And you think road racing's expensive? NYC Triathlon @ $1200/per

[54ny77]

All the bitchin' & moanin' about reg fees this or price tags that, chew on this one (or rather, try not to choke on it!):

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-15/ironman-1-200-price-tag-may-mark-end-to-new-york-area-triathlon.html

"The Ironman triathlon’s first appearance in the New York area may be its last after the company raised the entry fee to $1,200.

“This race may be one and done,” John Korff, the event’s local organizer, said in a telephone interview today. “The price is too high.” "


Funny thing was, I had read a story in the NY Times a few days prior to this year's event where millions of raw (but treated) sewage got dumped into the Hudson, in the path of the swimming route. Mmmm mmmm, tasty!

Sadly, someone died at the event this year as well. Never a good thing to hear of stuff like that in any sport. Condolences to that person's family & friends.

[Fixed]

It is n.y.c. I coundn't Imagine what it would be like to race I.m. there
I think it would be like racing in a Salvador Dali panting .
Definitely a memorable experience IMHO :cheers

[deechee]

Yeah there are a few threads about this on slowtwitch (http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=4106387;sb=post_latest_reply;so=AS C;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unr ead). Considering IM Lake Placid usually sells out within hours (or less) I don't really see a problem. The fact is, people *will* pay to do this race, regardless of the fact they can do the distance organized by other groups for far less. I've seen/heard of lottery spots going for far more.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and IF competing in this race and meeting the cutoff time qualifies me for Kona, and IF it's the only place on the east coast I could do that, and IF I'm in some sort of well-compensated profession that gives me the serious dollar bling needed to do this, then maybe, just MAYBE it would be worth that price.

Otherwise . . . Whaddyanuts?!?!?!

BBD

[pavel]

the worst part is that after everything is said and done, you end up doing a triathlon.

[54ny77]

I don't know anything about the demographic of tri's in general, but I was riding with a pal recently who was getting ready to do the NYC race. Am sure the fee was no issue.

I would guess tri's are much like cycling--a real cross spectrum of folks, some of whom lament the increasing costs, and some who don't care.

So it goes.

[54ny77]

Swimming in the Hudson isn't high on my bucket list!

the worst part is that after everything is said and done, you end up doing a triathlon.

[fiamme red]

My idea of a NYC triathlon is taking the 1 train to the A to the F. Only costs $2.25.

[54ny77]

X-Games 2013 will include trying to get on the L shuttle at evening rush hour, on a Friday.

My idea of a NYC triathlon is taking the 1 train to the A to the F. Only costs $2.25.

[67-59]

the worst part is that after everything is said and done, you end up doing a triathlon.

+1

They could offer to pay me $1200, and I still wouldn't do it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about bobbing about in the sewage-filled Hudson seems unattractive....

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . anything about how many entrants they hoped to atract?

I can very well imagine the costs to organizers to pay for all the permits, PD overtime, harbor patrol, insurance, etc., that would be needed to make something like this happen on any circuit that didn't involve simply running and riding around in circles. In NYC? It would be really expensive.

But what would the costs really be? I don't have enough knowledge to really have a good persepctive. I also understand that to get any promoter worth their salt to take on such a project there would have to be the prospect of reasonable profit to be made, but how much? And what would production costs realy be?

Unless my math is severely flawed, if they got 1000 competitors (sounds reasonable for an event of this magnitude) at $1200 per that's $1.2 million. Is that enough to pay for all he production and make a profit? What about 2000 competitors and $2.4 million? . . .

BBD

[forrestw]

Two different races, the annual NYC olympic distance triathlon is definitely a 'destination' race with entry fees on the order of 50% higher than any other Oly distance event. Usually the highest cost of these events is police details and paying union scale for all services associated with making arrangements with a very large municipality. It's the price of admission.

I did it in '08 I think the entry fee was $250 and it was a great time. For that price of admission the bike leg is on the closed - down northbound lane of the HH parkway and the run leg is in Central Park.

The Hudson was fine that year albeit with an unusual high count of jellyfish - urban races have the water checked for coliform count and if it's high (usually happens after heavy rain) they will switch to run-bike-run format.

I have no idea about the specifics of a new Iron distance race and yeah $1200 which is about double the going rate for ironman-branded events is steep but hey it's NYC, everything is expensive there.

[ctbiker]

Quote from Triathlete.com:
"With a staggering swim split of 39 minutes and eight seconds for 2.4 miles, Luke Bell was first to exit the water at the inaugural Ironman U.S. Championship."

Was it the strong current? ... or the raw sewage that prompted this record?

Ray "I've spent $500+ for an IM" in CT

[FGC]

The average income of a USA Triathlon member is $126,000.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/demographics.aspx

[fiamme red]

The average income of a USA Triathlon member is $126,000.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/demographics.aspxInteresting.

Spending (discretionary income)
50% of dollars spent on bikes and bike equipment
17% of dollars spent on race entry fees
8% of dollars on fitness clothing
11% of dollars on athletic shoes

$2,274 spent on bikes in past 12 months
$564 spent on race fees in past 12 months
$524 spent on bike equipment
$370 spent on training, running and athletic footwear
$277 spent on nutritional supplements

[MattTuck]

The average income of a USA Triathlon member is $126,000.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/demographics.aspx

Yeah, but what's the MEDIAN income? :fight:

[fuzzalow]

The Triathlon environ is New York City. One of the greatest cities in the world. Here, everything costs a bit more to fulfill versus the cost to stage a triathlon in the middle of nowhere. The logistics and cost to do something the geographic breadth of a triathlon magnifies the budget requirement.

Triathlons that cost $1,200 at face value might seem outrageous, until the element that it is NYC is factored in. Sames as the view that spending $$ thousands to play golf might seem outrageous, until that the venue were to be Pebble Beach is factored in.

And as noted, for some triathletes, $1,200 is not enough to fuss over.

[Fixed]

When I was following the world of swimming the swim around manhattan was considered a big deal .
Cheers

[soupless]

Finance guys spend that on lunch.
It's a prestige thing, like so much else now.

[cfox]

I can pee on myself for free. oops, excuse me one second

[54ny77]

I can't fathom the logistics of putting on an event that big in NYC.

Wouldn't be surprised if a majority of that entry $ is spent on city services.

Either way, I wouldn't swim in the Hudson for any length of time if you PAID me $1200!!!

[EDS]

I can't fathom the logistics of putting on an event that big in NYC.

Wouldn't be surprised if a majority of that entry $ is spent on city services.

Either way, I wouldn't swim in the Hudson for any length of time if you PAID me $1200!!!

The only portion of the event that was actually held in NYC was the last 6+ miles of the run which was on the bike/ped path along the Hudson. Finish was in Riverside Park at 84th street.

I do believe this years race sold out in under an hour, but the price increase perhaps has slowed entries for next year.

[pavel]

Interesting.


Originally Posted by FGC
The average income of a USA Triathlon member is $126,000.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-mu...ographics.aspx



Spending (discretionary income)
50% of dollars spent on bikes and bike equipment
17% of dollars spent on race entry fees
8% of dollars on fitness clothing
11% of dollars on athletic shoes

$2,274 spent on bikes in past 12 months
$564 spent on race fees in past 12 months
$524 spent on bike equipment
$370 spent on training, running and athletic footwear
$277 spent on nutritional supplements
__________________





and here is the result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJx-f_uuRrw&feature=related

[harryblack]

54, this is correct. Tri geeks might be slightly more into equipment than bike racers but look at the absurd display of carbon wheels at NYC park races and there's little-to-no room for condescension. I won't even get into the epigones of high-end custom frame biz that are this site's heritage...

That said, if you want the real banter on this, pop over to slowtwitch.com... which is A LOT more rhetorically freewheeling-- sometimes for better, sometimes for worse-- than this one.

I don't race triathlons but am now semi-fast road runner who also rides a lot so sometimes pop over there to see how others balance the two disciplines + I know and train with a few triathletes both in NYC and Florida.

Briefly, there's TONS of grousing about WTC (the Ironman owner/promoter). WTC is the organization that has Lance's triathlon career on hold btw; I'll assume you know that story and already have an opinion. (Mine is that LA should be racing until proven guilty etc.)

Cost for NYC is and was issue; likewise logistics.

Registration opened for NYC 2013, didn't immediately sell out and is now CLOSED and the whole race for next year is in jeopardy. Again, check out slowtwitch for the inside ranting and raving.

All that said, I think an NYC or NY/NJ Ironman is a great idea but until the REAL big $$$ come in form of sponsorship etc it's going to be very very difficult.

If there hadn't been the sewage spill and subsequently swimmer's death (that athlete btw was very trained, fit man, just a fluke that could happen to any of us), the media coverage of the race would have been nearly non-existent...

... which is NOT a good way to get all the various agencies, municipalities etc together, let alone VOLUNTEERS (a huge IM can of worms itself). In time, the race would have sold out for its novelty/weirdness value but between cost & difficulty of logistics... There was a legit hesitancy, even among well-heeled triathletes.



I don't know anything about the demographic of tri's in general, but I was riding with a pal recently who was getting ready to do the NYC race. Am sure the fee was no issue.

I would guess tri's are much like cycling--a real cross spectrum of folks, some of whom lament the increasing costs, and some who don't care.

So it goes.

[BryanE]

Quote from Triathlete.com:
"With a staggering swim split of 39 minutes and eight seconds for 2.4 miles, Luke Bell was first to exit the water at the inaugural Ironman U.S. Championship."

Was it the strong current? ... or the raw sewage that prompted this record?

Ray "I've spent $500+ for an IM" in CT

Swam downstream with the current.
Even I could do that.

[54ny77]

what did, the swimmer or the little brown thingies?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__ZUE_xceDLo/TDb42dC1fdI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/jUbMRex_j1Q/s1600/caddyshack.jpg

Swam downstream with the current.
Even I could do that.

[tch]

the worst part is that after everything is said and done, you end up doing a triathlon.

:banana:

[Fixed]

Bell is a pretty accomplished swimmer
IMHO
Cheers

[scrubadub]

The thing to remember is that for many people, an IM is not just a race but also ends up being a destination event and vacation. While the cost of the races is high, don't forget the associated travel costs like flights and hotels (and often for accompanying family). So for those living in the area, the high entry fee might still be cheaper than traveling to say IM Canada, Cozumel or even Lake Placid.

That said, I don't know what the costs are for IMNYC (this year they were dependent on ferries for a lot of transport) and I wouldn't pay $1200. There are lots of non-WTC branded events (the Challenge series for example) that are cheaper and arguably more fun.