The upcoming Triple Crown series marks
the kick-off of the horse racing season for many fans. But this
season those placing bets at the track will walk away with more than
their wager on their receipt. A new program places four-color ads on
the back of tote tickets at horse racing venues.
To find out how to get your client’s message into the hands
of a targeted audience at the racetrack, read on.
This is one in a Media Life series on buying the new
out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.
For the next few weeks out-of-home coverage will focus
on new programs targeting spring sports fans.
Fast Facts
What
Ads placed on betting tickets at tracks and betting
parlors.
Who
Blaze Media, headquartered in Water Mill, N.Y.
How it works
Ads are placed on betting receipts, known as tote
tickets, at racetracks. Venues include some harness racing and
off-track betting locations.
“The ad goes on one side with the other side the
actual wager,” says Blaze Media director Maryann O’Connor. The
four-color ads measure 3 inches by 2.5 inches.
Creative is provided by the advertiser.
“It’s not huge, so you’re going to get more impact
with visual rather than verbiage,” O’Connor says. “The size is
better for a logo and branding or a coupon type of thing, but you
could put a promotion on it.”
Creative can tie into the theme of horse racing. “The
creative can be anything you want it to be. This is an adult
audience, so there’s a lot of flexibility as long as it’s not
pornographic,” O’Connor says.
Advertisers can buy the network or target consumers by
region or type of race.
“The network is a huge buy,” O’Connor says. “You
may want to reach California or New York and get the major tracks
like Saratoga Springs and Aquaduct.
"Other people look more at specific races. They
want to participate in the Kentucky Derby and target more along
those lines.”
One advertiser buys a location so bettors all see the same
ad, though it is possible to run different creative at the same
site, O’Connor says.
Horse racing is year round at some locations and seasonal at
others. Off-track betting is year round.
Markets
There are currently 200-plus locations in the program.
Some of the more popular tracks include:
 Saratoga
Raceway in New York
 Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania
 Hollywood Park in California
 Maywood Park in Illinois
 Monmouth Park in New Jersey
 Santa Anita Raceway in California
 Delaware Park in Delaware
 Churchill Downs in Kentucky
 Aquaduct in New York
 Belmont in New York
 Meadowlands in New Jersey
 Fair Grounds in Louisiana
 Great Lakes Downs in Michigan
 Turf Paradise in Arizona
 Arapahoe Park in Colorado
 Dover Downs in Delaware
 Balmoral Park in Illinois
 Hossier Park in Indiana
 Sam Houston Race Park in Texas
Markets for off-track
betting include Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and San Diego.
About 70 percent of the ads are distributed on tickets
at tracks and the remaining 30 percent are delivered at off-track
betting locations.
How measured
Each imprint produces three impressions, O’Connor
says. “Every month, 25 million tickets are distributed at the 200
sites in our network.”
What product categories do well
“This is geared toward the adult consumer,” O’Connor
says. “Liquor, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, cars, entertainment,
sporting events.”
National, regional and local advertisers as well as
seasonal products work well. “A regional advertiser can do one
track or 50. The minimum buy is a million tickets.”
Demographics
The target demographic is adult men, O’Connor says.
“The consumer is predominately male and has to be at least 18 and
in some states 21.”
Specifically, according to the Columbus, Ohio-based
U.S. Trotting Association:
Gender breakdown at the track is 56 percent male to 44 percent
female. Gender breakdown for off-track betting is 90 percent male
and 10 percent female.
According to a 2002 Simmons study:
 Age
o 18-49 measuring 105 on the index
o 25-54 measuring 120 on the index
o 35-49 measuring 118 on the index
o 50 and older measuring 90 on the index
Education and career
o College graduates measuring 179 on the index
o Professional and managerial measuring 147
 Income
o $50,000 at 146 on the index
o $75,000 at 148
Making the buy
Lead time is three weeks with art in hand. All flights
are four weeks.
Run-of-network rates include Blaze Media’s choice of
available venues and markets while market-specific targets include
the advertiser’s choice of available venues and markets.
One million imprints at run of network are priced at
$14,500 and $17,500 for market-specific programs. Two million
imprints at run of network cost $27,000 and at market-specific cost
$33,000. Five million imprints go for $62,500 at run of network and
$77,500 for market-specific. Ten million imprints are $115,000 for
run of network and $145,000 for market-specific. Additionally, there
is a $500 plate charge. There is a 10 percent premium for May
(Kentucky Derby month). Rates are net.
Who’s already on tote tickets
This is a new program.
What they’re saying
“There’s a different ticket for every race,
for every bet. Some fans place all their bets at one time, while
others pick race by race and may go to the window five times. What
makes the ticket valuable is that consumers have to look at it.
"Generally they first look when they walk away from the
window to make sure it’s correct. Then some look at it during the
race and then after the race before cashing it in. If they don’t
cash it in they stick it in a pocket and then see it again later.
Some people save them for tax receipts.” – Maryann O’Connor,
director and senior account executive for Blaze Media
Web site info
Blaze Media at www.MenAtTheTrack.com
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