Runners hit the wall of $255 marathon entry fees.
The price increase that put an entry in the ING New York City Marathon at $255 has created fears among runners and organizers that the sport will price itself out of its of success.
A story from Bloomberg details the backlash against the price hike, and the sentiment that marathons are now becoming elitist.
“I'm concerned about the sport,” said Rick Nealis, race director of the Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Va. “When are we going to price ourselves to the point where people stop coming?”
Not yet, it seems.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon sold out its 45,000 entries in six days, at $150 per entry.
Demand for the New York Marathon, even at the $255 price, has been strong, according to the Bloomberg piece.
And running is in a boom, with participation in the half-marathon growing by double-digit percentages and more than a half million people now finishing a 26.2-mile race each year.
In the Bloomberg piece, Nealis touts the Marine Corps Marathon as the only one in the country with a fee below $100.
Not true.
The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon has an entry fee of $75.
8 Comments for "Runners hit the wall of $255 marathon entry fees."
Glad to see the Lakefront keeping costs down. The Comrades quote is either ignorant or self-serving (but glad to see them keeping the costs down as well), as there are numerous <$100 marathons in the U.S. A few marathons come to mind here in Colorado, with one of the lowest being a trail race in Salida for <$50, but the list includes other road races (Steamboat, Estes Park). Many others across the country are otherwise <$100 for "early entry", meaning that they only exceed $100 if you take the luxury of waiting to register at the last minute (which can be a nice option in some circumstances). Lastly, since all ultramarathons are also marathons (and then some), with many 50k's and 50M's still being less than $100 -- that's where you really get your money's worth.
With that, I think races will follow the dichotomy of runners themselves: in it for hype, crowds, Facebook bragging, and "bling"/trinkets; or in it for the love of running. Because of the latter, there will still be plenty of affordable options.
madcoca Feb 13, 2012 12:48 PM
The inaugural Minocqua No Frills Marathon has an early registration fee of $35...yeah not as exciting as running in NYC but probably prettier.
madrnr Feb 13, 2012 4:41 PM
Tom Held Feb 13, 2012 5:07 PM
hollyanne99 Feb 14, 2012 10:25 AM
mkerunner711 Feb 14, 2012 3:06 PM
wisconsinvoter Feb 15, 2012 8:25 PM
1) Why don't runners complain about paying $300/per night for hotel with 3-night minimum stay, $400 for plane tickets and another $500 in meals to travel to NYC or Boston, but they complain about an expensive entry fee? Even at $255, the entry fee is probably the least expensive part of the "out of town" marathon experience.
2) Anyone who paid attention in Economics class knows that price is a function of supply and demand. If you have an event that is selling out each year, you raise prices. It's just smart business.
3) While the Lakefront Marathon is a quality event (I have run it 5 times including last year), they are organized by a non-profit and that takes some of the profit motive out of the equation. I am not sure, the NYC Marathon may also be operated by a non-profit, but the Chicago Marathon is owned by a bank and they do an excellent job of squeezing every last penny of revenue out of the runners. And remember, nobody is forced to pay for any of these things. We do so because we work hard and want to spend our money on things we enjoy. For those of us in Milwaukee, a trip to New York City or Boston or even Chicago is a special treat.
It is so tiresome to hear people complain about marathon entry fees. If you don't like it, don't pay it. And if enough people don't pay it, then they will lower prices. It's call free markets and capitalism, and it's a beautiful thing.
Runner53185 Feb 16, 2012 4:28 PM
With that in mind, entrance to races need not "raise prices" because you declare it to be "smart business" -- there are other approaches of distributing finite resources that are more directly related to the event itself.
Some races still provide entry mechanisms based on running merit/qualifications, so that a fast/talented/dedicated runner (perhaps a teacher or social worker or student) might have a better shot at getting into a specific race than a person who accumulated more wealth in a fashion completely unrelated (e.g., inheritance) to running, who may only be marginally qualified to attempt the distance anyway. Other races may value fundraising efforts instead. Still others still provide a "first-come, first serve" method of distribution, similar to the way that grocery store and gas station queues work in the same way, rather than providing fastest service to those with the largest bill or those willing to pay the most extra. These alternative mechanisms may be actively chosen by race directors so as to create *their* race with the character they desire, rather than the wealthiest folks. I hope these make sense to you, as the generally egalitarian notion of running is one of the aspects that appeals most to me and many other runners.
madcoca Feb 16, 2012 9:03 PM