Competitor Group Reinstates Appearance Fees

Wow, nice find.

Thanks to Coach Sunlund.

Good for the runners

luv2run wrote:

Good for the runners

Good for a handful of runners.

Bad for the rest who are subjected to their races being bought out and held hostage by exhorbitant race fees and being subjected to crappy local bands every 5 or 6 minutes during the whole race.

The police and fire unions have the cities by the balls. We have to pay them overtime and feed them or we have no races. Even the parking maids get overtime. The police and fire men make $200,000 year and retire early.

But glad they are doing this. They say more focus on supporting Olympic qualifiers.... Domestic guys would go over well in local press and better post race interviews than a random Kenyan.

We did it letsrun! Boycott over! Everyone can run their local rock n roll race now.

What could of appearance fees were there/are they going to hand out?

Whether you like him or not, it is good to see how Tracy Sundlun is at the senior levels at one of these PE firms.

I remember him being a race director for an indoor series of races (3000m?) at Pratt U., in Brooklyn. It was sponsored by a company that made Bee Pollen tablets.

I assume he was associated with the NYRRC around that time too.

Still won't run their race wrote:

Domestic guys would go over well in local press and better post race interviews than a random Kenyan.

Based on what?

For the sake of the sport, I'm glad Competitor is doing this, but it should also be a good business decision for them. Lots of "back of the pack" runners may not know or care about the particular elites running at the front but if RnR races get the reputation as races that serious runners won't run, that starts to drag down the brand and the coolness factor for the recreational runners Competitor is targeting. Personable elites interacting with the local press is also a great source of free publicity.

I already have an ipod wrote:

... and being subjected to crappy local bands every 5 or 6 minutes during the whole race.

I have to disagree. The last time I ran their half in Chicago the Judas Priest cover band at mile 9 or so was the best thing about the event. But that is only because the kid that dressed up as Wil Ferrel from the Blue Oyster Cult skit on SNL didn't show up with his cowbell that year.

Appearance Costs What? wrote:

What could of appearance fees were there/are they going to hand out?

Mo farah will pocket a staggering £750,000 for running twice in the London Marathon - even though he will complete only the first half this year, a decision Paula Radcliffe branded 'a little strange'.

The fee Farah will receive for appearing in the race dwarfs even the £500,000 it is believed Radcliffe took home in her heyday.

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Still won't run their race wrote:

But glad they are doing this. They say more focus on supporting Olympic qualifiers.... Domestic guys would go over well in local press and better post race interviews than a random Kenyan.

Agreed. They are essentially saying they only want to support the top elites and Americans within reach of the OT standards. These are the athletes people are interested in and makes for a good story. Having open prize purses with B and C level foreigners brings nothing to the event. Good for CGI. Now to see other races take notice.

Still won't run their race wrote:

But glad they are doing this. They say more focus on supporting Olympic qualifiers.... Domestic guys would go over well in local press and better post race interviews than a random Kenyan.

YES. This is what I was screaming when they announced the cuts last year.

Bringing in a D List Kenyan to win the race does nothing. Bringing in a regional elite is at the VERY least a recognizable face and puts money back into the running community.

Read Competitor's own release:

http://running.competitor.com/2014/01/news/rock-n-roll-series-launches-new-elite-program_93867

This is a PR move. They're only doing support for 2 events. 2 for men and 2 for women that are trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials. And they have a year long Half Marathon Grand Prix with prize money at the end.

While this is a nice start, it's far under what they were previously doing and is only providing support in 2 of 29 races.

20 Second PR wrote:

Read Competitor's own release:

http://running.competitor.com/2014/01/news/rock-n-roll-series-launches-new-elite-program_93867

This is a PR move. They're only doing support for 2 events. 2 for men and 2 for women that are trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials. And they have a year long Half Marathon Grand Prix with prize money at the end.

While this is a nice start, it's far under what they were previously doing and is only providing support in 2 of 29 races.

Dont bite the hand dude..

Giving money to ANY elites is "just a PR move" Boston giving money is "just a PR move" ..

Great news- remember, road racing started for the elite, serious runners. It became popular in the late 1970's as a mass participation sport and has evolved into a mass participation party.

But, with out the elites they wouldn't be here at all.

Also remember that this is the only sport where everyone can run in the footsteps of the elites- competing at the same time.

Thank you Teddy