“Geez guys, all I said was that,”
BUT, you still haven’t answered our questions. We’re not letting you off the hook that easy. Explain theyself. We expect more than name, rank and serial number.
“a superior higher education system (sure to raise some eyebrows up north, I am sure),”
Now you’re talking absolute crap and I’ll call you out on this one big time. The exception is if you’re going to Harvard, Yale or one of the top Ivy League schools .
Now explain thyself.
even harvard is bullshit…a scandal has been exposed recently about the mark inflation at some of the ivy league schools in the states…
I can speak from first hand experience that that is definitly NOT the case here (Queen’s = Harvard North :P)
There are so many costs to putting on an event. Participants expect things for their dollar and it becomes a vicious circle. “I’m paying this $ABC, how come I don’t get XYZ?”
Races are required to have police directing at intersections, yet have to pay the off duty officers “special duty” pay which is very pricey and a guarenteed number of hours standard. In Hawaii we have plenty of good water patrol but other state’s are required to pay for lifeguards. Don’t forget the price of t-shirts not only for the competitors but also the volunteers, cups, bottled water, fluid replacement, timing company, printing, postage, website costs, food on the course and afterwards, course directional signs, USAT officials, insurance, swim caps, race numbers and pins, pens, awards, truck/van rentals perhaps, and these items are just basics. Imagine how the price goes up for a “bigger” event . When the customer expects more, you have to provide it and the costs add up quickly.
On the other hand, I also feel that race directors waste their time and money on frivilous things like VIP badges, posters, flags for the finish line, and banquets instead of concentrating on a well marked, acurate, safe course.