GOAL ONE
COMMENTARY AND DETAILED NOTES
CREATE A CUSTOMER-FOCUSED RACING PRODUCT
1.1 FIXTURES 1.1.1 FIXTURES AND MEDIA PLANNING
To bring racing to a wider audience, we propose that the Irish Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes should be run on Saturday evening and Saturday late afternoon respectively to open up prime time TV coverage and to facilitate the social racegoer who adds so much to the overall attendance and atmosphere. RTE are anxious to build audience numbers for live racing and will work with HRI and the racecourses to create an informative and entertaining programme around the events. Prime-time TV could deliver an audience of up to 400,000 which would be of benefit to sponsors and a perfect opportunity to present racing to a wider audience.
The Strategic Marketing Group and many stakeholders feel that terrestrial TV coverage of racing is in need of investment and modernisation and that racing and RTE need to work together to evaluate new approaches to its presentation. The need for better quality TV coverage was a recurring theme among stakeholders which must be addressed if we are to interest a new audience.
1.1.2 DATE OF THE PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL
The Punchestown National Hunt Festival should be run on a fixed date each year starting on the last Tuesday in April. At present it is subject to change due to the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse which is an Easter meeting. The growing success of the Punchestown Festival may be hindered by the effects of the moveable Easter holiday, ranging from 22nd March to 25th April.
In 2011, Punchestown does not start until Tuesday 3rd May because Easter Sunday is 24th April.
If Punchestown is fixed for the last week of April there will be occasions when Fairyhouse will be staged the week before. In these years, it is recommended to reduce the length of the Fairyhouse meeting to two days and potentially to move some of the clashing races earlier in the calendar. It is not until 2036 when Fairyhouse would be scheduled for the same week as this year.
Punchestown should be assisted in developing as ‘the Irish Cheltenham’ hosting the climax of the year for National Hunt horses and the celebration of championships.
Racecourses will be encouraged to charge low admission prices on Standard days and control costs by issuing basic racecards (included in admission) and providing only essential facilities. There would be no significant local marketing spend – HRI would publicise the meetings on its website and other networks. The Tote should consider a stripped-down service based largely on Bet Jets and a small core team. HRI’s Fixtures & Finance Committees may examine options for a re-structured prize-money policy appropriate to this new structure.
The principle that ‘there is no such thing as a bad day’s racing’ should be maintained. Low cost mid-week racing can offer an affordable introduction to racing and can also target niche markets such as the ‘Grey Leisure Euro’ (ref 3.1.2.1), tourists, clubs and societies. This presents a development opportunity rather than a write-down of the value of a given day. For instance, a €5 raceday where the focus is entirely on the horses and jockeys would provide a point of entry to racing for the curious and a means for regular race fans to enjoy many race days at an affordable rate. HRI and the racecourses should develop and support suitable theming for Standard racedays.
1.1.3 END OF FLAT SEASON
The Flat season should end at the November Handicap meeting in Leopardstown. The inclusion of the all- weather programme at Dundalk has led to an attenuated end to the season with no proper finale or celebration of the Flat Racing Championship. There is no real media interest or sense of occasion appropriate to the sport. The all-weather flat programme would have a separate designation which presents an opportunity for Dundalk to create and promote a new and unique championship.
1.1.4 TWO-TIER FIXTURE LIST
The Strategic Marketing Group recommends the creation of a two-tier fixture list, based on Premier and Standard race-days to distinguish race meetings for which there is popular demand. Race programmes should be progressively managed to concentrate the high quality races at weekends and other recognised big days in the calendar.
Tote on-course turnover provides an accurate measure of a given raceday’s popularity. The moving three-year average Tote betting per meeting will show race days which produce a low gross return to the Tote.
STRATEGIC MARKETING GROUP REPORT TO HRI BOARD
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