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$1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this?
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When I heard IMNJ 2013 was $1200, I almost laughed out of my chair. I then said we are in an Ironman bubble and it will eventually pop and pop hard. Last night's news sort of confirmed my belief.

I don't think its a stretch to make the assertion:

You are somewhat out of your mind if you are willing to pay $1200 for an Ironman race.


The common push-back I am getting is...well if I go to a race far away I need to spend money on airplanes, hotel, etc.. While there is some truth to this, there are plenty of people who live nearby NYC and are glad to pay a couple months of rent.


We are entering unchartered territory here folks.

$75 compression socks
$75 swimming goggles.
$4000 wheels.

The list goes on...

Do triathletes have too much money in their pockets?
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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IT IS FUCKING CRAZY!!!!!!!


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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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When other WTC events sell out within hours (or faster), an economist would argue very logically that the race fee is not high enough.

$1200 is a lot, but so is flying in with a bike + hotel + any family tagalongs, which usually exceeds the cost of a big out of town race fee, even at $1200.

Wanna guess how much the average cost people spend for Kona? It's obviously a lot higher than $1200.

And yes, you CAN burn tons of cash in triathlon, and it's definitely not one of the cheaper sports, but you also don't have to be in that category. I've never spent more than $350 for total race and travel fees, as I've driven to all my races (I'm lucky to live in CA where there are a lot of races and have never needed to fly or overnight.)

I myself would have no problems paying $1200 for my "A" race IM distance event. At the same time, if I have a local non-IM branded race that I can do for a fraction of that, I'll likely do that instead, as I'm not even remotely wedded to the IM brand. As long as there's not a monopoly on racing, you can always choose another event. If people want to pay for the privilege of racing in the Big Apple, sure, go for it.
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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It depends on a host of issues, but I'd be willing to pay extra for a race with:

1. Clean air;
2. Clean water;
3. Safe roads;
4. Excellent support staff and logistics;
5. A place my loved ones would enjoy.

Some races already do a great job in these areas. Cozumel, IM Switzerland, Muskoka and probably Mont-Tremblant. Lake Placid is pretty good too. But, putting a race on in Louisville is not ideal...imho.

-Robert

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Ultra-tri-guy] [ In reply to ]
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the 70.3 here in western australia (busselton) is around $550 beans, and i think thats outrageous. It fills within minutes though. $1200, forget it. Im sure it will fill, but with only those with a higher disposable income or those who have saved up for it specifically.

And i agree, the price of wheels shits me to tears!
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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This tells me they may be close to hitting the "right" price: that which a willing buyer will pay a willing seller with both parties in possession of all relevant information and neither side being compelled to act.

In professional services like mine, if 20% of the public does not laugh at my price and end the conversation right there, I am probably not charging enough.

I want the client who will place a high value on my services, and then agree to pay it over and again because the value I deliver is still in excess of the cost to him. There are many other providers he may substitute for me, and he is free to do so. He has no duty to buy my services at my price, nor do I have any obligation to sell to him at his price.

Don't worry folks, the market will sort this out soon enough. It has for the last several centuries.
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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to my mind, $1,200 entry fee is ludicrious. but if it sells out, then why shouldn't the organisers charge it?

by way of comparison, the 70.3 in my area is €215 and most Olympic distance races are around €50. No way I would ever pay the equivalent of €1,000 for a race.
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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Personally I think it is insane. Maybe I'm a cheapskate, but I won't spend more than ~$100 on an event.

But if they sell out, the price they charged was correct.

And then as a result, you can expect the price of other races to increase.

I'm competing against my current fitness level, and planning to kick my a**!
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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Cervelo Apple wrote:

Do triathletes have too much money in their pockets?

Yes, and I will gladly take some of it. Who has an extra $5000 that they don't need?

How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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I agree.

I am willing to occasionally pay 600-700 (maybe every other year) for an "Ironman" race for someplace like IMLP, but as I keep finding/hearing of great races at much less cost (Beach to Battle, Great Floridian, Rev 3, Bone Island, Roth, Tinman etc...) these become much, much more attractive. I like volunteering to help our fellow athletes, but I can't help but feel a bit take advantage of to volunteer for the WTC (for profit), so I can wait in a line for 3 hours, give them a (mainly nonrefundable) several hundred dollar pre payment for a race a year away. Or I can see how a year unfolds, pay a fraction of the cost for another great race usually with refunds and/or transfers. $1200- wtf?, one could race all year at non WTC 70.3, 140.6 races or a couple of years for this and as long as you do not need 2500 other athletes (which isn't always a good thing) or to qualify for Kona you can/ will have every bit as much fun. Most of the expensive tri gear have value replacements- compression socks available in your local drug store for $10-20 (not as sexy, but will work just as well), wheel covers for $90, sequential compression devices $400-600 or pay 1000-5000 for the "fancy" sports version, etc.... Hey everyone gets to choose how they spend there money, but I feel the same as you that there is a real bubble in tri pricing, but maybe with more and more new and/or wealthy triathletes the market will stay strong- we will see. I know I will watch where and when I spend my money and look to slowtwitch to keep informed on the "value" alternatives out there. Have a good one.

Scott
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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coates_hbk wrote:
the 70.3 here in western australia (busselton) is around $550 beans, and I think thats outrageous. It fills within minutes though. $1200, forget it. Im sure it will fill, but with only those with a higher disposable income or those who have saved up for it specifically.

And i agree, the price of wheels shits me to tears!

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Hahaha...$550 for a half!!!Holy shit the mining boom must have hit the local tri scene......Seriously that is just stupid as Ironman Cairns is $750'ish...All up[ I honestly think it would be cheaper for me to fly from the Gold Coast to Phuket for the Laguna Phuket race with everything included than to fly to Busso for the 70.3..

Makes me wish I had done the Iron distance that they had in Collie in the early '90's

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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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$10,000 is not too much IF people are willing to pay and the race maximizes its potential revenue.
Unlike housing, I don't think people are taking mortgages to buy IM race entries. The people paying for this luxury can afford it.
We are seeing viable competitors to the IM brand (i.e. Rev3).
Let the market find its own pricepoint before trying to plan the economy like some Uncle Joe.

Remember - It's important to be comfortable in your own skin... because it turns out society frowns on wearing other people's
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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Everything is relative.

How much does the NYC Mary cost, compared to Wineglass or Mohawk-Hudson?
A - a LOT more. Why? It's in NYC.
Heck, it's a lot more expensive than Philly. Which is another big city event on the east coast.

IF I were interested, and IF I wanted to do IMNYC, the price tag would not have deterred me. It'd still be cheaper than LP, all-in.

How much does it cost to climb Mt Everest?
Now *that* is insane.
(but lemmings gladly line up to pay it)


float , hammer , and jog

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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Ultra-tri-guy] [ In reply to ]
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Ultra-tri-guy wrote:
coates_hbk wrote:
the 70.3 here in western australia (busselton) is around $550 beans, and I think thats outrageous. It fills within minutes though. $1200, forget it. Im sure it will fill, but with only those with a higher disposable income or those who have saved up for it specifically.

And i agree, the price of wheels shits me to tears!


----

Hahaha...$550 for a half!!!Holy shit the mining boom must have hit the local tri scene......Seriously that is just stupid as Ironman Cairns is $750'ish...All up[ I honestly think it would be cheaper for me to fly from the Gold Coast to Phuket for the Laguna Phuket race with everything included than to fly to Busso for the 70.3..

Makes me wish I had done the Iron distance that they had in Collie in the early '90's

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i know and it sells in like 4 minutes. They have huge waiting lists for spots. They prioritise spots for triwa members.
70.3 mandurah was born this year, to be raced in October. Entry is $400 odd. Its crazy.
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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I would never pay $1200 for an IM. That should be the cost of l a 3 race pass or something
You are right, it's unbelievably stupid.

____________________________________________________
I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it--
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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$7000 is just TOO MUCH for a bike. Can we finally admit this?

..................... but if people buy them, it's a fair price
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [BLACKSHEEP] [ In reply to ]
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BLACKSHEEP wrote:
$7000 is just TOO MUCH for a bike. Can we finally admit this?

..................... but if people buy them, it's a fair price
my wife would divorce me if i spent 7k on a bike
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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What's the over/under on the chances of the race returning for a second year?
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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Until people stop signing up, they're not charging enough.



-Andrew
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Murphy'sLaw] [ In reply to ]
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Murphy'sLaw wrote:
Everything is relative.

How much does the NYC Mary cost, compared to Wineglass or Mohawk-Hudson?
A - a LOT more. Why? It's in NYC.
Heck, it's a lot more expensive than Philly. Which is another big city event on the east coast.

IF I were interested, and IF I wanted to do IMNYC, the price tag would not have deterred me. It'd still be cheaper than LP, all-in.

How much does it cost to climb Mt Everest?
Now *that* is insane.
(but lemmings gladly line up to pay it)

$266 for NYC Marathon with all fees and qualification standards
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [ICSTG] [ In reply to ]
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ICSTG wrote:
Murphy'sLaw wrote:
Everything is relative.

How much does the NYC Mary cost, compared to Wineglass or Mohawk-Hudson?
A - a LOT more. Why? It's in NYC.
Heck, it's a lot more expensive than Philly. Which is another big city event on the east coast.

IF I were interested, and IF I wanted to do IMNYC, the price tag would not have deterred me. It'd still be cheaper than LP, all-in.

How much does it cost to climb Mt Everest?
Now *that* is insane.
(but lemmings gladly line up to pay it)


$266 for NYC Marathon with all fees and qualification standards

Exactly, and you get to see all of the boroughs. From what I have been hearing...IMNJ's route was nothing to write home about.
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [coates_hbk] [ In reply to ]
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coates_hbk wrote:
BLACKSHEEP wrote:
$7000 is just TOO MUCH for a bike. Can we finally admit this?

..................... but if people buy them, it's a fair price

my wife would divorce me if i spent 7k on a bike

my wife would be thrilled if I spent 7k on a bike.
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [ICSTG] [ In reply to ]
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Wineglass started at $70, max is $100.
Philly is $85-$125.

My point stands. You wanna do anything in NYC?
Bring your wallet.


float , hammer , and jog

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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [B.McMaster] [ In reply to ]
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B.McMaster wrote:
coates_hbk wrote:
BLACKSHEEP wrote:
$7000 is just TOO MUCH for a bike. Can we finally admit this?

..................... but if people buy them, it's a fair price

my wife would divorce me if i spent 7k on a bike


my wife would be thrilled if I spent 7k on a bike.

I bought my wife a $7k+ bike first...made it difficult for her to complain when I bought mine!



-Andrew
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Re: $1200 Is Just TOO MUCH for a race. Can we finally admit this? [Cervelo Apple] [ In reply to ]
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I would never be able to pay $1200 for a race, (unless the powerball numbers line up for me).
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