New analysis reveals a worrying trend in the world of British horse racing as the cost of attending the two most famous jumps racing festivals, Cheltenham and Aintree continues to rise, both crowd attendance and television viewership have fallen to their lowest levels in years.
The team at BettingTools, analysed data post COVID, from 2022 to 2025, to reveal that the UK’s most popular racing festivals are becoming increasingly expensive for fans and it’s having a massive impact on course attendances and TV viewership.
Cheltenham
Once considered the beating heart of jumps racing, the Cheltenham Festival has seen a dramatic decline in physical attendance. In 2022, over 280,000 fans passed through the gates across the four-day event. By 2025, that figure had dropped to just over 218,000, a decline of more than 60,000 racegoers over the four days.
During the same period, ticket prices across Cheltenham’s enclosures have steadily climbed. The popular Club Enclosure, which cost £86 in 2022, reached £126 by 2025. The Tattersalls Enclosure saw a jump from £55 to £91, while the budget-friendly Best Mate Enclosure almost doubled in price for Gold Cup day, climbing from £40 to £70.
Beyond ticketing, even refreshments are becoming increasingly out of reach. In 2025, the price of a pint of Guinness at Cheltenham hit £7.80, while a glass of wine cost £9.70 and a soft drink came in at £3.10. For many fans, a day at the races now rivals the cost of a luxury concert or football match, something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. If you are someone who goes to all four days of the festival, it’s even cheaper to go on holiday!
Grand National Day
The story of pricing for drinks is much the same at Aintree, however it’s not as expensive to get a ticket as it is for Cheltenham. Grand National Day, a cultural cornerstone in the UK sporting calendar, has consistently attracted around 58,000 spectators from 2022 to 2025.
While Festival Zone ticket prices were relatively modest in 2022 at £30, they have since increased by over 20% to £36.90. Meanwhile, prices for more premium enclosures have surged well into triple digits. Food and drink costs at Aintree paint a similar picture, in 2025, a pint of Guinness was priced at £7.30, a glass of wine reached £9.50, and even a soft drink cost £3.20.
TV Viewership Plummets
Not only are fewer people turning up in person, but television audiences are shrinking too. The Grand National’s peak viewership in 2022 stood at a commanding 7.5 million. Fast forward to 2025, and that figure has dropped sharply to just 5.2 million, a loss of over two million viewers. Cheltenham’s Gold Cup has fared slightly better, with numbers remaining steady around the 1.6 to 1.8 million mark. However, the stagnation suggests that even the best races are struggling to grow their reach or create the same interest that they used to.
The Cost-of-Living Factor
These declines come against the backdrop of the UK’s ongoing economic struggles. With inflation stubbornly high and household budgets under pressure, many families are being forced to cut back on non-essential spending. While racing was once a working-class day out, its shift toward premium pricing is increasingly at odds with the financial reality faced by much of its core audience.
“When a pint of Guinness is nearly £8 and you’re paying over £100 just to get in the gates, it’s no wonder people are turning away,” said Alex Windsor from betting tools. “We’re seeing a slow reduction of accessibility in a sport that once prided itself on being for everyone.”
What’s Next for British Racing?
While racing’s governing bodies continue to invest in trying to improve the fan experience and attracting younger audiences, this data suggests a more urgent challenge which is by restoring affordability. Without action, the industry risks losing not just attendance, but cultural relevance.
Unless there’s a shift in pricing strategy, or targeted efforts to widen access, it may become harder than ever to fill grandstands and captivate living rooms for the next generation of racing fans.
Across the Pond
Interestingly, while British racing grapples with declining engagement, America’s main horse racing event, the Kentucky Derby paints a very different picture. In 2024, over 150,000 fans flocked to Churchill Downs, many dressed to the nines in traditional hats and bold colours. Despite rising prices, the Derby continues to flourish, in part because it has embraced its cultural influence as a must-attend social event. General admission tickets start as low as $65, while premium seating stretches well into the thousands. Drinks are still pricey (a Mint Julep will set you back around $18), but the experience is shown as aspirational, not out-of-touch. It shows that with the right blend of heritage, glamour, and accessible tiers of entry, horse racing can still capture the public’s imagination, and crucially, their attendance.
