :

Gulfstream Park - Free
Tampa Bay Downs $3 ( Free on Wednesdays)

[mattcoll]

I happily paid $5 to get into Belmont and watch opening day a few weeks ago.  $10 to Park right by the paddock as most of the other spots are now gone across from the new Islanders Stadium.   If you wanted to bring a giant cooler of beer in to Belmont, they were you charging $15 and saying to sit at the top of the stretch.  Saw a few unhappy fans in the line and some miserable security guards enforcing the new rule.

Delaware Park is free parking and admission, as I would expect most casino linked facilities to be. 

Those are the only two I've been to post-covid

[arsignman]

Oaklawn has no admission fees

[Badactor]

Online advance...
Get tickets for Santa Anita Park!
Admission is $10 (includes General Parking & Program).
Reserved seats are $20 (includes Admission, General Pakring,
and a Program).

Day of...
believe it's $4 to park and $6 to get in.
I get in free with my pari-mutuel teller card.

Los Alamitos has free parking. $5 entry.
Programs and past performances extra.

$10 parking at Del Mar - $8 general admission.
$4 for Diamond Club members. All you do is sign up that day.

[ozzy]

Keeneland is $10 I believe and Churchill now $8

[1hooper]

Saratoga was $7 last year, $10 on Travers Day.
40 day pass for $60.

[Badactor]

May 18, 2022 13:29:47 GMT -5 arsignman said:

Oaklawn has no admission fees

That's how it should be.
The track is going to get that money anyway.
Clipping people on the way in is lousy...
Let folks put the money through the windows!

[tc]

May 18, 2022 19:57:27 GMT -5 Badactor said:

May 18, 2022 13:29:47 GMT -5 arsignman said:

Oaklawn has no admission fees

That's how it should be.
The track is going to get that money anyway.
Clipping people on the way in is lousy...
Let folks put the money through the windows!

Absolutely agree.

[cherokeescot]

Pimlico admission is free but they charge you $30 to get out !

[cherokeescot]

Parking is also free at Pimlico but just don’t expect to see any tires on your vehicle when you return to your car !

[quickcall]

They should all offer free parking, admission and a program.

Saratoga(NYRA sucks) is getting ridiculous. $7 general admission and $20 for the Travers Day.

[horse]

Chester Races 70 pounds to get in paddock area each person

Haydock park 60 pounds to get in paddock area each person

pint of Guinnes 7 pounds

Sandwich 5 pounds

Burger or Hot Dog 5 pounds

And they say come racing

[Deleted]

Century Mile announced Thursday that they had taken into account the feedback from fans and would not be implementing an admission charge for 2022 after all. Facebook is now full of comments commending Century for listening to the fans. Strangely they seem to have bought themselves some goodwill out of this.

[ziggy]

Charles Town had a get around. Go to the casino early and then the track at no cost. I'm not sure if that still works.

[propro]

Most of the tracks in the mid Atlantic / northeast that have casinos or sportsbooks have gone to free parking / free admission, except for possibly their biggest events. Parx, Delaware Park, Freehold, Laurel, Aqueduct, Laurel, Pocono Downs, Harrah's Philadelphia, Yonkers. Meadowlands is free except for Hambletonian Day. Monmouth has free parking and surprisingly a $6 admission fee (no clubhouse upcharge). Since they have a sportsbook, I'm surprised they have an admission fee during live racing. Pimlico is free except for Preakness weekend. Timonium is part of the Maryland State Fair. $10 to park near the grandstand with free track admission or free parking at the light rail station (much farther from the grandstand) and $10 to enter the fair, which gets you into the grandstand for free. Belmont and Saratoga have admission fees, but do offer some free parking.

I get the admission for big days and for destination locations (like Saratoga), but otherwise it should be free, imo. Those tracks really only make money when people are there in person. The amount they get when someone plays through TVG (for example) is miniscule. That's been wrong from the start, but certainly a different discussion. Track management should want people at their track, playing their races with the maximum amount of information possible. The more you win, the more you pump through the tote. Racetrack economics 101.

[Badactor]

Monmouth honored my California pari-mutuel teller card.
Membership has its privileges...😎