Jockey Club Reveals Racing+music Strategy
Jockey Club Racecourses has announced that it has welcomed a record total attendance to its programme of ‘racing plus music’ events in 2011, which saw competitive racing followed by performances from music acts such as Sir Tom Jones, Blondie, Scissor Sisters and Olly Murs.
The events were watched by 302,032 people during 2011, up from 297,750 attendees in 2010.
Paul Fisher, group managing director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: ‘Our 2011 music programme has generated a seven figure (GBP) return on our investment, which we are directing straight into our sport, in line with The Jockey Club’s mission to act for the good of British horseracing’.
‘Despite a very tough marketplace for music festivals and events, this was our third most profitable year ever from ‘racing plus music’ fixtures. This follows record returns from our music programme in 2010, so it’s been another fantastic year. It helps us to invest in hosting top quality racing at a time when funding sources outside our control are under real pressure’.
‘The racing plus music model generated significantly greater attendances at the fixtures we selected compared to if we had not staged the music acts. Equally, our best quality racing is drawing in the crowds in increasing numbers, so our diversified approach continues to deliver’.
The positive results comes following reports of struggle in the music industry – of the 274 music festivals scheduled this year across the UK, at least 150 went bust or were cancelled due to poor ticket sales and the increasing cost of talent and production.
In 2011, The Jockey Club’s 14 racecourses will contribute £15.7 million to prize money (prior to abandonments), providing funding to owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff – an increase of £2.7 million on its contribution in 2010.
At the same time, the industry funding for prize money that Jockey Club Racecourses is receiving in 2011 has dropped by a third (33%, £5.5 million).
An example of 2011 success at one of The Jockey Club’s large racecourses was on the July Course at Newmarket when Sir Tom Jones attracted a crowd of 21,980 for the course’s most profitable music night ever in 25 years of staging them.
At one of The Jockey Club’s smaller courses, Carlisle Racecourse saw its second and third highest-ever attendances from racing followed by X-Factor star Alexandra Burke (10,572 people) and Texas (9,188 people).
Fisher added: ‘We knew 2011 was going to be a crowded marketplace, but we also wanted to give some of our smaller courses the opportunity to try music and attract some new visitors that we hope to attract back for racing. As a result we hosted more music nights this year, with a different mix of bands, courses and dates to 2010’.
‘For 2012, we have assessed the market, reviewed what is our most profitable mix from experience and considered the impact of major events such as Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games. As a result our music nights strategy will be ‘fewer, but bigger’.
‘Our biggest successes in 2010 were from Simply Red and Madness, and in 2011, Tom Jones and Blondie. These are legendary artists with established, large, loyal and commercially attractive fan bases. Attendance numbers are important, but so are spend per head on-course, the price of talent and the cost of production. To manage risk and reap maximum reward, we will be looking to secure a good proportion of similar ‘Legends’ acts for 2012′.
