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.244Techniques of commercial exploitationAs the period wore on the commercialexploitation of sport became steadily more accomplished, increasing the amounts generated by gate money, the sale of refreshments and various ancillary services.While it would be mistaken to suggest that examples of this do not appear before 1830, the main improvement occurred in the later period.These developments can be broadly detailed as follows.Far more attention was paid to selecting the week of events, so as to avoid clashing with rival fixtures, a problem that had persistently afflicted Shrewsbury races.245 Efforts were also made to utilise communications, especially railways, the want of which meant that Egham races, in contrast to that at Epsom, declined rapidly.246 The correct pricing of admission charges was also vital, as the fate of the Hippodrome, a venue that alienated its potential audience by overcharging, demonstrated.247 At venues such as Belle Vue, both the course itself, and spectating facilities, were improved, with previously poor grandstands being completely overhauled.248 Likewise, officials were employed to keep the course clear, a particular necessity at pigeon-shooting venues throughout the country where‘outscouts’, illegal interlopers who insisted on taking pot-shots at the birds, endangered lives.249At both foot races and regattas, efforts were taken to ensure that competitorswere easily distinguished.250 Henley’s rowing competitors were instructed ‘that all174Beginnings of a Commercial Sporting Culture in Britainthe crews shall provide themselves with small colours or flags, the same to be nine inches long and seven inches wide and attached to a brass spindling’.251 Similarly, various lighting effects illuminated protagonists, heightening the spectacle.252 An advert for the boxing displays that were held regularly at a pub in London is typical: the boxers will wear white flannel drawers, ring shoes, their respective colours around their waists, and set to in a regular roped ring … the whole arrangement being intendedto convey an ideal picture of a real prize contest.253The rules of sports such as cricket and the programmes of horse races were changed in order to increase the public’s enjoyment by speeding them up.Wrestling went still further, one of the competitors ‘danced a highland fandango in regular costume’.A spectacle that prompted ‘a female in the pit [who] was so delighted with the extraordinary ability of the Black, that she rose from her seat and exclaimed “Here’s sixpence my lad” ’.254 At Epsom a band was introduced to‘diminish the tedium between races’, the reporter conceding that ‘attempts must bemade to prevent racing becoming unfashionable like the theatre’.255 Providing entertainment was a presiding concern, and a variety of sports were often conducted at a particular event.Horse races, for example, often being accompaniedby rowing, athletics and rustic sports.256 Occasionally, as with ratting in the 1820s, a new sport was invented.The result was amazing; although the event did not start until eight, people started queuing at four.257 Various novelties were also introduced, archery displays were given by American Indians, cricket matches were played between cripples, eliciting ‘roars of laughter’.258In order to ensure the entry of quality competitors, a number of venues offeredgood prizes.259 This was a necessity at singlestick, where competitors were reluctant to risk injury unless there was a good potential reward.260 The case was slightly different at horse racing.There, entry costs were often high and the lack of rewards for second place meant that at many tracks, for instance Lewes – where Lord Egremont’s horses dominated – there was little incentive for outsiders to compete.261 Additionally, the cups offered as prizes were worth far less than their purported value.262 Above everything, however, corruption was rife, and many provincial steeplechases were fixed.263Between 1830 and 1850 the management of many big annual sporting events,particularly horse races, became increasingly professional.264 In many senses this was inevitable because the departure of the local gentry to spend the season in London removed key supporters from many provincial events.265 While, predominantly, the commercial opportunities presented by sport expanded, many speculators lost money, the Thames Regatta of 1843 being a particularly extensiveexample of this.266 Some small-time promoters spent periods imprisoned fordebt.267 Collectively, commercial sport prospered.The only exception to this was boxing, where the failure of pugilists to cooperate with one another rendered itimpossible to maintain a lucrative London venue.268Mass Entertainment Comes to Britain175SpectatorsWhen one turns to consider the social composition of spectators, it is clear that the bulk of most crowds were from the working class.Generally, royalty did not display an interest in sport during the period, though they were sometimes present at major race-meetings, William IV being attacked at Ascot in 1832.269 Aside from horse racing, which attracted a following from every social layer, the nobility’s attendance of sporting events diverged into two extreme camps.On the one hand were the various ‘cruel sports’, where they interacted with semi-criminal elements characterized as ‘the fancy’, alternatively, they had accessto genteel activities such as fencing and tennis [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.244Techniques of commercial exploitationAs the period wore on the commercialexploitation of sport became steadily more accomplished, increasing the amounts generated by gate money, the sale of refreshments and various ancillary services.While it would be mistaken to suggest that examples of this do not appear before 1830, the main improvement occurred in the later period.These developments can be broadly detailed as follows.Far more attention was paid to selecting the week of events, so as to avoid clashing with rival fixtures, a problem that had persistently afflicted Shrewsbury races.245 Efforts were also made to utilise communications, especially railways, the want of which meant that Egham races, in contrast to that at Epsom, declined rapidly.246 The correct pricing of admission charges was also vital, as the fate of the Hippodrome, a venue that alienated its potential audience by overcharging, demonstrated.247 At venues such as Belle Vue, both the course itself, and spectating facilities, were improved, with previously poor grandstands being completely overhauled.248 Likewise, officials were employed to keep the course clear, a particular necessity at pigeon-shooting venues throughout the country where‘outscouts’, illegal interlopers who insisted on taking pot-shots at the birds, endangered lives.249At both foot races and regattas, efforts were taken to ensure that competitorswere easily distinguished.250 Henley’s rowing competitors were instructed ‘that all174Beginnings of a Commercial Sporting Culture in Britainthe crews shall provide themselves with small colours or flags, the same to be nine inches long and seven inches wide and attached to a brass spindling’.251 Similarly, various lighting effects illuminated protagonists, heightening the spectacle.252 An advert for the boxing displays that were held regularly at a pub in London is typical: the boxers will wear white flannel drawers, ring shoes, their respective colours around their waists, and set to in a regular roped ring … the whole arrangement being intendedto convey an ideal picture of a real prize contest.253The rules of sports such as cricket and the programmes of horse races were changed in order to increase the public’s enjoyment by speeding them up.Wrestling went still further, one of the competitors ‘danced a highland fandango in regular costume’.A spectacle that prompted ‘a female in the pit [who] was so delighted with the extraordinary ability of the Black, that she rose from her seat and exclaimed “Here’s sixpence my lad” ’.254 At Epsom a band was introduced to‘diminish the tedium between races’, the reporter conceding that ‘attempts must bemade to prevent racing becoming unfashionable like the theatre’.255 Providing entertainment was a presiding concern, and a variety of sports were often conducted at a particular event.Horse races, for example, often being accompaniedby rowing, athletics and rustic sports.256 Occasionally, as with ratting in the 1820s, a new sport was invented.The result was amazing; although the event did not start until eight, people started queuing at four.257 Various novelties were also introduced, archery displays were given by American Indians, cricket matches were played between cripples, eliciting ‘roars of laughter’.258In order to ensure the entry of quality competitors, a number of venues offeredgood prizes.259 This was a necessity at singlestick, where competitors were reluctant to risk injury unless there was a good potential reward.260 The case was slightly different at horse racing.There, entry costs were often high and the lack of rewards for second place meant that at many tracks, for instance Lewes – where Lord Egremont’s horses dominated – there was little incentive for outsiders to compete.261 Additionally, the cups offered as prizes were worth far less than their purported value.262 Above everything, however, corruption was rife, and many provincial steeplechases were fixed.263Between 1830 and 1850 the management of many big annual sporting events,particularly horse races, became increasingly professional.264 In many senses this was inevitable because the departure of the local gentry to spend the season in London removed key supporters from many provincial events.265 While, predominantly, the commercial opportunities presented by sport expanded, many speculators lost money, the Thames Regatta of 1843 being a particularly extensiveexample of this.266 Some small-time promoters spent periods imprisoned fordebt.267 Collectively, commercial sport prospered.The only exception to this was boxing, where the failure of pugilists to cooperate with one another rendered itimpossible to maintain a lucrative London venue.268Mass Entertainment Comes to Britain175SpectatorsWhen one turns to consider the social composition of spectators, it is clear that the bulk of most crowds were from the working class.Generally, royalty did not display an interest in sport during the period, though they were sometimes present at major race-meetings, William IV being attacked at Ascot in 1832.269 Aside from horse racing, which attracted a following from every social layer, the nobility’s attendance of sporting events diverged into two extreme camps.On the one hand were the various ‘cruel sports’, where they interacted with semi-criminal elements characterized as ‘the fancy’, alternatively, they had accessto genteel activities such as fencing and tennis [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]