Does it stike anyone else as wrong that the USATF charges a $25 entry fee for athletes competing in the trials? It seems like if athletes have run fast enough to qualify the least the USATF could do is to give them free entry.
Does it stike anyone else as wrong that the USATF charges a $25 entry fee for athletes competing in the trials? It seems like if athletes have run fast enough to qualify the least the USATF could do is to give them free entry.
We had this same conversation before the marathon trials.
In my opinion, I think it is to make athletes think twice before entering every event that they are eligible for, and hopefully commit them to the event they intend to run. Now, clearly that doesn't much effect big budget athletes/groups, like the Oregon Elite TC, as they already entered athletes in every event, sometimes more than one, and many athletes that have yet to meet a standard. But, considering that runners are notoriously cheep, it might be just enough to keep them honest.
Is $25 really going to make anyone think twice about entering in any event? It's the Olypmic Trials. The $25 is USATF being USATF (i.e, screwing over the athletes any way they can).
OED wrote:
Is $25 really going to make anyone think twice about entering in any event? It's the Olypmic Trials. The $25 is USATF being USATF (i.e, screwing over the athletes any way they can).
The USATF may be a lot of things, but screwing the athletes because they have to pay a minimal fee to run in the Olympic Trials isn't one of them.
Membership in any organization involves dues and/or user fees. The USATF isn't, nor should be, any different.
Take into account all the events, mens'/womens and multiply by 25, there's your answer, why would you turn away easy cash for the organization, gets them to hawaii and back