21 replies to this topic

[buzzlightyear]

With the rising cost in road closures, insurance, traffic plans, and lesser in Sponsorship monies, what is a reasonable price for a standard road marathon nowadays?

It's a hard question to answer for every Road marathon (Canberra, Melbourne, GC and other grassroot marathon like M7 or even Barossa or Uluru), if you can equate it just the overall cost.

How do you decide whats too much? Ss Sydney $135  (early bird) not-expensive because it finishes at the Opera House?

Do you think organiser have a big profit margin when it comes to organising road marathons?
How do you decide what is "value for money"?


A bit of perspective

Sydney Marathon - $135 (earlyBirdy)
Melbourne Marathon - $125 (earlyBirdy)
Brisbane Marathon - $120 (earlyBirdy)
Gold Coast Mara - $120 (earlyBirdy)
Canberra Marathon - $99 (earlyBirdy)
M7 marathon - $80

[thomo]

What is considered a fair profit margin is subject to what a R.D has to use their risk capital on the speculation of x amount of people and x amount of costs. They may have only one chance a year to earn their income.

Venue and what is provided is part of my criteria. Finishers shirt and medal is a must for me.

Under a $100 would be fair, doesn't mean that is what I will get.

BTW, $108 is the price of Gold Coast Marathon with Team discount. Best value bigtime marathon.

BTW2, M7/ Cities was discounted below $80 if you were a SMC member. Best value marathon around in my opinion. Well organised and finishers shirt and medal included in price.

BTW3, $93 for SMH Half Marathon is way above the odds but I still do it. Hidden Half is only $40. Different courses, different costs involved. I understand that.

[Pom]

What I'm prepared to pay definitely depends on the location and "standing" of the event. I am happy to pay the $135 to run Sydney as it's my home town City marathon. However, I'll only be spending that much once this year. Canberra is good value I think, with a very nice medal to boot. After that, you can't go past the M7 for great value. I have no real idea of how much effort goes into organising a marathon, what with road closures, barriers to be erected, and toilets arranged. Let alone getting enough volunteers to man the aid stations. I am sure that there are many, many man hours clocked up in the process though.

[Paul Every]

My one marathon this year was at SMC. I think it was about $30 to enter and had everything I wanted, (accurate course, enough people to race against, a bit of post-race food, etc). I'm not interested in medals and shirts, but I recognise that I'm probably in the minority.

Canberra entry seems reasonable for a city marathon. I'd prefer to race an event like Hunter Valley than pay more for Gold Coast. Bigger (and more expensive) doesn't equal better in my books.

thomo, on 30 July 2012 - 06:19 PM, said:

BTW3, $93 for SMH Half Marathon is way above the odds but I still do it. Hidden Half is only $40. Different courses, different costs involved. I understand that.

...or different courses and different profit margins?

With the economy of scale, I would be surprised if SMH didn't draw a larger profit/runner than Bankstown. Also 10000 entries vs 200-odd. I am happy to be corrected by those in the know.

SMH Half is overpriced for my tastes, though 10000 others obviously have a different opinion.

[Hamburglar]

$135 is probably fine for a first timer or someone who runs 1 or 2 events like this each year. They would definitely see value in it.

When you start to do 4 - 8 big events like this per year, with some of them interstate, $ becomes much more of an issue.

I would guess that most of the big marathons would include people from the first group and thus demand will not be reduced at these entry fee levels.

My bug bear is having compulsory merchandise purchase included in the entry fee (e.g. sixfoot). Just makes it that bit too expensive when you already have 20 running shirts.

[walshy2]

I stopped doing the SMH Half in Sydney due to the rising costs and the fact that they have too many people for the course IMO.

I dont mind paying for a really well organised big city marathon.

I used to play golf, now there's an expensive sport with memberships, green fees, clothing, balls, clubs etc etc

I think running is pretty cheap compared to lots of other sports, even with the odd trip away etc.

These days a good night out is over $100, so better to use the cash for a running event than pXssing it up against a wall

[yeti]

I couldn't vote because for me none of the option appears to be "reasonable".

Looks like race entry fees are significantly higher in Australia than over here. Sure, we got our rip-off events too (London), but even the major events rarely exceed 100€ (~117A$). In fact, Berlin is the only marathon in Germany I'm aware of which is actually charging (up to) 100€. The other two big ones (Hamburg, Frankfurt) are around 75€ (~87A$). And if you move away from the big (10.000+ starters) events it gets even cheaper. For comparison the entry fees I paid for my 3 marathons last year were 50€ (~59A$) at Leipzig (Germany), 52€ (~61A$) at Mittelrhein-Marathon Koblenz (Germany) and 45CHF (~44A$) at Maratona Ticino in Tenero (Switzerland). All 3 perfectly organized, medium size (200 finishers in Tenero, ~1.000 for the other two) road marathons.
N.B. those are not early bird fees, those are 4 weeks before the event.

Yeti

[ninjette]

Did you start the bidding too high, Buzz?

Townsville marathon (on this Sunday) was $75 early bird entry which includes event singlet.

The tropical warmth to run in will be wonderful coming from a Sydney winter and I'm looking forward to the beautiful coastal run up to Cape Pallarenda and back, with Magnetic Island in view.

[Duf]

I think it's true what a previous poster said (the Hamburglar).....my first marathon is coming up (sydney) and the price wasn't an issue and I couldn't remember how much i had even paid....i'm sure once I'm competing more price will become more important.

[Eagle]

Hamburglar, on 30 July 2012 - 06:52 PM, said:

$135 is probably fine for a first timer or someone who runs 1 or 2 events like this each year. They would definitely see value in it.

When you start to do 4 - 8 big events like this per year, with some of them interstate, $ becomes much more of an issue.

I would guess that most of the big marathons would include people from the first group and thus demand will not be reduced at these entry fee levels.

My bug bear is having compulsory merchandise purchase included in the entry fee (e.g. sixfoot). Just makes it that bit too expensive when you already have 20 running shirts.

This year I expect to run 18 marathhons and 6 will involve interste flights,accomodation and some with car hire.Some of the NSW based ones involve a accomodation. It does become expensive but that is one of the consequences of having this hobby. There are the benefits that flow from it that cannot be measured in money. If I just wanted to run then I would not enter - if I enter then it is implied I accept the economics of the decision.

The financial cost is less than the overall value I consider I will get from entering and running. If it was the other way around than I would not enter.

I have never totalled what I spend on running overall during the year. However I suspect it is much less that the 4/5 or so bottles of scotch and chasers I bought weekly, year round in my previos life

[AndyP]

Compared to the 10k or 5k races at the same running festivals, the marathons are good value.  Perhaps the masses that run the shorter events are subsidising the minority that run in the marathon.

[Colin]

Yep,

The SMC marathon will be a regular on the calendar from next May on a the new course- shared path- and not expected to be more expensive than last year.

Hamburglar, on 30 July 2012 - 06:52 PM, said:

My bug bear is having compulsory merchandise purchase included in the entry fee (e.g. sixfoot). Just makes it that bit too expensive when you already have 20 running shirts.

Fair point. But allow me to rebut and explain.

Six Foot has not increased its 'race entry' price in over three years (nominal $95), despite having demand that is three times the supply and the cost of a very expensive logistical exercise increasing every year, without a potential increase to race entry limit. The race also does not pay its organiser. The dividends go to charity and the upkeep of the track.
In comparison another blue mountains race with less history and prestige, and commercially organised, charged $330 last year. That didn't stop over 800 people entering.

Now when T-shirts was an option, it was taken up by the majority- 60%- with most of them not wanting it done away with, seeing the shirt as a strong reminder of being in that 'club'. At that level of demand, with $95 for entry and $35 and $40 for merchandise, the merchandise itself was running at a loss, i.e. the $95 (including the 40% non merchandise) was subsidising the merchandise. We paid more to have it produced - not even counting unpaid designing costs- and it was a hassle to get rid of excess. At 100% uptake it pays its own way.

Options were to raise it to $50 or include it in $135 ($95 + $40), or to raise the actual entry price to that dictated by demand i.e. even at $200 we will sell out- I am sure with a shirt in $135 is better than $200 without-- you can always give it to someone else or clean your car with it.

If or when I and others get a decent salary for organising it, I can and will do things to the dictation of the market and live with business decisions and accept criticism for it. That will mean that merchandise will be optional but more expensive and the race entry itself much more expensive and in line with the supply vs demand (>$200), bus prices more expensive to cover costs etc etc.

I think most would be happier it stayed at $135 with a shirt, and the fact that the race has increased its dividend for the last three years despite no upward movement in price.

Edited by Colin, 31 July 2012 - 06:37 PM.

[Colin]

buzzlightyear, on 30 July 2012 - 05:32 PM, said:

Sydney Marathon - $135 (earlyBirdy)
Melbourne Marathon - $125 (earlyBirdy)
Brisbane Marathon - $120 (earlyBirdy)
Gold Coast Mara - $120 (earlyBirdy)
Canberra Marathon - $99 (earlyBirdy)
M7 marathon - $80

To get back to OP, the above list is not a 'like for like' comparison. At one end, Sydney, Melbourne, GC are organised by event companies that do many events and attract say 6,000 runners plus another 25,000 across other events. So , yes lots of costs, but huge total revenues for a good profit.

At the other end, the M7 is not a fair comparison. It is a small race, on a shared path that costs nothing and is closed to traffic, massive council involvement - sponsored by us ratepayers here, website developers to entry clerks on hand, dead easy to organise. Yet, $80 with merchandise does not cover costs for the small field (especially with prize money)...
...so a comparison against a private organiser- even a volunteer organiser- is not valid, because without the ratepayers - and toll road users -underwriting the loss it wouldn't be $80, but $250 for that size field on a public road.

Not a comment against M7, just perspective of the prices- same argument for $50 SMC which was placed on top of a regular series for 50 runners.

Edited by Colin, 01 August 2012 - 10:43 AM.

[PinkSkirt]

If you want value for money, Buzz, go for ultras. Price per kilometre is much lower on the longer distances, and the atmosphere is better too IMHO.

[knoddie]

You can't beat the Rottnest marathon for value. $45 for wamc members, then a $5 discount for early bird entry, so you are down to $40. Then take $6 off for another discount if you are a member of sponsor HBF, and it's $34 for a really great event...and yes the medal is pretty decent.

Compare that with the Perth City to Surf Marathon at $125.

One difference between the two events is there is no prize money for B grade Kenyans at Rotto.

[walker1st]

I can have 3H, or 4H or 6H race on bike path for $5 entry on the day

[thomo]

knoddie, on 10 August 2012 - 06:44 PM, said:

You can't beat the Rottnest marathon for value. $45 for wamc members, then a $5 discount for early bird entry, so you are down to $40. Then take $6 off for another discount if you are a member of sponsor HBF, and it's $34 for a really great event...and yes the medal is pretty decent.

Compare that with the Perth City to Surf Marathon at $125.

One difference between the two events is there is no prize money for B grade Kenyans at Rotto.

Last year's Kenyans wouldn't rank as 'B' grader Kenyans. They wish.

[walker1st]

is there a carbon tax on the marathon entry ?

or is this a banned question and I will fined by Gilard's commando ?

[backofthepack]

walker1st, on 10 August 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

is there a carbon tax on the marathon entry ?

or is this a banned question and I will fined by Gilard's commando ?

Who's "Gilard"?

[walker1st]

marathon entry does include the mining tax ?

so you can dig deep past 30 km ?

[thomo]

walker1st, on 10 August 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

is there a carbon tax on the marathon entry ?

or is this a banned question and I will fined by Gilard's commando ?

backofthepack, on 10 August 2012 - 10:46 PM, said:

Who's "Gilard"?

Put it in a search engine and you will get an answer.
http://www.google.co...5AU245&q=Gilard

[BigBert]

Agree with knoddie. Rotto is good value.
City to surf Perth without early bird is now $140. That aint cheap considering I paid $180 for Comrades (as an international runner) this year which has far more logitical requirements than any other big city race and far better and far more aid stations than any other race I've seen.