COMPETITOR GROUP (Rock'nRoll Marathon races) is SCREWED

Yo Filly wrote:

You Are What You Is wrote:

Here in Raleigh they push the "charity" angle very hard. Take a look at how the logo says the race is "benefiting the V Foundation":

http://rnr30.compgroup.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/sites/9/2015/04/logo_ral-360x240.png

However, CG doesn't actually donate to charity:

http://fittish.deadspin.com/whos-actually-doing-the-donating-at-your-local-charity-1697522978

They do donate some race spots to people who want to fundraise. But CG is definitely working hard to give the impression that this race is about the beloved local charity (Jimmy V! NC State! Cuing childhood cancer!), when it's really not.

Other companies donate to charity without having people work for free. What CG does comes across as deceptive, taking advantage of people's good will to get them to volunteer. I don't know if that's really the intent or part of their business plan, but I think they need to be careful about it for sure.

This type of bait-and-switch tactic with local charities is at the heart of the lawsuit against Competitor. According to press reports at the time the suit was first filed, it's not that the law prof originally expected that she herself or other volunteers would be paid, but that she believed that her volunteering would help generate funds for a specific local charity. When she learned that her designated charity in fact had to PAY the Competitor Group upfront simply for the opportunity to be named as a designated charity recipient, she cried foul.

It's fitting that you mention Raleigh as an example, since the law prof initiating the lawsuits volunteered for St. Louis R-n-R twice as a bicycle escort. As a Raleigh-area resident, you are doubtless familiar with the exquisite poetic justice of this year's Raleigh R-n-R event: the Competitor Group got exactly what they paid for from the bicycle escorts.

http://www.wral.com/durham-runner-veers-off-marathon-course-wins-race/14588892/http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6446026

lets go far wrote:

Yo Filly wrote:

This type of bait-and-switch tactic with local charities is at the heart of the lawsuit against Competitor. According to press reports at the time the suit was first filed, it's not that the law prof originally expected that she herself or other volunteers would be paid, but that she believed that her volunteering would help generate funds for a specific local charity. When she learned that her designated charity in fact had to PAY the Competitor Group upfront simply for the opportunity to be named as a designated charity recipient, she cried foul.

It's fitting that you mention Raleigh as an example, since the law prof initiating the lawsuits volunteered for St. Louis R-n-R twice as a bicycle escort. As a Raleigh-area resident, you are doubtless familiar with the exquisite poetic justice of this year's Raleigh R-n-R event: the Competitor Group got exactly what they paid for from the bicycle escorts.

http://www.wral.com/durham-runner-veers-off-marathon-course-wins-race/14588892/http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6446026

HAHAHHAaahah....

I remember reading this. Classic. Anyone know what the entry fee was for the Raleigh HM? I'd be pissed if I paid and trained for a race and was led off-course. Like any other product... High price doesn't mean high quality.

Back to the misleading "charity" claim... i'm surprised there's not some type of regulation for this yet. Wasn't one of those "race for the cure" events busted for something similar (not actually contributing to any cause)?

Reminds me of when you see "ALL NATURAL" printed on a food label... the FDA has not defined that term so can be printed on anything for no reason.