While the crowd at the 2021 Kentucky Derby will be much smaller than the record of 170,513 fans set in 2015, fans will be allowed back at Churchill Downs this year after a one-year absence. For the 2021 Kentucky Derby, which is back to its traditional date of the first Saturday in May, fans will be allowed at 40-50 percent capacity. After a 2020 with an unorthodox September Kentucky Derby with no fans, it will be a welcoming site to see the playful hats, salivate over the delicious mint juleps, and hear the roar of the crowd once again.
Even at 40-50 percent capacity, there will still be between 66,000 and 82,500 people watching the 147th Kentucky Derby this year. To give a sense of how enormous of a crowd that is, the largest stadium in the United States is The Big House at the University of Michigan, which has a maximum capacity of just over 107,000 people. So in terms of sheer size, Churchill Downs makes The Big House look like a retirement condo.
There are hundreds of locations at Churchill Downs from which you can watch the actual Kentucky Derby race; however, there are certainly some locations that are much more desirable than others. The price for a ticket in the coveted Millionaires Row section starts at $1,925, and if you are hungry, the price for a table starts at $36,000. And while it is not promoted much compared to Millionaires Row and only opened in 2014, there is a section called The Mansion at Churchill Downs which caters to the ultra exclusive. Those tickets start at $7,500 and include amenities such as a personal betting advisor.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, the general admission tickets are currently being sold in limited numbers because of Covid limits.
Those fortunate enough to attend do not wear typical stadium clothing like the jersey of their favorite team; instead, the attire is considerably fancier than most sporting events. The fashion style of the event can be described as extremely preppy; Vineyard Vines is the official clothing sponsor. Many male fans can be seen wearing seersucker jackets or bowties in bright springtime colors. And while their hats are definitely more subdued than the women’s usually are, men often wear a fedora as part of their outfit. For some, the Derby is a fashion event as much as it is a sporting event.
Whether you are at the race hobnobbing with celebrities, watching at a bar, or viewing at home, we can all agree that the Kentucky Derby is better with fans. The Kentucky Derby is steeped in traditions that are enhanced by the fans, such as listening to the roar of the crowd and the excitement of the first few notes of the bugle call to post.
Many of us may never get to attend a Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but that doesn’t prevent you from making a mint julep, kicking your feet up on the couch, and settling in for the most exciting two minutes in sports.
Photo Credit: Google Creative Common Licenses, Kentucky Derby Instagram
