USATF Master Track Championship rip off

Run two events.

That is why, the top runners don't run!!

This is why I don't run any races any more.

Run two events.....They wack you for another $18 to run a second event. No wonder nobody runs these things. Its just sad that the USATF can rip people off like this.

Good lord, run the Meet yourself out of your own charity. It's once a year and gives you an opportunity to do something notable sanctioned by a governing body. My kid plays in weekly hockey and soccer tournaments with a bigger nut per tournament.

For those of us who live in the area and for whom it seems like a local meet the price does seem outrageous. But it's a national meet. Some guy who pays $600 to fly in from San Diego or Houston and $300 more for a couple nights in a hotel is probably not going to worry about a $45 entry fee,

NE Master wrote:

Its just sad that the USATF can rip people off like this.

well, if you speak with the USATF master's chair as i have, he'll gladly explain to you they need the money and that you're lucky USATF even makes cursory nods toward master's athletes.

It's not a big deal for me. It's worth it to be able to run on that track and catch up with friends.

I'm not the Master's Chair but i would tell you the same thing. $45 annual fee for a hobby is cheap.

What does it cost to rent out that facility? There is a lot of overhead in having a meet like this. It is a little steep; but.....

So tell me.......what is the entry fee for the open championship? Is there prize money for the open championship? How does it compare to the purse for the master's? I know this is a rip worthy comment.

$45 annual fee??? How many meets do you run??? I am pretty sure most don't run this one meet.

I can go to other facilities (BU, Havard, Darmouth) and pay $15 for a meet that will have better masters competition than this one. Thats why it is a rip off!

To run the XC Championships in Spokane it will now cost you between $65 and $85, depending on when you register.

Stop crying. It costs $45 to run some road races, if not over $100 for something like the Chicago Marathon. Be thankful that USATF hasn't completely dropped master's competition. It's obvious they don't care about it, but unless you start your own master's organization, just be thankful the event is taking place at all.

riley stops wrote:

Stop crying. It costs $45 to run some road races, if not over $100 for something like the Chicago Marathon. Be thankful that USATF hasn't completely dropped master's competition. It's obvious they don't care about it, but unless you start your own master's organization, just be thankful the event is taking place at all.

Be thankful?

I'll be thankful when they crash and are history.

I organized and directed the 1st all women's 10k road race, in Los Angeles in the 1970's. The entry fee was $1, which was substantially less than was usual for that time. We had giveways, big trophies, rosettes, many age divisions, several certificates donated for free shoes, sponsorship that helped with the race and quite a few volunteers. It was a great race.

What needs to be done is to get rid of all the misuse of funds from current entry fees, and the bogus donations to charities.

Races are for the runners, not for anyone else.

Want to know why your race was so well supported? It was a novelty. The first ever all-women 10k. I'm sure businesses were lining up to be a part of it; it opens up a whole new market for them. Overhead for a road race (especially in the 70s) is also comparatively low.

Now look at track nationals. Who would sponsor it? Why? It is neither novel nor noteworthy. Maybe a 66 year old breaks the weight throw age group national record. Yawn.

Please point out the misuse of funds. I'm sure your muckraking has turned up patterns of fraud and you're just dying to share with us. Or more likely you assume misuse when you really have no clue.

I don't really see how it could be a rip off. You enter voluntarily. You know what you are getting for your money. If what you get is worth more than $45 to you, you'll enter. If what you get is worth less than $45 to you, you won't.

You could argue that it is overpriced, though I don't think I agree with that myself, but no one is being ripped off.

Good. Go to BU, Havard, and Darmouth. Then tell people that don't care that your performance would've won a national championship if you'd paid $30 more - after paying a couple of hundred to travel and lodge.

I don't know what it is like in USA but what pisses me off in OZ is having to buy very expensive uniforms in order to compete in maybe one State and one National champs.That is a rip off.

When Vets started we ran in whatever,when the sprinter lycra mob came along it all fell apart.