R30 - R50 Track entrance fees on the way......

The word on the street is from 1st August 08, entrance fees will be charged (at least in Phumelela/RA areas, details a bit sketchy, R30 - R50 mentioned with inevitable Tote betting voucher to be redeemed by those paying.

Questions to fall out of this are,

Is it just Turffontein or all Phumelela tracks?

If it's just Turffontein, is it to pay for increased security....and / or to deter what the authorities would define "undesirables" (people who will nick your stuff)

Will charging just be on days where attendance is likely to be higher, or all meetings..?

Why does a betting voucher have to be for the Tote..is that not anti competitive..?

Will Gold Circle follow suit...?

Will official attendance figures be recorded and published.....?

I'm sure there are other ?'s to come out this and the inevitable but, imo, weak defence of it costs £70 quid to go to Cheltenham and if you charge for something people value it more that will be broadcast on a Tellytrack insert in the not to distant future.


Discuss now right here on ABC so the P/RA decision makers can read about it and think it through again before their "oopsy daisy here I come", propaganda machine clicks in.

Can confirm the above , having seen it in black and white ! They are to reerect the old turnstyles at turf.weather its a good or bad thing time will tell! I feel the normal guy that goes racing that has 50 bucks in his pocket will loose out, they might keep the bad element out of night racing by doing so !BUT are we safe once we are out of turf Lol having partyed the night away! A couple of free thinking traffic cops could make a killing! Mr basil did say so awhile ago on the box that they are going to charge a entrance fee ! So who knows?

Would like to see the official announcement to answer some of the questions?

However my opinion is that it should always be a case of supply and demand, look at the July example, and the Met, you could sell double the tickets, but the big T is empty most weeks, but full on the big races and are sure of a sell out with the addition of jockey test.

We could consider keeping it FREE and when we have an upswing in racing attendances, it could then become valid to charge entry, on the other hand you have to pay to go to a soccer match, zoo, etc, so it should not be a train smash to charge an entrance fee?

So R30 and R50 I don't think would stop "racing" people coming to the track?

This could be to reduce the "undesirables",which can be a problem on race days, with continually asking for money, normally with connections leaving the winners box.

So I would suggest, keep it FREE, charge on big events, then introduce entrance fee [trial period] and monitor results of both scenarios i.e. FREE, how many punters came to the track and CHARGE how many punters came to the track.

How much money was generated by the entrance fee vs the drop in attendance [if valid] and make the decision based on the survey on the best way forward, plus establish what the extra income would be used for?

Will give it some more thought?

We pay to go into any sporting event.
Why shouldn't we pay to go onto a race track ? After all this is the SPORT OF KINGS.
I agree with you Scotia
This could be to reduce the "undesirables",which can be a problem on race days, with continually asking for money, normally with connections leaving the winners box.
Lets keep this sport clean and keep this undesirables out. Better security etc.
When they start to charge i will consider to bring my family to racing events.

Could agree there dave, I think the thought process here is to get rid of half the hang ons that become close friends in mins , what do you call a fair price? Look i dont know if one says lets say pays 30 to get in if one gets betting vouchers etc to that value ? But I can confirm that ra members, jockeys etc will not be charged!

Sounds like you guys are all for it

As I've said before I think charging an entrance fee is the way to go.

Although, I agree with the idea of receiving vouchers/programme etc.

For instance, you pay R50 at the gate you get a programme (R15?) and R20 betting voucher = R15 for extra stakes?

If you don't charge a penny to get in - what actual worth does that gives us?

Am I right in saying that this will only apply to non-badge holders? If so, it should also entice more people to join the RA - good thinking in my opinion?

True frodo great marketing plan! High 5 to them!

Ahhhh, the sport of kings............


“Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry.”

John Lennon
Songwriter and Political activist, member of the "Beatles", 1940-1980

Just a question though.........the Pavillion is situated on Course (for those that don't know its where the bookies are)........do you still pay an entrance fee to enter when its a non race day. After all they are open 7 days a week.

Ah would think not?