- This topic has 42 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 8 months ago by
.
- Posts
I will confess my true passion is greyhound racing,i have held a trainers licence for 23 years,i hold the basic licence that allows me to train 4 dogs from home,the thrill of winning is a real buzz for me,im not realy into the gambling,last year i almost pulled off a real shock getting beat only a length in a major final screened live on sky(the tv trophy).
2 years ago i launched a greyhound forum http://www.greyhoundscene.co.uk and its grown to a membership of 5000,i now work with a number of tracks to put on race nights all over the uk ,hull,sunderland,crayford,swindon,portsmouth,sittingbourne,henlow and the top uk track walthamstow have all put on our nights,these nights are restricted to greyhounds owned or trained by our members,they are a good social night out enjoyed by many and were recently featured on sky sports.
I may soon be able to offer some free deals to this forums members who may fancy a night out at the dogs,on a recent trip to mildenhall frankie dettori and micky quin were on the next table to me,and stable lads often have a night out at mildenhall(its close to newmarket)
Does anyone have any pointers that may work for pulling in extra crowds to greyhound racing?
How has horse racing gone about getting new people involved?
I love my own sport and think we can benefit by asking those who enjoy their own sport what we can do to attract new race goers,thanks for any help Daveeasy, put on 10 races 7pm-9pm . get all greyhounds off premises by 9.30pm, pop band for 90 mins charge £20 to get in
Hollywood Park put 15-20 bikini clad babes in the starting gates and get them to race. Super!
One of our smaller tracks henlow has attracted a newer audience by putting on an after race meeting disco where 200 stay until the early hours(all spending money of course).
The pop concert idea has been touted in the past i think planning was the reason its not happened.Hollywood Park put 15-20 bikini clad babes in the starting gates and get them to race. Super!
Adding glamour definately helps lol
easy, put on 10 races 7pm-9pm . get all greyhounds off premises by 9.30pm, pop band for 90 mins charge £20 to get in
Barry, a serious question: on these "Newmarket nights" what proportion of the non-racing crowd (i.e. those clearly there for the post-racing concert) have a bet and, of those who do, what is their usual stake?
Dave,
Unfortunately, in my neck of the woods, Cardiff, the doggies have all but been eradicated. We had the Welsh derby at the Arms Park, then that was kicked into touch when the stadium was knocked down to build a new rugby ground. Then Bristol was the nearest venue. Unfortunately that was converted to a bloody Ikea outlet in the 90’s. Now, the nearest stadium is Swindon, which is 80 odd miles away. both Cardiff and Bristol were always well attended. My point is that whenever new stadia are built I doubt if any consideration is ever given to incorporating a dog track. Surely not a bad idea as it will always bring in punters during the time that these places are lying idle. There is a very good catchment area for doggies in South Wales.
However, we have a flapping track in Ystrad Mynach. I’d like to hear Barry Dennis pronounce that!! To attract the punters on a big night they change the bunny, which is normally a Primark bag, to a Waitrose bag. And a normal card would look like this:
Trap 1 6/4
Trap 2 7/4
Trap 3 5/2 (the outsider)
Trap 4 2/1
Trap 5 evens
Trap 6 2/1So, anything you can do to influence the return of this sport to our area would be appreciated.
Unfortunately, the site of 6 pasty Merthyr Tydfil ladies running around the track doesn’t give the same frisson as tanned fit Aussie strumpets. Any Merthyr girls reading this I am obviously jesting.
Regards,
LlanrumneyBoy
A few weeks ago Dundalk got it bang on for me.
They had an 8 race AW card which was of fair quality and 2 hours later a 12 race greyhound card took place on the course on the inside of the horse race track.
Some venues could do all in 1 tickets at places like Brighton with Hove,Newcastle and Nottingham,Wariwck with Hall Green although they do have vouchers in Warwick racecards for free admission.
Wimbledon with Sandown,Kempton and Ascot.You could just go down the sex sells route and have bikini clad models parading the hounds and also instead of trying to bring people to the course why not take the course to the people and have stalls in city centres with the dogs to advertise the venues aswell as having shuttle buses to courses from stations.
Dave,
Unfortunately, in my neck of the woods, Cardiff, the doggies have all but been eradicated. We had the Welsh derby at the Arms Park, then that was kicked into touch when the stadium was knocked down to build a new rugby ground. Then Bristol was the nearest venue. Unfortunately that was converted to a bloody Ikea outlet in the 90’s. Now, the nearest stadium is Swindon, which is 80 odd miles away. both Cardiff and Bristol were always well attended. My point is that whenever new stadia are built I doubt if any consideration is ever given to incorporating a dog track. Surely not a bad idea as it will always bring in punters during the time that these places are lying idle. There is a very good catchment area for doggies in South Wales.
However, we have a flapping track in Ystrad Mynach. I’d like to hear Barry Dennis pronounce that!! To attract the punters on a big night they change the bunny, which is normally a Primark bag, to a Waitrose bag. And a normal card would look like this:
Trap 1 6/4
Trap 2 7/4
Trap 3 5/2 (the outsider)
Trap 4 2/1
Trap 5 evens
Trap 6 2/1So, anything you can do to influence the return of this sport to our area would be appreciated.
Unfortunately, the site of 6 pasty Merthyr Tydfil ladies running around the track doesn’t give the same frisson as tanned fit Aussie strumpets. Any Merthyr girls reading this I am obviously jesting.
Regards,
LlanrumneyBoy
I syndicate my greyhounds,i try to buy older quality runners that are capable of running at a high level,2 of my syndicate owners are from cardiff,this year they have come racing to Swindon,yarmouth,hull,coventry and kent(crayford),they prefer to race under rules than go to the local flaps Ystrad Mynach & Swansea ,how we could do with a premier track in south wales.
A few weeks ago Dundalk got it bang on for me.
They had an 8 race AW card which was of fair quality and 2 hours later a 12 race greyhound card took place on the course on the inside of the horse race track.
Some venues could do all in 1 tickets at places like Brighton with Hove,Newcastle and Nottingham,Wariwck with Hall Green although they do have vouchers in Warwick racecards for free admission.
Wimbledon with Sandown,Kempton and Ascot.You could just go down the sex sells route and have bikini clad models parading the hounds and also instead of trying to bring people to the course why not take the course to the people and have stalls in city centres with the dogs to advertise the venues aswell as having shuttle buses to courses from stations.
My own take is that many of the casuals who attend greyhound racing or horse racing would give the other a bash,myself i have not been horse racing for many years since as a kid my dad took me to plumpton,i remember queing to have a pee in a trench inside a tent,the women went on a converted bus,i know horse racings standards have come a long way since then (must be 40 years ago),greyhound racing has also seen many stadiums move with the times(they had to)in fact until recent years there are many id not dared have taken the wife to.
Is it correct that there’s a campaign to save Walthamstow? If a track like that can’t survive I don’t know what hope there is for other tracks. I love sight hounds, love to see them run, love them as pets, but, apart from going to Nottingham with a group of friends a few years ago and Perry Barr when I was a kid I prefer my horse racing.I’m trying to think what puts me off going; it worries me what happens to dogs when they are injured; I’m sure that if all trainers were like you this wouldn’t be a problem; I found parts of Nottingham rather smelly and I found the betting rather confusing. the Dogs seems to me to be an old fashioned sort of sport; men in cloth caps, Mick the Miller, that sort of thing [however, thats the image that I do like about it!]..I’m sorry; not being very constructive here, but if someone like me who is fascinated by the sport doesn’t go I don’t know what the answer is.
i have not been horse racing for many years since as a kid my dad took me to plumpton,i remember queing to have a pee in a trench inside a tent
Go to High Easter point-to-point in your locality next winter, Dave, and relive the experience!
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
One of our smaller tracks henlow has attracted a newer audience by putting on an after race meeting disco where 200 stay until the early hours(all spending money of course).
The pop concert idea has been touted in the past i think planning was the reason its not happened.That’s interesting to learn – Henlow is my local track, barely 10 miles from Hitchin, but just judging from the very downtrodden outward appearance of the place I’ve always presumed it’s on its last legs and hardly in use. Very silly of me.
Where packing them in for the disco is concerned, I suppose Henlow – a 3,000-strong village, according to the last census – has one virtue which a lot of other tracks do not have, and that is a relatively small number of rival attractions for the leisure pound compared to some tracks. It’s not as if there’s a multiplex right next door or anything.
(Note to self: must get round to going to Henlow dogs one night – has to be cheaper and easier to get to than the ‘Stow…).
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Is it correct that there’s a campaign to save Walthamstow? If a track like that can’t survive I don’t know what hope there is for other tracks. I love sight hounds, love to see them run, love them as pets, but, apart from going to Nottingham with a group of friends a few years ago and Perry Barr when I was a kid I prefer my horse racing.I’m trying to think what puts me off going; it worries me what happens to dogs when they are injured; I’m sure that if all trainers were like you this wouldn’t be a problem; I found parts of Nottingham rather smelly and I found the betting rather confusing. the Dogs seems to me to be an old fashioned sort of sport; men in cloth caps, Mick the Miller, that sort of thing [however, thats the image that I do like about it!]..I’m sorry; not being very constructive here, but if someone like me who is fascinated by the sport doesn’t go I don’t know what the answer is.
There is a big battle going on to save the stow click on this link to see video footage
http://www.smashiton.com/Main/SaveOurStow.htm
As for dog owners being all flat caps you will be surprised.
One of our smaller tracks henlow has attracted a newer audience by putting on an after race meeting disco where 200 stay until the early hours(all spending money of course).
The pop concert idea has been touted in the past i think planning was the reason its not happened.That’s interesting to learn – Henlow is my local track, barely 10 miles from Hitchin, but just judging from the very downtrodden outward appearance of the place I’ve always presumed it’s on its last legs and hardly in use. Very silly of me.
Where packing them in for the disco is concerned, I suppose Henlow – a 3,000-strong village, according to the last census – has one virtue which a lot of other tracks do not have, and that is a relatively small number of rival attractions for the leisure pound compared to some tracks. It’s not as if there’s a multiplex right next door or anything.
(Note to self: must get round to going to Henlow dogs one night – has to be cheaper and easier to get to than the ‘Stow…).
gc
Henlow is a more grass roots type of track,but under current owner Kevin Boothby the track has seen substantial investment,on the 25th august i have organised one of our forum nights,all the races are for members of our forum,i hope to have 3 of the 4 dogs i part own and train race that day ZOOT in a 277 metre sprint TWILIGHT FORTUNE in a 460 or 550 metre race and MISS DARK EYES over 550 metres ,if you look out they are giving away free vouchers around local villages that allow free entry,the restaurant do fantastic meals,here is link to henlows website http://www.henlow-racing-ltd.co.uk/
Everything is being used to bring the racegoers through the turnstyles these days. With beer festivals, pop concerts, have heared even lingerie shows at the races these days. If sex sells, where will it end?.
I like a bit of history / tradition / folk lore myself. What about a tribute to that great equestrian lady with a special ladys race.
The Lady Godiva Stakes.
Hayley, Kirsty and co would be worth going a long way to see.
And, as animal rights people do not like whips being used on horses these days, how about a change of rules, with jockeys only allowed to use them on each other.
It would have to be the last race of an evening meeting (some time after the 9:00 watershed).
As in the Timeform Charity Day the winning jockey would get a special prize. In this case the ladys body mass displaced in champagne, this would have to be proven of course with a ceremony in the paddock area.
Then again, may be I’d better retreat in to my fantasy world.
The way we are going it just might happen one day, unfortunately probably when I am too old to appreciate it.
I am sure those in the Greyhound industry could think of similar ways of bringing the crowds in.
Mark
Value Is EverythingI thought it was only the greyhound racing fraternity that has to put up with the animal rights nutters lol ,seriously though i have tried a few ideas to pull in the crowds and some have worked,i like the idea o0f letting them in free and generating an atmosphere,with regards to freeby’s on september 12th i am organising a greyhoundscene night at sunderland where i can get free tickets which allow free pie& peas diner,free entry and a free pint if anyone fancys a night there send me a pm and ill get your free tickets sorted,last time i did this offer there was big interest,even if you wish to take a party of 20 its no problem.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.