On Saturday, June 6, American Pharoah enters the Belmont Stakes seeking a sweep of the Triple Crown. Not since Affirmed in 1978 has a horse won all three races.

"The Belmont is a feast or famine race. If there's the chance of a Triple Crown winner, the country goes wild over it. Ratings explode," says Wake Forest University sports economist Todd McFall.

Though Belmont Park has capped attendance at 90,000, McFall says excitement at the track could fuel a renaissance of racing.

"The attendance, TV interest and betting speak well to the temptation of creating an environment in which a particular horse might have a chance to sweep. When winners at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness split, no one cares. But when there's a Triple Crown hopeful, there's lots of risk and lots of return. Why not create this world more often? The possibility of a Triple Crown every year might diminish interest or invite people to question results. But creating an environment in which one could happen every so often is great for the sport."

McFall is available for interviews this week on how a Triple Crown contender affects the economics of horse racing on race day and afterward. He has been quoted in national news outlets on a wide variety of sports economics issues including golf tournaments and the future of golf, bracketology, and the NBA. McFall is the author of The (Peculiar) Economics of NCAA Basketball.