Jockey Club chief insists five-day Cheltenham Festival 'not a fait accompli'
Meta News
2022-03-14
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Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale gives his thoughts on the idea of the five-day Cheltenham festival
#JockeyClub #chiefinsists #fivedayCheltenham
Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale insists extending the Cheltenham festival to five days is not a "fait accompli" as he admits there are compelling arguments for and against extending the conference until the end of the new Saturday.
After missing out on last year's festival behind closed doors, fans returned to Tuesday's much-anticipated game of the year, which sold out Thursday and Friday.
The ability to attract new spectators was cited as the main reason why the Jockey Club decided to consider the fifth day.
Opponents of the idea claim that as registrations for this year's competition fall, and as the festival increases from three days in 2005 to four days, the dilution of quality and competition is bound to increase again - something that has been reflected in some disappointing In the game. Numbers - Questions are mounting about whether now is the right time to add more games.
Nevin Truesdale: 'The fifth day has a lot of pros and cons'
In an interview with The Racing Post, Trousdale confirmed that the 2023 festival will definitely last for four days, noting the importance of upcoming consultations with all parties involved.
"The fifth day has a lot of pros and cons," Trousdale said. "You have to look at the sport in five years, how do we make sure we stay relevant and accessible?
"One of the very few big festivals that doesn't have a weekend is Cheltenham. So you have to take five days as a serious proposition, of course based on the ticket sales we've seen this year. But, I can definitely see there's a lot going on The "don't fix it if it's not broken" argument.
"It is important to stress that we are not advised to do nothing and that the five-day festival is not a fait accompli. The myth that a decision has been made circulates. It is not the case.
"We are the custodians of this amazing wealth, and we want advice to understand what the industry, fans and potential fans think. All of this will ultimately drive decision-making forward."
Cheltenham Festival to run for four days in 2023, but no decision beyond that
Expanding on the arguments on both sides of the debate, Trousdale said: "As an industry, we have to be very careful not to be isolated. The holy grail of every sport attracts the next generation. Without it, you don't have a sport.
"It's about attracting new audiences
#JockeyClub #chiefinsists #fivedayCheltenham
Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale insists extending the Cheltenham festival to five days is not a "fait accompli" as he admits there are compelling arguments for and against extending the conference until the end of the new Saturday.
After missing out on last year's festival behind closed doors, fans returned to Tuesday's much-anticipated game of the year, which sold out Thursday and Friday.
The ability to attract new spectators was cited as the main reason why the Jockey Club decided to consider the fifth day.
Opponents of the idea claim that as registrations for this year's competition fall, and as the festival increases from three days in 2005 to four days, the dilution of quality and competition is bound to increase again - something that has been reflected in some disappointing In the game. Numbers - Questions are mounting about whether now is the right time to add more games.
Nevin Truesdale: 'The fifth day has a lot of pros and cons'
In an interview with The Racing Post, Trousdale confirmed that the 2023 festival will definitely last for four days, noting the importance of upcoming consultations with all parties involved.
"The fifth day has a lot of pros and cons," Trousdale said. "You have to look at the sport in five years, how do we make sure we stay relevant and accessible?
"One of the very few big festivals that doesn't have a weekend is Cheltenham. So you have to take five days as a serious proposition, of course based on the ticket sales we've seen this year. But, I can definitely see there's a lot going on The "don't fix it if it's not broken" argument.
"It is important to stress that we are not advised to do nothing and that the five-day festival is not a fait accompli. The myth that a decision has been made circulates. It is not the case.
"We are the custodians of this amazing wealth, and we want advice to understand what the industry, fans and potential fans think. All of this will ultimately drive decision-making forward."
Cheltenham Festival to run for four days in 2023, but no decision beyond that
Expanding on the arguments on both sides of the debate, Trousdale said: "As an industry, we have to be very careful not to be isolated. The holy grail of every sport attracts the next generation. Without it, you don't have a sport.
"It's about attracting new audiences
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