With his background (McKinsey etc), vast experience working with growth PE, he probably is well invested in the Ironman company as a share owner himself - he can sit back at age 60 (?) and do some board work in various companies, work 10h a week, go golfing and fishing whenever he wants to ... and doesnt have to put up with all this Corporate BS, press and travels.

Whovever comes next as CEO of the IM brand, has a pair of big shoes to fill. Kudos from here for the work he has done and what he has achieved.
Has there been things that could have been handled better? Certainly, but all CEOs experience that.

The fact that the owners does not have a replacement ready at the time of announcement hints that something abrupt has happened.

The fact that the owners does not have a replacement ready at the time of announcement hints that something abrupt has happened.

——-


Ive worked through 2 Canadian bank CEO transitions. The first CEO “retired” with near immediate effect after $2.4B ENRON right off. The second was a year long road show openly communicated transition from one to other, clearly the latter planned and better for employees morale.


No CEO just gets up and retire without comms plan of who successor is and what timelines are. Given the past 9-12 months of Ironman snafus this is an ask to retire not choice.


Hes done good work. Made tonnes of money. Good for him. But the Kona debacle, Hamburg, really poor ongoing PR, refusing to embrace PTO, putting races is stupid places (muskoka ironman, Tulsa, Des Moines, Alaska) has caught up. And numbers are way down.


Im curious how bullish new CEO will be in ultra and gravel events.

---

@rhyspencer

Ironman has grown based in new athletes arriving to our sport, so it was not a proble to care athletes.

Few people is happy paying more for the same. Nobody likes to pay more for less.

So the question is if the Ironman prices are fair, if their cancel policy is fair, if Ironman WC is an attractive product anymore...

I have one last thought: one teacher said to us, during a lesson about fixed /variable costs, if a company decides to decrease the cost at minimum they would decide that to recude variable cost to 0, they should not produce anything, and to reduce the overall cost to 0, they shall close.
When they decide to cancel a good Ironman like Ironman Mallorca to still do the Ironman 70.3 Mallorca. They decide to cancel Ironman UK, but still doing the 70.3... Ironman Lanzarote still without date for 2024. To earn more money of Ironman Hawaii... move WC to Nice... yes, someday they would decide to cancel Ironman races and do only marathons or gravel races.

I don't know which objectives the new CEO will have. Short term objective to allow the property to sell the company with benefits? It is my bet.

i guess he has done good work given that in every sale ironman lost substance by increasing debt and that he manged to stay 12 years says a lot.
at the same time i wonder who wants to take over a ship that seems to sink every year a bit more.

they have to work hard, and to think that not all triathletes earn 100k-200k USD/year. Most of us earn much less, even less than 50k USD /year. And that Ironman is our expensive whim race... but if you make the count of registration+travel an increment of more than 25% per year is too much, and they are throwing out many people.

I think in general he did some really great work for the sport and the brand. Some decisions are certainly not without valid criticism. I find the timing odd in so far as the marquee event for the brand is in a state of disarray due to his efforts to broaden participation. I think whoever takes over need to find a solution for the Kona Problem.

---

-Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN!
Team ZOOT
ZOOT, QR, Garmin, HED Wheels, Zealios, FormSwim, Precision Hydration, Rudy Project

I think part of Ironman’s problem nowadays is they are still clinging so hard to the 140.6 distance when it’s clearly evident the 70.3 distance is where their growth and expansion is. I think they know this but are having a hard time transitioning to this reality.

---

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

It wound be interesting to see how many 70.3 participants aspire to do a full.

---

-Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN!
Team ZOOT
ZOOT, QR, Garmin, HED Wheels, Zealios, FormSwim, Precision Hydration, Rudy Project

who wants to take over a ship that seems to sink every year a bit more

———-


Sinking in North American market at 140.6 distance. Growth in UK and Europe. Overall Quadruple growth in 12 years in 70.3 while UTMB is rapidly growing.


But the clean up is real. Lots of debt. Loyal customer base pissed off and 2024 “real” competition as PTO expands. Add the Kona debacle. Be a big job for sure.

---

@rhyspencer

Without question PTO is challenging the professional race but they have very small AG participation.

---

-Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN!
Team ZOOT
ZOOT, QR, Garmin, HED Wheels, Zealios, FormSwim, Precision Hydration, Rudy Project

1- He didn't quit by his own volition, it's obvious he was pushed out. Not uncommon for companies on the decline to do the easy thing first and sack the public face of the company. "See, investors, we're doing something to change"

2- The participants are the customers. This seems to get lost on a lot of people. An Ironman athlete is nothing more than a passenger on an airline in the eyes of the company. Provide the bare minimum product that maximizes the return on investment.

3- I wouldn't count on this being a good thing for triathlon or athletes. Ironman the company on the decline is going to have to be more aggressive in protecting it's brand and assets. Hosting a race is a risk, it could make sense to cancel more low-margin or low-revenue races. Cancelling races makes the still existing races more exclusive....aka more expensive.

4- Not Messick specific, but what's the carrying capacity for existing venues? Costs for the races are relatively fixed, more participants = more $. I would push for fewer races with more participants.

5- Diversification into 'adventure' style races. The infrastructure is already there, just host the exact same event on a dirt road instead. Call it IRONMAN OffRoad p/b Dogecoin.

Has he stepped down or actually leaving Ironman?

I hope its the Latter.

Yeah. Remember that time he didn’t want equal numbers of women and male professionals?

He did great work there.

Gezzus. He was a sexist arse

I find the 70.3 distance perfect from a training perspective (9-14hrs per week) with no crazy long weekend rides, and also it allows me to 'race it' more than just a gruelling endurance fest.

I have zero interest in a full - I'm sure others feel similar. Kudos to everyone that does a full thou - epic achievement.

---

Regards, Richard
3D Bits and Pieces - https://www.printables.com/@thetrickster_793480

He is going to help find his replacement and is remaining on the Board.

---

-Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN!
Team ZOOT
ZOOT, QR, Garmin, HED Wheels, Zealios, FormSwim, Precision Hydration, Rudy Project

They did. Just finished listening. Good interview although I wish Jack spent less time relitigating their last conversation and he clearly has a high opinion of his media skills.

---

-Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN!
Team ZOOT
ZOOT, QR, Garmin, HED Wheels, Zealios, FormSwim, Precision Hydration, Rudy Project

andrew has considered me part of the sounding out process at both ends of his IRONMAN tenure. i knew him while he was running the tour of california. he called me months before he took the IRONMAN job and we talked about it. he called me well before this retirement announcement and we talked about it. so, no, nothing abrupt about this and this was not an event-driven decision.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

So Ironman has known for months and yet still do not have a succession plan. Great to read their business is well planned out. This is basics.

We shall see where it takes us.

---

@rhyspencer

i didn't write that ironman has known for months.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Why is this so difficult ?
Who needs a CEO ?

Simply create a thread here on ST and let it set the direction of IM.

What could go wrong ?

FTFY

Fair point yes.

Andrews first IM was here in Penticton. When Challenge swooped in and our former city council bought the pitch Andrew flew up here and offered a lot to keep IMC. He didnt win that and city council and manager all gone now and IMC is back. Worlds turn.

Again, we shall see where it takes us.

---

@rhyspencer

andrew has considered me part of the sounding out process at both ends of his IRONMAN tenure. i knew him while he was running the tour of california. he called me months before he took the IRONMAN job and we talked about it. he called me well before this retirement announcement and we talked about it. so, no, nothing abrupt about this and this was not an event-driven decision.


We live in very busy hectic and chaotic times. I'm super low on the pecking order for CEO's, Presidents and Company owners to get back to. But Andrew has always been one who has, after I have sent him a note. I know he's a busy guy and I have zero expectation, but he always returns the 3 - 4 email messages I send to him in any given year!

---

---

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

They also need to offer aquabike at races for those of us on our 4th decade in the sport and whose knees have taken the worst of it.

Also, in general, I suspect the median age AG triathlete is not young probably 40s - 50s.

Keep us around! We got disposable income to race but not so many opportunities if we can’t run.

Great timing on his part. It will be difficult to continue to improve and grow this brand.

---

It's a Good life if you don't Weaken!
My Mom 1922-2004