HOLD ALL TICKETS! CHURCHILL DELAYS ONLINE SALE OF OAKS-DERBY SEATS
That darn technology! Churchill Downs Inc., the Louisville, Ky., racetrack company with the world’s most legendeary propeller heads, had to postpone the start of online ticket sales to the 2010 Kentucky Oaks and Derby due to, you guessed it, technology glitches at its new online box office. Can anyone say "Stub Hub"?
Following is the press release distributed by CDI late Wednesday morning, just minutes before the online sales were supposed to begin. – Paulick Report
POTENTIAL DATA ERROR DELAYS WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULED ONLINE SALE OF KENTUCKY DERBY, OAKS TICKETS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009) – In an effort to respectfully serve its customers, Churchill Downs has decided to delay a scheduled online sale of two-day Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks ticket packages due to a potential data error with its new online box office, http://tickets.churchilldowns.com. The online sale had been scheduled to commence Wednesday (Dec. 16) at noon EST.
“Churchill Downs regrets having to make this late announcement of a delay, but the customer experience comes first,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery. “While exhaustively testing our online ticketing system, we detected a potential data error that could have resulted in customer service issues for some patrons. We regret any inconvenience, but the best way to serve all patrons is to delay the online offering, address the potential data error and offer these limited tickets at a later date. We will announce the new date as soon as possible.”
A total of 3,000 seats were allocated for the online exclusive and included:
- Third-floor clubhouse box seats in sections 312-314 and access to the Secretariat Lounge, an exclusive, upscale, indoor hospitality area that will feature premium gourmet food, an open bar, televisions, betting kiosks and live music between races (50 boxes or 300 seats which range from $6,132-$6,390 per six-seat box);
- First-floor clubhouse box seats in section 111 (166 boxes or 996 seats which cost $1,500 per six-seat box);
- Second-floor grandstand bleacher seats in sections 222-225 (300 seats which range from $214-$225 per seat); and
- First-floor grandstand bleacher seats in sections 121-128 (1,404 seats which range from $172-$207 per seat).
December 16th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Why make things easy, when you can make them hard. Marketing this sale through an established ticket broker would have made more sense. I took an hour off from work to go home and try to get an order in; I wonder if Churchill Downs will reimburse me the cost of my time!!
December 16th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
John, stay home and watch the Derby on Bravo.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
You don’t need to look any further than the crummy betting interface and displays on their TwinSpires web site to realize that technology is pitiful at CDSN.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
If Churchill brings in the brokers be ready to pay thru the nose!
December 16th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Churchill Downs does nothing to attract or please customers. It seems they strive for the opposite effect. One example - their last Breeders’ Cup meeting. No employee had a clue as to location of the seating shown on tickets. When a “security man” eventually found the seats, it was shocking to see six chairs in a pen designed for four. There were four in my party. When the other two patrons arrived and discovered all would be obliged to climb over each other to use seats, they abandoned their seats. Cash to CDI $1,200. Loss to other patrons, $400. CDI should have been charged with larceny.
Other moves to disgust patrons are too numerous to recite here.
Now there is talk of making Churchill the permanent site for the Cup. I hope not.
December 16th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Just give me my box back. I got tired of buying my box on Ebay. Ya, that box CD took away after decades of family ownership. The one that no longer existed because of the remodel. The one that they had to give back to the prior owner etc. etc. Ticket scandals at CD are legendary. Now I sit for free. I would not pay a penney for a seat.
December 17th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Racing is so thoroughly deliquent, it is begging for trouble.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Churchill Downs couldn’t care less about the racing fan. They are by far the WORST people to deal with. Keeneland and Belmont, and even run-down Pimlico, know how to treat their customers, the racing fans. Keeneland will always be #1, with Belmont a close 2nd…..the folks at Churchill could learn a great deal from Keeneland and Belmont, that’s for sure.