General Chat

[TigerRolllllll]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

I go to Lords a lot & B-in-law does Silverstone

Chelt similar ….they have all gone up fair bit

[Istabraq]

I go to Lords a lot & B-in-law does Silverstone

Chelt similar ….they have all gone up fair bit

I met up with a few old cricket mates the other week, Leicester Square was stupidly agreed for the meet and I was paying £8.20 a pint.
I just wonder how much of a rip off Cheltenham actually is...

[robith]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

I go to a lot of gigs and other events.

You can't compare Glastonbury to anything because whilst capital cost expensive, it's the best, most varied value for money in the country . You basically get four days of 24 hour near enough non stop entertainment.

Cricket tests - I think it's good value vs London tests which are outrageous (I paid almost £200 for the Oval last summer) but poor vs non London (paid £75 for Headingley Ashes, £65 for Windies at Trent Bridge this summer). The facilities at test grounds are far better than Cheltenham though and you can bring a picnic.

Gigs have all gotten mad expensive as live music is how artists make money now. I tend to go abroad for Primavera. I go to the Porto one, if you buy your ticket when you get home it's like 150 euro and the line up is always great

[nortonscoin200]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

(All 2024 prices)

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL (4 day club) approx £440
THE OPEN at Royal Troon 4-day admission £410
GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL Thurs-Sun £355
WIMBLEDON mens final £275
TAYLOR SWIFT at Wembley £194 seated or £110 standing

If we're looking for value, looks like we should all be going to Glasto next year - even though Cheltenham certainly has better loos.

Seriously recommend at least one trip to Glasto for anyone who's never experienced it - rain or shine it's an absolute blast.

But the bottom line is these big sporting/music events will continue to squeeze every last drop of revenue from their customers provided demand exceeds supply.

Looks like Cheltenham has reached a tipping point in terms of customer resistance to prices - but the suits are unable (or choose not) to see it.

[Quevega]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

Not sure that matters.
The fact is that the attendances are dwindling and quickly.
So something is not right.

[Quevega]

I met up with a few old cricket mates the other week, Leicester Square was stupidly agreed for the meet and I was paying £8.20 a pint.
I just wonder how much of a rip off Cheltenham actually is...

It's more than just ticket prices it's everything surrounding it.
By far the most rinse worthy cost is the Hotel's, and this has got steadily worse over the last 15 years.
The product is clearly over priced and/or not attractive enough to gather the same level of foot fall as they once did.

I think most would pay the prices and suffer the discomfort of Queue's etc if the product was improved.
Or if that's not possible or they don't want to do it, then reduce profit margins to provide a better more value experience vs the product on offer.

They'll do fuck all though except move the 4 day meet to Wednesday - Saturday.

[TigerRolllllll]

Quevaga makes a good point about not just ticket prices.....roughly 2/3 of spectators come from Ireland or other parts UK (mostly London area i guess)....and accommodation and travel costs huge

We also have a lot of pressure on incomes, so people are having to make decisions at the moment

Many of the events above sell out much easier than Chelt, so greater excess demand (Lords as example can sell any test out just members if it wanted without even going on general sale, Oval benefits from huge number diff people living in London, so any away team has local support, etc).....but other test matches around country often dont sell out

Personally, i dont think it helps with the likes of Blake and other commentators constantly talking down the sport......always , always negative

I suspect were the economy to improve and interest rates fall, etc, we might see things improve again.....thats not saying there aren't things Chelt can do to improve things....as i do think when Gillespie left, the next guy has lost the customer focus he had

[Rooster Booster]

Not sure that matters.
The fact is that the attendances are dwindling and quickly.
So something is not right.

Yes too few good horses and not enough competition. The product is simply getting less and less compelling. A bit like there’s only one thing worse than being talked about….theres only one thing worse than people being prepared to pay inflated prices. Be careful what you wish for.

People are less sensitive to normal supply/demand relationships when their hobby/passion is well served but as soon as the product becomes less compelling things spiral very quickly and price/value is not a variable that can fix things.

If something gets cheaper to encourage an increase in demand and reduced demand is triggered partially by product decline then reducing price / increasing value won’t help that much.

the more the Irish dominate and particularly Willie the less compelling Cheltenham becomes when you have the DRF just weeks before. If we want Cheltenham to thrive the only solution is for there to be more good horses and proportionally more of them to be trained in Britain. If the trend continues along its current trajectory then the DRF will simply replace Cheltenham. Things change and things evolve and it’s not difficult to predict the future when the clues are staring us in the face.

All of this is relative. Cheltenham is still compelling as it stands , just a little less than it was. If the current trends continue it will become less and less relevant a few degrees at a time. More and more people willl choose DRF over Cheltenham and the dynamic will gradually shift. The only thing to arrest this imo is to have enough good horses that don’t go to the DRF to challenge those that do.

The less a main event can distinguish itself from its preceding trial events (regardless of the sport) the less relevant it becomes.

[Kevloaf]

Yes too few good horses and not enough competition. The product is simply getting less and less compelling. A bit like there’s only one thing worse than being talked about….theres only one thing worse than people being prepared to pay inflated prices. Be careful what you wish for.

People are less sensitive to normal supply/demand relationships when their hobby/passion is well served but as soon as the product becomes less compelling things spiral very quickly and price/value is not a variable that can fix things.

If something gets cheaper to encourage an increase in demand and reduced demand is triggered partially by product decline then reducing price / increasing value won’t help that much.

the more the Irish dominate and particularly Willie the less compelling Cheltenham becomes when you have the DRF just weeks before. If we want Cheltenham to thrive the only solution is for there to be more good horses and proportionally more of them to be trained in Britain. If the trend continues along its current trajectory then the DRF will simply replace Cheltenham. Things change and things evolve and it’s not difficult to predict the future when the clues are staring us in the face.

All of this is relative. Cheltenham is still compelling as it stands , just a little less than it was. If the current trends continue it will become less and less relevant a few degrees at a time. More and more people willl choose DRF over Cheltenham and the dynamic will gradually shift. The only thing to arrest this imo is to have enough good horses that don’t go to the DRF to challenge those that do.

The less a main event can distinguish itself from its preceding trial events (regardless of the sport) the less relevant it becomes.

Just to add to this, over the weekend it was 50 euro for the weekend tickets for the DRF (early bird tickets) ....

Even without knowing I can go, getting flights or accomodation, that is just a bargain.

I don't usually end up having to pay for accomodation as a group of lads I went to school with go and I crash with them
I rememebr paying more last year for the seated viewing and that was worth the extra IMO - but I can see me not going in the future... as the product is getting weaker.

No need to go on about the diluting of the races as it upsets people but watching from home or with friends (or going away for it) will definitely come in to consideration for me, especially if I end up enjoying the DRF next year!


I know that's just my opinion but what you'd said resonated!

[Rooster Booster]

Just to add to this, over the weekend it was 50 euro for the weekend tickets for the DRF (early bird tickets) ....

Even without knowing I can go, getting flights or accomodation, that is just a bargain.

I don't usually end up having to pay for accomodation as a group of lads I went to school with go and I crash with them
I rememebr paying more last year for the seated viewing and that was worth the extra IMO - but I can see me not going in the future... as the product is getting weaker.

No need to go on about the diluting of the races as it upsets people but watching from home or with friends (or going away for it) will definitely come in to consideration for me, especially if I end up enjoying the DRF next year!


I know that's just my opinion but what you'd said resonated!

Absolutely. Do not downplay your opinion as it is hugely significant. You represent the population that is more likely to stay loyal and if you are starting to waiver then those less loyal won’t think twice. It’s a hugely significant data point and people that have control over our sport need to fucking wake up.

Apologies…I’ll step down from my soap box now but i do think if you cherry picked the folks on here and asked them to run racing they’d do a far better job of it.

[Redbridge]

I gave last year a miss, I would normally attend for the one day with my wife, the return train fare to Paddington is around £80 each added to the entrance fee £107 each plus add-ons and we are doing £400 for a day out, and a long day at our time of life.
We go to the West End theatre and have a top quality meal on the way home for under £300 inclusive.

[Evesham Road]

This reminds me of the time-tested wisdom about contracting. Key amongst considerations are the likely quality of the job, the speed at which it is done, and what it will ultimately cost. You can, in making the decision, choose for a job to be done well and quickly (but it won't be cheap), done well and cost-effectively (but it won't be quick) or quickly and cheaply (but it won't be done well). You can't have all three.

Us racing folk have to decide where our priorities balance amongst the length and quality of the festival, the scale of the event, the on-course experience and the cost to attend. It's simply not realistic to expect it to be how we always (like to) remember, attracting only the highest quality horses, at a capacitous venue with modern facilities and available to us at a low cost.

I welcomed the capping of spectator numbers and I don't mind paying a little more to support this. You go the other way and you end up with the Festival becoming Grand National Saturday...and I say this as someone who grew up in the North West and was introduced to racing via the National.

[Istabraq]

It's more than just ticket prices it's everything surrounding it.

Correct, and I was intimating this with my analogy on overpriced West End pubs.
I remember £14 for one of the worst burgers ever made at the 02 some years ago and bar a drunk pasty on the way out I never eat at Cheltenham, I just wondered how the prices of expenses compare.

Kevloaf for info someone in here said the DRF Sat was painfully busy and they wouldn't be going back, not sure who though...

[Madmoose]

Have 365 refunded any nrnb handicap bets yet for anybody?

[Exar Essay]

Have 365 refunded any nrnb handicap bets yet for anybody?

Not for me