mathematics wrote:
I'd compare it more to trying to get payout for a claim with an insurance company. You've paid them handsomely for a service in the future. You get marketing emails from their brand partners for months on end. You get invites for "Premium Upgrades exclusive to you!". From the second you give them your money they start asking you for more money.
Then it's time for them to provide their product and it's as though you are nothing but a pain in the behind to them. I'm sorry, no you can't come the morning of the race to rack your bike and pickup your number, you need to come 2 days before. Oh, no, you can't walk up to registration, you need to parade through a mall of overpriced T shirts. Sir, can I take your picture in front of this logo board? It will be available for $39.99 on IRONMANPHOTOS.com. And mind you, 90% of the people you interact with are unpaid volunteers.
It's not that their product is boring or anodyne, it's that their product is starting to feel less like a fun event and more like a post-market-capture money grab.
This is hysterical. The constant upselling and ad bombarding is irritating noise, so I just ignore it. I just wanna train and race.
After oceanside I just walked right past all that finish line stuff and started the shuffle back to get my bike. I just wanna eat and go home :)