LIVING THE JAI LIFE VOL 5: The Business of Jai-Alai
- May 09, 2025
- World Jai-Alai League
During the 1960's Florida's frontons would operate approximately 100 "performances" a year almost exclusively during the coldest winter months in the North. The thousands of attendees at each performance were a combination of locals and "snowbirds." As each of these facilities was a licensed pari-mutuel facility, each day and every employee was subject to State approval and licensure. The locations of frontons were subject to both local approval as well as compliance with State statutes requiring Frontons be at least 30 to 50 miles apart. Frontons were subject to both sales and admission taxes as well as taxation of every wager placed. In the parimutuel business, "the State is your partner, while owners are responsible for all bills."
Frontons became a large part of Florida's growing service industry with each fronton having a similar operational layout. While Frontons were subject to different ownership schemes (most were privately held sole proprietorships or partnerships up until the 1980's), at the facility level a "General Manager" would oversee one or more "Assistant General Managers" and department heads. The profit centers for the Fronton were generally admissions, parking, program & souvenir sales & seating. Food and beverage services included concessions, bars and Full-service restaurants. The "mutuels department" would, by statute, have its own Mutuel Manager who oversaw up to 100 mutuel clerks who initially either sold or cashed tickets. A state official was assigned to each mutuel office at every performance.
Most Frontons had an onsite Public Relations person while employing external advertising agencies. Marketing & advertising efforts were designed to saturate local markets with a heavy presence in all traditional media including print, billboard, radio, mobile (generally taxi cabs) and seasonal television advertising, however, Jai-Alai games were not televised. The "Player's Manager and Matchmaker" supervised all player personnel issues with some owners taking a more "hands-on" approach to the composition of their roster. Player income was based on a base salary plus a per-game incentive for finishing first, second, or third.
Fort Pierce jai alai players reminisce about now-demolished fronton