Horseracing's the best value day out in sport

Horseracing is Britain’s best value day out for sports fans, according to a new report published by the Racecourse Association. The research, conducted by Deloitte shows that racing consistently costs less than other major sports, such as Twenty20 cricket, Football League games, a round of golf, domestic rugby and Premier League football and other competing leisure activities. A sports fan can enjoy a midweek race meeting for as little as £4, or a Saturday high-profile fixture for just £13. In contrast, the lowest priced adult matchday ticket for a Premier League game was £33, and cost as much as £64. Racing’s crown jewel events, including The Cheltenham Festival, Crabbie’s Grand National meeting at Aintree and The Investec Derby staged at Epsom Downs, are less expensive to attend than Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix or an England Test Match. General admission at Cheltenham or Aintree for a single attendee will cost £22. At Exeter Racecourse, it is £15. For a Test Match, the cheapest entry point is £35, Wimbledon £37, a Champions League Final £60 and the British Grand Prix £145. Racing is equally competitive as a day out for a family of four. Exeter Racecourse offers free entry for children aged 17 andunder, with British racecourses offering free entry to under-16s. The only family leisure activity that could give racing a run for its money is a trip to the cinema. Parents can enjoy a day’s racing with their two kids, including parking and a snack, for under £40, whilst a similar day at the zoo will cost £66, or £112 at a theme park. A trip to the British Grand Prix would cost them £435 or more. The Deloitte study also analysed the cost of a corporate hospitality box for ten at sporting venues, an increasingly popular way to do business. The lowest priced packages, at under £1,000, are mid-week race meetings and Football League games. Also at the lower end of the price range are weekend racing fixtures and Twenty20 Cricket which are both achievable for under £1,500. Hospitality at a domestic rugby game will cost a business in excess of £2,100, with a Premier League game topping thechart at over £3,300. RCA Chief Executive Stephen Atkin commented: “We’re delighted with these findings which confirm that racing provides a great day out. There is a perception in the sport that going racing is expensive which this report disproves.” “British racecourses offer a fantastic range of options for fans to take advantage of, whether you are taking the kids for a day out or looking to entertain clients there is definitely great value in going racing” Alan Switzer, director in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte,said: “It’s no surprise that racing is Britain’s second biggest spectator sport when it offers such excellent value for money. Whatthe report also shows is the enduring popularity of some of our most iconic sporting occasions, despite the expensive cost ofentry. Nothing beats being there.”