April Fool's? Very impressive if it is. Lots of details and included a processing fee to snag everyone.

If not a joke, is not sign up. That's crazy expensive.

The processing fee cannot be ignored. Anyways did a test check out came out to 185, dont know why it I got 187 last time or maybe that is my reading error

Can you link the race details?

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Ya’ll suck at the Google:

https://www.active.com/...cdg=affiliate-254301

Exact price there.

Either way, feels like they’re drumming up the dollar spend on fringe benefits for the event.

Santa Barbara? yeah it's gotten pricey.
Malibu is more like $220.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Just for some international context,my old mate and Kiwi ex-pro tri geek Brendon Downey runs the biggest triathlon series in Queensland and here are the prices for his hugely popular events. They are obviously in Aussie dollars so at the current exchange rate $100 AUD is worth $66.74 USD The "Classic Distance" listed is 2k/60k/15k the rest you should already know.
The Event Crew

Today I paid $183.50 for a sprint BUT it’s a week away. So I paid, literally and figuratively, for signing up late. I’m a USAT member so I didn’t have to pay the one day fee. The entry fee was $160. Then they hit me with $23.50 for fee, etc. That’s what kind of gets me - the extra fees. But I wanted to do the race so I paid it.

RP

I would think it would be worth it to see where the triathletes are going, when they’ve had enough tri, can’t afford it, or the sport dries up in their area. Running races are where I still meet up with the folks I used to race tris with, some of us going back 40 years. Some have gravitated to the group rides out of the LBS, and gravel seems to be the growing thing there. Most of my tri friends have done an IM event or two, but that’s more and more becoming a one and done, or fond memories. Especially when you realize that you can put $100 a month, for two years, into the local running or cycling scene, for the cost of one IM trip. I love triathlon, and still train at an IM level, for health and fitness. But for this old retired guy on a pension, the racing has pretty much gotten out of reach.

Running races used to be feeder events for potential triathletes. But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen any tri advertising outside of very specific social media. I see many young folks at running events, or even at the gym, who don’t even know what a tri is.

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Athlinks / Strava

I am where you are at, triathlon becoming a self identity , but now feeling it will be a thing of the past

Living here in Indiana we've been very fortunate to have reasonably affordable race entry fees.
Bought a place in Florida and have done quite a few races down there this winter and the fees are easily twice if not more than here in IN.
I chalk it up to higher permits costs, police etc.....

just paid $175 for a sprint tri in FL a few weeks ago, i was visiting relatives and wanted to do an early season race. got overall podium but no award other than silly medal (almost same as finisher medal.) also noted that the $15 online reg fee goes to a company that appears to be owned by or synonymous with the race director...thats not cool is it? remember when some race fees were reasonable (bikereg @3%, or mail-in reg for the cost of a stamp)
as the OP stated this just isn't sustainable, the value is gone. i could race a month's worth of CX races for that price, or easily find an open water swim event, bike race and 5k for half that amount.

And what about a triathlon that charges you $130 for a VIRTUAL tri. Same entry fee as the in person option (swim in a pool and then multi loops run/bike course)...
With that said it takes place at a high school so I'm hoping it's actually a fundraiser but it's not specified anywhere.

Running races will always be a feeder system to tri for the simple fact it’s naturally the next thing you do when you get bored of running (the reverse of your explanation). Single sport running to tri is likely the overwhelming #1 pathway into triathlon, likely always has been and always will be.

But again I think the issue is running is easy. It’s cheap. Tri is never going to be either of those by default. And again I don’t think it’s some internal memo “let’s fleece” everyone and cause the sport to dry up. So if that means the sport dries up, then so be it. At some point putting on 3 events on public properties and using public resources is costly. There is no way around that yet you’ll compare it to a run race that is renting a public park and complain about costs of tri? It’s almost disingenuous to compare the 2 because it’s no where close to a fair comparison. That’s what I’ll push back on.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I paid $50 for the first tri I've ever done. Olympic distance. Roads were total crap, police support virtually non existent, saw multiple instances of driver aggression towards racers - more police support would have probably prevented this. Always said after that race that I would gladly pay triple or more just to guarantee a bit more support and maybe some better roads to ride on. I still feel that way. Did a 70.3 later in the year and it's pretty clear where that money goes to. Wasn't perfect, but it was a much better experience. They are probably overcharging a bit, but not by much I can't think. A super cheap tri is always going to make me raise an eyebrow now.

That sounds like your typical local tri experience. Closed courses are almost non existent outside of IM events and police support is basically only going to be at intersections yet at times traffic control can still be up in the air.

But that’s just it. Local permits will force the race to have required police support at intersections yet not even required to do a “good job” actually at it. They can easily just sit in their car and do nothing just have their lights on and the race has no recourse from that.

We are putting on a race 3hr away in an “vacation” destination and we are running into that’s just how the “locals” do it (they don’t manage the intersections they iust sit in their car w lights on). And they’ll lol at us asking for them to do better for sake of safety. They have us over the barrel. Push back too much and they’ll pull the permit. End of race in that area. we had an issue at an intersection last year and the local police force shrugged their shoulders.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

We are looking at it from two different sides. You have a product, and are wanting me to spend money on it. And I have the wallet, and am trying to decide what to spend my money on. So from the consumers side, it’s absolutely fair to compare anything to anything, to convince me to get money out of my wallet, and give it to you. As that consumer, I’m a lot less concerned about how much someone has put into their product, and a lot more concerned about the value I get from my money. This is why things come and go and prosper and flop.

The guy who put on our two biggest local tris, is a friend, an IM, and co owner of a local race/timing company. I think the most I ever paid for his triathlons, was $60. Even at that, the numbers were falling, and during the summer, the company is busy putting on multiple running events every weekend. He’s never come right out and said it, but it was pretty obvious to me, that the tris were either loosing money, or not making enough, to divert attention from their bread and butter running events. It’s sad really, because I loved those triathlons. But on the flip side, he’s still the RD or timer for many of the running races I still do, with many of the same athletes competing.

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Athlinks / Strava

Just my opinion but the second life for triathlon is coming now and it is a bit different from the first life. Kids are doing the sport and taking it seriously. In my sons swim team quite a few kids are swimming SO they can be good at triathlon.

I don’t know how it is going to shake out but I foresee weekend events that cost a bit more money and multiple races being the way the sport evolves.

I’ll tell you this for fun, here is some of the local talent:

Boys:
12 yr old twins, both 5:20 ish in 500 free, 5:18 in the 1600
12 yr old, 5:00 in the 500 free, 5:30 in the 1600

13 yr old girl, 5:30 in 500 free and 5:20 in the 1600

Yes and my point is if you are comparing running to triathlon on a "basic" level, run s99 out of 100 times is more value because there is less cost on the "sellers" end which then makes you the consumer happy. Thus if I the product have more fixed costs, well no duh your costs to do my product are more. And thus the "value" has to be raised. IM brand has value, that's why they can charge what they charge. But the local po dunk RD and races, they have to not only deal with more fixed costs but also just simple, their product will always be inferior, it's why it's "local". Most local events are put on by the mom and pop fly by night production.


Our biggest local RD, who puts on an 5k event 48 out of 52 weekends (they put on 6 triathlons vs 6x the amount of run events), cringes when he has to put on triathlons because it's way more work. I always laugh at him "when you going to become a run only race production", he jokes "closer today than last year that's for sure".

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Race production is hard and expensive. I've been involved with running, tri, cycling events over the decades, and have seen all the balance sheets

Short version: it's not lucrative.

I've done the race that started this thread, as well as the other races in the series put on by the same production company. I have to say they do a really good job of making the course safe. In some cases that's closed roads, in others it's giving plenty of space and cones and police traffic support where a road can't be closed completely. I've always felt safe and able to just focus on racing when I was doing their races. I assume a lot of their costs are associated with that, and I don't mind paying for it.

The cost does keep me from doing every one of their races every year, but I just choose my favorites. I'd rather do 2 or 3 safe races every year than 6 where I'm worrying about being hit by a car.

Are we supposed to keep the location and the company a secret? We are talking about San Diego, and the company is Koz Eventz.

My first triathlon was one of their events, Spring Sprint and this was back in 2015 or 2016 I think. They put on some really good events, and I've always felt safe. But yeah, the prices have gone up significantly and I have to be more selective on which races I will do, whereas in the past I'd just do all of them.

I think RDs also need to ask about the value added when making their event a USAT sponsored event. Is it worth making a 500yd, 12 mi, 5k with an expected attendance of 200-300 a sponsored event. I'm sure there are costs and requirements that USAT demands for this branding. Passing that cost to racers is fair, but are you hurting your event more than helping? I've done several of these and I'm not sure I see the value of the branding. Sure, it can count for points to rankings and nationals, but these type of small venue, small attendance races are mostly attended by locals doing their first event, relays doing the same, youths, and some serious racers from the area. They're not destination races and the list of hometowns show that. I'm sure there are behind the scenes reasons for going with a branded event, but knowing your product and the target audience make more sense to me, thus keeping RD costs down and the registration costs for 1 day licenses down. Just my $0.02.

Maybe someone can explain the value added for such small events and cost savings if USAT is not involved. Are we talking saving $20 per racer + 1 day license fees, more than that, less?

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Great things never come from comfort zones.

Just paid pretty much the same - $175 for race + fees to get to $186. For the race I'm doing, the bike portion is pretty much closed to traffic, which is a bit unusual for a sprint, so that probably makes the cost a bit higher. Race is where I grew up, and always like going back to race, so didn't really consider not doing it.

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I don't think it's a secret; someone posted a link earlier in the thread. Spring Sprint was my first tri too (2017 I think). SDIT is my favorite because I like the bike ride out to Cabrillo. Mission Bay is my second favorite.

New organizers took over ~4 years ago. As for closed course, yes they pay for that, but sdpd traffic control can do better (they don't have real police standing at crossings, real ones on Motos), so there have been incidents