This is exactly what is wrong with our sport.
i don’t have quite so much an issue with a race selling out so quickly. i have an issue with the registration being opened the day after…then selling out so quickly. being how expensive it can be between travel and accomodations, imo having to commit the $425-$450 on top of that the day after to enter for next year is crap. also, sometimes people might have a rough day and have self doubts and are reticent to register for the race again…and then change their mind later after it’s sold out and too late.
i think the better situation is to open registration 6 months before certain races. people will be more organized in their upcoming schedules and budgets, and be more secure in their commitment in doing that particular race.
also, i don’t see any reason why waiting lists can’t be implemented for a race and more liberal refund policies be given for individuals who can’t race for medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances. combine those, rd still has the administrative costs for the racer’s slot still covered, and someone who can’t race due to unfortunate circumstances doesn’t have to eat most if not all of the entry fee, which is a significant chunk of change for most people.
How about this- USAT steps up and establishes it’s own IM National Championship similar to the old USAT Coke Grand Prix events (I’m dating myself now). The best times in regional races compete at the national level regardless of the sponsorship deals and corporate dogma.
Kona has become so much of an icon, most regular folks have a enough challenges to deal with besides trying to forecast their lives, their spouse’s lives and their (god forbid) job schedule. Why don’t we (as USAT members) petition them to fix this crap. Oh, I forgot…we have no voice!
I dont get this scam at all…and DO have a solution…they wont listen though. Race entry opens 30 + days for the next year. The race will open on the first of the month, but more than 30 days from this years race - so, if a race is on July 25th, next years will open Sept 1. This will give people time to recover, save a bit (if they blew their wad at the race) and think more clearly about the next years race. You CAN sign up at the race however…if you are there, you pretty much get a ticket in for next year if you have the money…or, next month you take your chances on the internet with the rest of the world. Only sell the number of entries you want to arrive. None of this sell 3500 entries and hope only 2000 show up. There needs to be a policy where you can get a refund (for proper reasons and percentages) and then IMNA can re-sell your entry to the next person on their list. They should have something where if you get hurt and can prove it you get 100% back (as they can sell the entry for more than 100% as community fund proves). If you did not get hurt or have a valid reason to back out of the race, graduated refunds based on months are proper. IMNA managing the transfers will protect all of us from entry “scalpers”. Do not allow entries to be sold on e-bay for any reason, but, offer entries directly to charities and the such to auction at events for what ever cause…this too would have to be kinda watched as this could be a cheap ticket in for someone at a 503C. I think that community fund is a joke - and only benifits the same damn people who are already jacking prices and getting our tax dollars to begin with. Have some sort of on site registration for those willing to take a chance that they are just going to watch. If the race is on Sunday, mandate that by 2pm Sat you are checked in…if there is room…sell entries on site (and be honest about it). If there are none, they got another person to work the course didnt they?
The way I see it, if they can track 2200 of us swimming, biking and running - text message our splits as they happen and let the whole world know real time live where we all are on race day…what is the hard thing about an Excel spreadsheet that has our names and entry information on it changing by a field or two?
cricket…cricket
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I could read that, blast it at 140dB right into Graham Frasures (how ever you spell it) ear and still the only thing I would get is crickets…they dont care, they own the market, know it and make money from it…god bless them, and god bless America for it.
“I dont get this scam at all…and DO have a solution…they wont listen though.”
Why should they? They don’t see a problem with 2000 people handing them $900,000 to invest for a year.
They can’t be making many mistakes if their races are so popular.
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I’m of a completely different mind on this matter: the solution is capitalistic in nature. Keep raising prices until the “problem” is solved. This way IMNA could keep the fields smaller, other non-Mdot would flourish and it would spread out the registration frenzies. Comments?
Oh Joy, a race full of a spoiled bunch of rich kids
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That would screw most of the people that are actually there to race.
i agree with these suggestions. they are all within reason, and to administer these is not the rocket science imna would like us to think it is.
**Oh Joy, a race full of a spoiled bunch of rich kids **
So, how is that different than now:)
HEY, I resent that, I am not rich 
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But we know…they wont change anything.