by Ed DeRosa
Breeders’ Cup Ltd. met the challenge of marketing its world championships event in a tough economic climate by thinking locally, and with two days to go before the event, the approach has appeared to pay off as a palpable buzz surrounds the event in the Los Angeles area.
Breeders’ Cup began its regional marketing campaign by lowering ticket prices and allowing patrons to purchase single-day tickets. Breeders’ Cup President Greg Avioli acknowledged that gate receipts could decline even with higher attendance but that more people at the track would lead to increased revenue elsewhere.
One potential hurdle for the organization was the departure of Peter Land as its chief marketing officer earlier this year. Breeders’ Cup, however, closely worked with Conover Tuttle Pace consultants as well as with Santa Anita Park’s marketing staff to generate buzz for the event.
Several Los Angeles-area social networking sites will be a part of the Breeders’ Cup’s first official tweetup, which encourages those in attendance to interact with each other and the world via Twitter.com.
“We had some budget constraints and less resources this year, but we’re pleased with the marketing program we put in place,” said Chip Tuttle, a partner with Conover Tuttle Pace. “We hope it’s successful.”
While the Breeders’ Cup marketed attendance locally, it expanded its wagering internationally by opening its pari-mutuel pools to Betfair’s 2.5-million customer base. The Breeders’ Cup will also receive some revenue from Betfair’s exchange markets.
From a television standpoint, the Breeders’ Cup received a boost when an article on Zenyatta facing males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) appeared on the front page of Wednesday’s New York Times sports section, sharing space with the New York Yankees’ quest for a World Series championship.
Ed DeRosa is news editor of Thoroughbred Times