$70 for Masters Indoor 3km!!

What are you complaining about? You get the biggest bargain of all events! You are only paying $0.023 per meter.

The guys running the 60 are paying $ 1.16 per meter. That is outrageous.

My guess is because people have to wait around for the masters to finish and that costs money?

What did the meet organizers say that surcharge was for when you asked them about it?

Depends. Where is this meet? I'm noticing a similar price here.

I have run very few masters races for that reason. I will usually run the open events since they are cheaper and often more competitive. Just last month the USATF New England region and masters champs had a $5 surcharge for masters and yet they had open events sprinkled into the meet without a surcharge. Please charge me a reasonable price for a reasonable product; currently neither is happening. Don't further nickel and dime your members to extinction from your events as you are doing right now...no one shows up already. Look at your numbers!

You could always take up golf.

is that for the masters us champs next month? All I can tell you is that these meets can serve as fund raisers for clubs - they aren't putting on the meets for charity.

It is a huge amt of work to put on a big meet like that - if a club won't make a few thousand dollars they won't do it. And that would mean no championship meets.

So pay the extra $30 and be glad someone is willing to do the work to put on the meet.

I thought you were talking about an appearance fee and was upset that it was too low?!?!?

The reason for the surcharge is they assume 40+ year olds have more money than 20 year olds, so they can get away with charging more and still have customers.

I agree $70 is way too much for an indoor track race. Sadly if people keep buying it, they'll keep getting away with it...

I'll never understand somebody who willingly purchase a product or service (especially one as nonessential as a race) and then complains about how much it costs.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

I'll never understand somebody who willingly purchase a product or service (especially one as nonessential as a race) and then complains about how much it costs.

Me too. There's a very simple solution: don't enter. I pretty much only run small, low key club races these days because the big charity and for-profit races got too pricy.

It's not really a ripoff if you voluntarily agree to the price. You do have the choice not to enter.

cheap guy wrote:

Mr. Obvious wrote:

I'll never understand somebody who willingly purchase a product or service (especially one as nonessential as a race) and then complains about how much it costs.

Me too. There's a very simple solution: don't enter. I pretty much only run small, low key club races these days because the big charity and for-profit races got too pricy.

It's not really a ripoff if you voluntarily agree to the price. You do have the choice not to enter.

I'll never understand somebody who willingly posts on a thread in response to a statement when they haven't actually read the statement.

Wilpos included the phrase "Just put away my credit card". I think that clearly indicates that he did NOT make the purchase, willingly or otherwise. He actually exercised his choice not to enter and is expressing his reason for not entering.

agip wrote:

is that for the masters us champs next month? All I can tell you is that these meets can serve as fund raisers for clubs - they aren't putting on the meets for charity.

It is a huge amt of work to put on a big meet like that - if a club won't make a few thousand dollars they won't do it. And that would mean no championship meets.

So pay the extra $30 and be glad someone is willing to do the work to put on the meet.

The NCAA institution I work for is putting on two meets this coming season and we're not charging anything like $70. Nor is the NCAA charging that per athlete for their championships. The USATF indoor OPEN championships cost $30. I have run in two indoor events this year in college meets and paid a grand total of $25.

Face reality here. Masters "Championships" are really glorified all-comers meets for delusional old farts that are not fast enough to race open. You won't ever find Steve Scott or Johnny Gray there, now will you find Bernard Lagat or Doc Patton (just turned 35). You won't find Willie Gault, either, I don't believe. You also won't find me, although I ran 7.4 for 60 earlier.

As an investment advisor (I think) you should already know what this is. It is about capturing the consumer surplus. They charge this because they know the delusional old farts will pay it so they can say to their friends that they competed in the "national championships." Just like the hobby joggers who pay $250 to "run New York."

Mister Oblivious wrote:

Wilpos included the phrase "Just put away my credit card". I think that clearly indicates that he did NOT make the purchase, willingly or otherwise. He actually exercised his choice not to enter and is expressing his reason for not entering.

OK. I just read that again. I don't think it is clear but at least your explanation is logical.

__

...so? We're not disagreeing on anything are we?

I'll pay another $20 or $30 once in a while to race just my own age group, and I'm glad to support the local club that is putting on the event.

Nobody really thinks masters champs are true national championships - what they are is an opportunity for anyone to have a 'big meet' experience. Which is rare, and a blast.

As for NCAA meets and USAs - they have a built in base of customers that lets them charge less.

Someone agreed to some risk and initial outlay when they agreed to put on usa masters indoors - they could take a bath. So they need to charge more than a NCAA meet that a sponsor can be more sure of attendance.

I don't even know if we are talkign about masters indoors champs but the principle stands.

The surcharge is a main part of the budget to cover the operations of master’s track and field. It is obviously not a big revenue sport, so the funding comes from the participants.

Demographically, there are plenty of people that have both the means and the willingness to pay the amount in order to actually participate in an event, whether or not it truly merits the title “National Championship”. Some of us are delusional, but most are like agip and we understand that there are plenty of other eligible runners like Lagat that will not be there.

It appears that there are about 800 separate names that have already entered the meet in Landover this March. That would indicate that 800 people appear to have felt that they will receive enough value in return for the $25 surcharge.

Here is some info on Masters track and field budgeting if anyone is actually interested.

From

http://www.usatfmasters.org/governance.htm

BUDGET

The annual operating budget is prepared by the MTF Chair and MTF Treasurer, with input and requests for funding from other members of the masters committee. The proposed budget is discussed and reviewed at an MTF Executive Committee meeting held at the beginning of the Annual Meeting. By the end of the Annual Meeting, an operating budget has been approved by the general committee of MTF delegates and ready for approval by USATF's financial staff.

Revenue to cover MTF expenses comes from two sources: 1) a General Fund which is provided by USATF and 2) a Surcharge Fund which is money raised by surcharge fees added to the entry fees for the Masters National Track & Field Championships.

http://www.usatf.org/about/committees/GeneralCompetition/MastersTrackAndField/docs/2011/annualmtg/2012budget_proposed.pdf