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Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all
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I'm very curious what this audience thinks about this question.

Ironman is promoting that they have 100,000 people in their virtual club and that is impressive. But it's free. It seems to me that they may be slowly inching their way toward asking people to pay for something - anything in the world of virtual racing.

It looks to me that there were 2133 finishers in the worldwide virtual event 70.3 in the challenger division. I confess that didn't look at the classic numbers.

So what say you slowtwitchers? In your opinion is there a viable business model that might work for virtual multisport racing?
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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I believe its virtual duathlon!!!

Even physical duathlons are pretty flakey as a biz. Without a tie into real triathlon, generally very few want to do duathlon. So lets see.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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IMHO, only to the extent that it is a gateway to physical events. I did the first VR, and I started the 2nd VR but lost interest. I just changed my mind about the VR championship series to get a WC NZ 70.3 slot, and will probably be doing that. It is relatively low risk, because I'm not sure I could make the new NZ date (which is not even announced yet) or if NZ will allow the inbound travel. But, it is something to do.

It is too easy to cheat the virtual environment, and even if everyone is totally honest, it is impossible to ensure that everyone is experiencing the exact same conditions. Then, there is the intangible that when I am on course and see another guy with my AG on his calf, it pushes me to go harder. I am not sure I can fake that push in any virtual environment.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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if you can get 100,000 people to do ANYTHING, you can make a business out of it. Product placements, adds, and sponsorship.

And Rouvy/Zwift are NOT free.

The final piece of the puzzle will be adding swimming. These events are here to stay.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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People are out there paying over $20 for a medal and a t-shirt for a fake virtual race they did themselves over a weekend or a month. Run across america...run across "blank"...log your miles, buy your medal/t-shirt. People are doing it.
Now that IM is going to offer real world race slots for virtual race participation, they will move to charge admission for virtual races in time. It's inevitable.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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People will pay silly money for M-dot T-shirts and "finisher" medals etc,etc,etc so it is only a matter of time before Ironman start charging for their virtual events.Right now we are just watching them bait the hook.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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i personally have zero interest in anything VR. you will never be able to place enough controls on it to make it completely even regarding the course. different trainers for the bike leg will report variances between each other for power output, no run will be exactly the same being uploaded from various places, etc.

that, plus why the hell do i want to spend all this time training just to do the race in the same place / fashion i do my training? the race itself is the culmination of all that work and its a grand event.

80/20 Endurance Ambassador
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [FasterTwitch] [ In reply to ]
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FasterTwitch wrote:
People are out there paying over $20 for a medal and a t-shirt for a fake virtual race they did themselves over a weekend or a month. Run across america...run across "blank"...log your miles, buy your medal/t-shirt. People are doing it.
Now that IM is going to offer real world race slots for virtual race participation, they will move to charge admission for virtual races in time. It's inevitable.

I see this too but in my mind I think this is actually selling t-shirts and medals. I have not paid for virtual races ... yet. I almost signed up for the wine 5k to get the t-shirt but then I didn't. If the motivation is just the cool shirt I just wonder about it.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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Not a chance this is a viable business model. Maybe in the short term it can scrape together a few pennies but it’s not replacing real racing. Maybe a business model based on virtual action can be successful in some way, but I would think in a more outside-the-box, not competition related, sort of way.

FWIW I did one virtual race and was in the back of the pack on the bike leg despite having comparable performance and power to near FOP, because I actually rode outside and everyone else rode inside. I was even on a flat loop closed to traffic. No chance 50% of athletes are actually riding 23mph/40kph on a real road for HIM distance. Simply not valid or worth doing in a virtual capacity ever imo.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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I've actually done all of them, along with most of the Strava challenges.

Without a specific race to train for, it keeps me balanced and relatively close to peaking, and the events aren't so competitive that I'm risking overtraining or injury. I'll supplement with extra miles if I feel like it, and strength training 4-5 days a week.

I'm not arguing that it's the best thing in the world, but at least it's something specific that's a little motivating, rather than just following a training plan with no idea when my next race will be.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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Ironman's VRs are completely free. You don't have to purchase your VR stuff at all. It's funny though, we have a few local promoters that have done free ones and ones you have to pay for. This is just customer engagement and marketing. Smart move in general. But I don't see how swift racing is viable either, yet there are payouts at various events.

Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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I don't believe so. I can watch paint dry while on my trainer by myself. If I want to compete in a "virtual" race/game/tournament I'll at least have it be a fun video game from the comfort of my couch.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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NOPE. Its a short term fix to keep the RD's we like in business this year.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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Miamiamy wrote:
I'm very curious what this audience thinks about this question.

Ironman is promoting that they have 100,000 people in their virtual club and that is impressive. But it's free. It seems to me that they may be slowly inching their way toward asking people to pay for something - anything in the world of virtual racing.

It looks to me that there were 2133 finishers in the worldwide virtual event 70.3 in the challenger division. I confess that didn't look at the classic numbers.

So what say you slowtwitchers? In your opinion is there a viable business model that might work for virtual multisport racing?

I don't see how a virtual triathlon works. At least I'm not interested. But I've been wrong before and folks like all types of stuff that I don't.

For example, I don't like stationary bikes, except for a quick warmup or recovering from injury. I'd never use a Pelaton. But I know people that love Pelaton and I think they are crazy. Anyway, I'm not interested in a virtual triathlon.
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [Miamiamy] [ In reply to ]
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I like the *idea* of it and hoped to use VR to keep my fitness up as something of a carrot to train for. But in reality, both of the VR duathlons I did were pretty meh. Part of the problem is the discontinuous timing - everyone has weeks to perform, so you can knock out a quick 5k run or a fast virtual 40k bike and then...wait...sometimes for weeks...to...see...the...result. Just not satisfying (for me). But I'm sure that there may be ways of monetizing this, especially if the entry fee were low and the number of participants high. The entry fee could pay for some new ways to integrate/present the data - a virtual race where all times are combined at the end (like Penguinman), maybe. Someone more clever than me might develop an approach that is more 'immediate'. And yes, I understand that the times are wonky, so I'm not trying to aim for the podium. Maybe if there was a series it could track some metrics as a function of time...I dunno...
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Re: Is virtual triathlon even a viable business at all [B.McMaster] [ In reply to ]
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B.McMaster wrote:
NOPE. Its a short term fix to keep the RD's we like in business this year.

^This!! I'm on number 3 right now for these reasons:

1) Virtual Sprint Triathlon - I did this to support a local coach and friend.
2) 12/48 Challenge - I did this to support my online club and also to push myself ... it wasn't easy.
3) Run/cycle across "blank" - I'm doing this now to support my son who is a RD.

I would like all of these entities to survive. When the real things return, the virtual stuff will dry up like Sponge Bob in Death Valley.
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