Ironman sells out everything in sight as they are the only game in town. It would seem to me that the market is prime and ready for a competitor to step up. Someone who knows a thing or two about marketing and can snag the overflow from Ironman races. I know the logistics of putting on a race like this is a nightmare but for the right person like a Keith Jordan (Timberman), I think they could make it happen. Timberman is a perfect example of an area which has no Ironman events within 5 hours and its a great setting. Start in an area like this and slowly build it up. Nothing worse than a monopoly.
I’ve seen Keith post that he is NOT interested in iron distance. Of course, that was just one post, and who knows? However, any iron distance competitor, no matter how sucessful, will still be “just” a copycat of the original concept. I would LOVE to see it happen, but I think it would be a pretty tall order.
“any iron distance competitor, no matter how sucessful, will still be “just” a copycat of the original concept”
Agreed, and that’s a key point. The better approach would be to come up with an event that is orginal and novel on it’s own and sell, promote and build up that. It may take time( read: years), but that’s what Ironman was back 20+ years ago - a freaky, very novel and unique event that only a select few people did and not too may people knew about.
