The was some guy Johnson who ran in a LRC singlet years ago. He ran a decent 10k IIRC.
The was some guy Johnson who ran in a LRC singlet years ago. He ran a decent 10k IIRC.
voltairez wrote:
they're really good at writing angry blogs.
They're really good at writing poorly thought out, whiny, "it's not fair" blogs
The other guy! wrote:
There was another thread about competitor "let the market decide".
Plenty of other races are not giving back to pro athletes. What about Susan Komen races? How much of that money goes to pros? How much of that money goes to research?
I dont think most races should have prize money. Our biggest complaint is buying pre-exiting elite races and gutting them.
To be truthful, even if there was no prize money issue, i'd still be upset and think this is the perfect time to raise awareness of an issue that only has a little to do with prize money. I'd rather see a non-profit running most big races than private equity.
rojo wrote:
The other guy! wrote:There was another thread about competitor "let the market decide".
Plenty of other races are not giving back to pro athletes. What about Susan Komen races? How much of that money goes to pros? How much of that money goes to research?
I dont think most races should have prize money. Our biggest complaint is buying pre-exiting elite races and gutting them.
To be truthful, even if there was no prize money issue, i'd still be upset and think this is the perfect time to raise awareness of an issue that only has a little to do with prize money. I'd rather see a non-profit running most big races than private equity.
Be nice to see a non-profit running this site as well:)
'I dont think most races should have prize money. Our biggest complaint is buying pre-exiting elite races and gutting them.
To be truthful, even if there was no prize money issue, i'd still be upset and think this is the perfect time to raise awareness of an issue that only has a little to do with prize money. I'd rather see a non-profit running most big races than private equity.[/quote]
I don't agree. When I was fishing in tin pot competitions as a kid we would put up £1 or £2 each and the top 3 would share it
Its also unrealistic that enought not for profit organisations are goign to organise races. Despite not for profit charities awarding themselves big salaries, not enough companies will invest with poor returns
The issue is prize money in my opinion. If 10,000 people pay $70 to run a race its riduculous that the operator cna only put up $100 as prize money. I'm well aware of costs involved but after a certain cut off its making a pure profit with little additional costs
In the uk lack of money is the reason we don't have any decent runners behind Mo. Not many people are going to kill themselves for £20k lottery funding for 10 yrs with nothing afterwards
I dont have a problem with companies making a profit out of running but object to the selfish nature of both competitors and comapanies who are only interested in themselves
Why should they sponsor elite runners?
I could care less about elite runners.
jillsijsilllsnnivnin wrote:
Why should they sponsor elite runners?
I could care less about elite runners.
COULDN'T care less
Some of you guys are just too much. The brojos had a concept, went with it, and work hard at it. You guys spend most of your waking hours on this site, amusing yourselves, free of charge, and you can't wait for any opportunity to bite the hand that feeds you. So far as I know, the brojos are in the business of running a web site, not organizing races, and they are not buying up races that, for years, have been putting on great events, bringing in elite fields, and putting out a bit of prize money. When the brojos start charging $150 plus in entry fees and not shelling out a cent to athletes who deserve it, I'll jump on them. Until then, really, go take a nap.
BOYCOTT LETSRUN.COM. 'Bunch of socialists.
Letsrun would make more money from hosting a big race than they do annually from the site, and they could still give excellent prize money, which is a drop in the bucket for a race with tens of thousands of suckers paying hundreds, plus sponsors.
They are bunch of morons. I'd love to see them try and órganize a race, run a budget, solicit and sell sponsorships, and grease the locals for road closures and permits, and hope and pray they don't go broke doing it. Good luck. Bunch of amateurs.
rojo wrote:
I dont think most races should have prize money. Our biggest complaint is buying pre-exiting elite races and gutting them.
To be truthful, even if there was no prize money issue, i'd still be upset and think this is the perfect time to raise awareness of an issue that only has a little to do with prize money. I'd rather see a non-profit running most big races than private equity.
So, if they gut the pre-existing elite race, there should be a market opening up for someone to create another elite race?
Right?
Either the market for elite races exists or it doesn't.
Competitor is betting that it doesn't - and is directing it's money that way.
You guys say that it does exist - the onus is now on your (or someone like minded) to develop that market.
If you guys think the market could be created - even better, go do it.
But instead of ripping Competitor, you should be lobbying your non-profit friends to get involved.
Journalism is a different business than sponsoring. Let's Run fulfills the journalist function of reporting, and indeed editorializing, really well, and that's good enough.
need some originality wrote:
jillsijsilllsnnivnin wrote:Why should they sponsor elite runners?
I could care less about elite runners.
COULDN'T care less
What if he wasn't refering to the phrase? Ever think about that? Are you even educated? Did you graduate high school? Surely you didn't if you're quick to make judgements like that.
LetsRunThisTheRightWay wrote:
So, if they gut the pre-existing elite race, there should be a market opening up for someone to create another elite race?
Right?
Either the market for elite races exists or it doesn't.
Competitor is betting that it doesn't - and is directing it's money that way.
You guys say that it does exist - the onus is now on your (or someone like minded) to develop that market.
If you guys think the market could be created - even better, go do it.
But instead of ripping Competitor, you should be lobbying your non-profit friends to get involved.
Develop that market? It already exists. The Brojos' complaint is that CGI seems intent on dismantling the market, which took decades to build. Did Competitor build these races? No.
You don't just decide on a whim to build a new race and suddenly have a world class event.
sdfsdfsfddfsdfs wrote:
Why dont we set up another website and contribute all proceeds to elites? I think Letsrun makes approx 100k annually.
The brojos are a weight on the sport because they extract money from competitive running's fan base without contributing money to elite runners?
This seems inline with the brojos beliefs about business and running.
Why don't you work within your local USATF Assoc. and try to change the sport from within?
Ho Hum wrote:
Develop that market? It already exists. The Brojos' complaint is that CGI seems intent on dismantling the market, which took decades to build. Did Competitor build these races? No.
You don't just decide on a whim to build a new race and suddenly have a world class event.
Why not? IF you claim it already exists, then it shouldn't be too hard to create a world class event.
If CG creates a hole in the market, if you've got a good team, you can step in an fill the void.
Of course, that's based on the assumption that the market for this type of event exists.
CG says it doesn't.
I think deep down you know it doesn't - by evidenced by your statement that these events "took decades to build" - which means you have to develop the market.
Case in point:
5 years ago, did anyone do CrossFit? Barely. Now it's on ESPN. Maybe not world class, but much better produced than most road races.
They developed a market (and it was not done by a non-profit, btw.) And they're reaping the rewards now.
Are you saying the market for these events doesn't exist? So the currently existing market is what, then, a figment of my imagination?
A $200 event with 10,000 entrants, counting nothing else, brings in $2 million in revenue. Many of the costs will be paid by sponsors. The t-shirts are made by peasants in a developing country for pennies. There are numerous other avenues for making profits along the way. NYRR brings in well over $10 million in revenue from the marathon from entry fees, plus a great deal from application fees, then extra shirts (they design a bad race shirt that conceals the name of the marathon on the sleeves or back to get people to pony up for other stuff), coaching, and so on. I was 2nd overall and 1st master in a local charity road race with 5,000 competitors in one race alone, they raised $310,000, and they announced that the sponsors paid all of their costs. Prize money was non-existent. Small rocks were the prize. And no gift certificates this year, which had been provided by a former sponsor. They couldn't spend $1k or $2k? Meanwhile another local race, far smaller, far less sponsored, gave out $500 to the winners of each race and $250 to the runners-up. It's not that hard.
I , she was referring to
I couldn't care less.
The poster was correct, I meant I couldn't care less about elite runners. I do not enter races worried about them, nor does it factor into my decision on which race to enter.