Weekdays are more crowded, but on marathon Sunday they are more crowded than normal Sundays.
Does it equate to $750K? Nah. Plus, it doesn’t matter. MTA has its sights set on the toll $. They don’t care about what they already get.
Actually, there is a Post article that says they do make more than $750K compared to normal Sunday. 365K more riders than typical Sunday that time of year.
Still, MTA wants that additional revenue.
article is paywalled but if this is true, then it's typical of a bureaucracy. ten years ago my hometown spent $10k per sidewalk trashcan rather than just hiring additional sanitation workers at less cost, even with full benefits.
Has the MTA looked into how much of that is offset by the gazillion people packing into the the subways to get around and spectate their friends and families running that day?
Seriously the subways are insane on marathon day. I'm sure there must be increased revenue for that.
Apparently last NYC marathon Sunday was highest Sunday ridership in 4 years- only to be eclipsed by SantaCon (which also doesn't close the bridge for 9 hours) a few weeks later.
I would guess that Halloween parties the night before contribute to increase ridership FAR more than to the marathon. Plus Daylight Savings Time provides an additional hour of high volume traffic.
When's the last time you went to the NYC marathon? 365k additional ridership on Sunday morning is a fact, as was a post-pandemic Sunday record ridership, with 2.3 million rides for the marathon alone, according to the article. There are major crowds on the subway all day and of the large #'s coming to the marathon from Friday on. After all, they make you go all the way out to the Javits Center by Saturday at 4 or 5 p.m. in addition to getting to Staten Island Sunday.
About 2.3 million straphangers tapped or swiped MetroCards on marathon Sunday — that’s 365,000 more riders than the average Sunday in 2023, generating an estimated $1.1 million in new revenue…
Imagine the MTA "wins" and only lets the NYRR have one deck. In response, the NYRR is forced to cut the number of runners by say 40%. How many multiples of $750k in lost income from the now lower taxable income to hotels, bars, and restaurants will there be? The MTA's position has nothing to do with their concern over "losing money" on the race. It is just an excuse to redirect more money from the runners into their coffers.
Weekdays are more crowded, but on marathon Sunday they are more crowded than normal Sundays.
Does it equate to $750K? Nah. Plus, it doesn’t matter. MTA has its sights set on the toll $. They don’t care about what they already get.
Actually, there is a Post article that says they do make more than $750K compared to normal Sunday. 365K more riders than typical Sunday that time of year.
Still, MTA wants that additional revenue.
365,000 riders at $2.90 each = $1.1 million extra subway revenue compared to a normal Sunday, according to the
About 2.3 million straphangers tapped or swiped MetroCards on marathon Sunday — that’s 365,000 more riders than the average Sunday in 2023, generating an estimated $1.1 million in new revenue…
That's before you factor in all the extra MTA Metro North and LIRR passengers heading into the city that weekend, never mind all the other benefits the marathon brings to the city.
This is what happens when you're a captive audience. Local governments and government agencies will shake you down, knowing you can't just go and move the race to Jersey City. The Boston Marathon has to deal with these shakedowns from the towns and police/fire every year.
If you're a professional sports team, corporate headquarters, or film crew that can easily relocate though, they will roll out the red carpet for you. Don't even have to ask, they'll just stuff millions in taxpayer money in your pocket.
sheeeeeeeeit. now, let me tell you, Teddy. 75k across and i get you connected to the right people. smile here, handshake there and when i'm done with them they be giving you a third deck on the bridge
i tell you, MTA is some shameful s***
-Clay Davis
This post was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.
It looks like they won't have to pay if they agree to use only the top or bottom of the bridge (and not both like they have since 1988)
NY Times wrote:
The M.T.A. has quietly demanded roughly $750,000 a year from the organization that runs the marathon, to make up for the toll revenue that the authority loses when it closes the Verrazzano — North America’s longest suspension bridge — to vehicular traffic, according to interviews and memos reviewed by The New York Times. The organization, the New York Road Runners, has yet to acquiesce, prompting the M.T.A. to play hardball. The authority initially threatened to restrict runners to the bridge’s shadowy lower deck during the 26.2-mile race in November. But in recent weeks, the M.T.A. slightly relented and said the race could use the upper level if the Road Runners preferred it to the lower level. Still, the authority said there was no way it would allow both decks to be used without a payment agreement in hand. The marathon has used both decks since 1988.
Doesn't surprise me at all after living in NY for 3 years. If you're ok with giving your money away go live in NY because it's not called robbery. It's called the price you'll pay to live there.
I will never understand people paying hundreds of euros to run in a city. If you are already fine with paying a thousand Dollars with hotel give the mta their "fair" share. For all i care they should Take 100 $ .
Agreed, it's BS. Speaking as a 14 time NYC Marathon runner and a former Train Operator in the subway. Regular workdays are far more crowded.
I've ran it 3 times and I wouldn't have known how bad trains were if I didn't go as a spectator last year. At least on the 4-5-6 it was a mad house during the race .
I’ve never done the 4-5-6. Just the A-C to Brooklyn then the Q up to 86th to catch the part on 1st then walk over too the park. Never found it especially crowded
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