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Why do IMs sell out so fast?
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 2009-09-19 7:41 PM |
Master  1702    Southern Ontario |  Subject: Why do IMs sell out so fast?Just wondering why the IM races sell out so fast? You can enter a HIM race almost right up until the race day. Are there less spots available? |
| 2009-09-19 7:54 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
| Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? There are more HIMs, branded and independent, than IMs. And people get IM fever |
| 2009-09-19 8:13 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Champion 7595   Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? It seems to be in part a self-perpetuating phenomenon. People know that these races sell out quickly, so they sign up early to get a slot, which of course guarantees that they will sell out quickly... But not all of them sell out in 24 hours, and some non-branded ones stay open a long time. Beach 2 Battleship is still open, and it is next November. (And the B2B half IM is actually closed, so this one at least is running contrary to the trend.) |
| 2009-09-20 10:11 AM in reply to: #2415603 |
Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Best I can figure, there are 9 U.S. M-dot IM events...and one of those you have to qualify for....so let's say 8 events. Let's say generously there are about 2,500 people per race x 8 races = 20,000 slots. There are roughly 300,000,000 people in the U.S. So one person out of every 15,000 people in the US is going to get one of the coveted slots. Pretty exclusive club wouldn't you say? I guess that is why they can command $550 for the priveledge of racing an M-dot IM event. ~Mike |
| 2009-09-21 9:59 AM in reply to: #2415603 |
Veteran 740 The Woodlands, TX | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? I think the most amazing element is the power of the IM brand. So many of the independent 140.6 races have fields of a couple hundred instead of a couple thousand. Why the big difference? |
| 2009-09-21 10:49 AM in reply to: #2415603 |
Elite 3088 Austin, TX Gold member | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Marketing. WTC has built the brand and the concept of Ironman very carefully. They have specifically worked to make it an event, not a race. The Kona coverage on NBC with all the human interest stories and average-joes walking along in the dark to make it to the finish is just an example. It is a bucket list item for many people, so there's a huge demand. Most of those people probably don't even know that their are other races of the same distance. Even if they did, they probably wouldn't care, because their checklist item says "Ironman". |
| 2009-09-21 11:09 AM in reply to: #2417561 |
Elite 3235 San Diego | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? dgunthert - 2009-09-21 8:49 AM Marketing. WTC has built the brand and the concept of Ironman very carefully. They have specifically worked to make it an event, not a race. The Kona coverage on NBC with all the human interest stories and average-joes walking along in the dark to make it to the finish is just an example. It is a bucket list item for many people, so there's a huge demand. Most of those people probably don't even know that their are other races of the same distance. Even if they did, they probably wouldn't care, because their checklist item says "Ironman". X2 |
| 2009-09-21 12:50 PM in reply to: #2417619 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? madcow - 2009-09-21 9:09 AM dgunthert - 2009-09-21 8:49 AM Marketing. WTC has built the brand and the concept of Ironman very carefully. They have specifically worked to make it an event, not a race. The Kona coverage on NBC with all the human interest stories and average-joes walking along in the dark to make it to the finish is just an example. It is a bucket list item for many people, so there's a huge demand. Most of those people probably don't even know that their are other races of the same distance. Even if they did, they probably wouldn't care, because their checklist item says "Ironman". X2 X3. Personally, I was thrilled with the money I saved (including days spent on site) and the volunteer attention I got at Vineman as my first iron distance race. |
| 2009-09-21 1:05 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Extreme Veteran 427 St. Louis, MO | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? In some respect (and I know this is not true of all "indy-IMs"), it is the known quantity (consistency of the event production). I participated in the Redman 1/2 this past weekend and I WILL NOT go back and do the full there.....it was apparent from the way things were laid out and not ready for the leading IM folks that the 1/2 event was the focus of the day... I wrote in my RR that the full runners even had to dodge pedestrians on the run course while doing their marathon and the race staff had no way to ensure a clear path for them.....I felt really bad that these guys/gals were putting out the effort but had to worry about something other than their own issues! my .02, Paul |
| 2009-09-21 1:19 PM in reply to: #2417956 |
Alpharetta, Georgia Bronze member | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Tri-Wog StL - 2009-09-21 1:05 PM In some respect (and I know this is not true of all "indy-IMs"), it is the known quantity (consistency of the event production). I participated in the Redman 1/2 this past weekend and I WILL NOT go back and do the full there.....it was apparent from the way things were laid out and not ready for the leading IM folks that the 1/2 event was the focus of the day... I wrote in my RR that the full runners even had to dodge pedestrians on the run course while doing their marathon and the race staff had no way to ensure a clear path for them.....I felt really bad that these guys/gals were putting out the effort but had to worry about something other than their own issues! my .02, Paul This year they changed the run course to be 4 loops for the full. I was really surprised at that, since last year it was 1 loop for the Half and 2 loops for the Full. I am not a huge fan of multi-loop courses (more than 2 loops! gah!) in the first place, but I agree - that race caters to the 70.3 distance. It probably didn't help that it was the Halfmax (70.3 distance) Championship race. I would not want to do this 140.6 as it was laid out this past weekend, either. I did like the spreads at the aid stations though - I imagined the extra stuff was catered towards the Full participants, but it was super nice to have Coke, snickers, candy, gels, enduralytes, fruit, cookies, bread, sponges, etc. at the aid stations. Don't see too much of that extra stuff in other 70.3 distances. |
| 2009-09-21 2:46 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Veteran 416 | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? I normally hate multi-loop courses too, but I did the Full Redman and loved the 4 loops. I was never alone and the 4 loops really broke the run into manageable parts. I had an unusually good day though so it might just have been me. |
| 2009-09-21 3:02 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Because in the US an IM is the new bucket list thing for what used to be the marathon crowd. Shown by the fact that over 50% of the field at the two I've done were 1st timers. Is there anything wrong with that? No. Just means it is more popular and harder to get into as a result. |
| 2009-09-21 3:35 PM in reply to: #2418298 |
Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Daremo - 2009-09-21 3:02 PM Because in the US an IM is the new bucket list thing for what used to be the marathon crowd. Shown by the fact that over 50% of the field at the two I've done were 1st timers. Is there anything wrong with that? No. Just means it is more popular and harder to get into as a result.
Based on this premise, M-dot events will get easier and easier to get into as all the one-and-done bucket listers check that off thier list. On the other hand, I'm sure there are a lot of first timers who fall in love with the distance and will come back year after year. I think think it's probably a combination of a lot of things - good marketing, well run (predictable) events, prestige. Personally, I like the larger fields on the M-dot events. I think it is very cool to be out there with a couple thousand kindred spirits. Big marathon - NYC, Marine Corp, Chicago, Disney - stay big because the are big races. Huh? Whatever. :-) ~Mike
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| 2009-09-21 3:45 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
| over a barrier | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Additionally, I had have to have a confirmation ticket before I even thought about putting myself through IM training program, without that hanging over my head I would have a hard time training for a race and then looking for one mid plan.... |
| 2009-09-21 3:48 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? When I first joined BT in '04, I recall when Madcow and someone else did Ironman I think Arizona the following year and we were all in awe of them and most of us couldn't imgaine doing an Ironman. Funny now 5 years later so many beginner triathletes aren't beginners anymore and some races we have 50-100 or more people participating in an IM event. You have to sign up early to get in which makes folks make decisions quickly that they'd rather not do. This year has been different as all Ironman races in US have gone on line and not sold out on site. Plus quite a few Ironman races took much longer than normal to fill up compared to past years. Economy, more spots with more races, becoming less a bucket list thing, not sure but mutliple factors are making it easier to get into Ironman races this year compared to last. |
| 2009-09-21 4:09 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Master 1967 | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? |
| 2009-09-22 12:06 PM in reply to: #2415603 |
Expert 640 Sun Prairie, WI | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? I just signed up for IMOO 2010. For me having a large number of participants, the location and knowing that you are getting arguably one of the best run venues(IM) factor in. I considered some of the non IM full length races, but having 2500 others going through the same experience is a motivator, not to mention the huge number of spectators/family members who are out supporting all the participants. I have not experienced other venues with this level of participant support. I agree with a previous poster in that if there are only a couple hundred others in a full length race, at times it probably would feel like you are on your own. Obviously everyone is "on their own," but to have the visual support of others around you plays a factor. I do see that there is room for competition in major full length races, as is witnessed by the Revolution 3 events being advertised on this site. I can easily see them becoming a destination race in the future, much like the IMs are today. It will be interesting to see how they fare over the next year or so. Taking a family friendly approach will appeal to a lot of racers as it can be somewhat of a pay back for all the family time lost training. |
| 2009-09-22 12:59 PM in reply to: #2420037 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? GRB1 - 2009-09-22 10:06 AM I just signed up for IMOO 2010. For me having a large number of participants, the location and knowing that you are getting arguably one of the best run venues(IM) factor in. I considered some of the non IM full length races, but having 2500 others going through the same experience is a motivator, not to mention the huge number of spectators/family members who are out supporting all the participants. I have not experienced other venues with this level of participant support. I agree with a previous poster in that if there are only a couple hundred others in a full length race, at times it probably would feel like you are on your own. Obviously everyone is "on their own," but to have the visual support of others around you plays a factor. I do see that there is room for competition in major full length races, as is witnessed by the Revolution 3 events being advertised on this site. I can easily see them becoming a destination race in the future, much like the IMs are today. It will be interesting to see how they fare over the next year or so. Taking a family friendly approach will appeal to a lot of racers as it can be somewhat of a pay back for all the family time lost training. Nah. I've been on the same course (Vineman--the full and the 70.3) with both a few hundred and a couple thousand participants--one M-Dot and one non M-Dot, for that matter--and, frankly, you wouldn't have noticed the difference. Other than the fact that the non M-Dot race offered... Less crowded transition area. Less drafting on the bike. Less time spent at check-in. Admittedly the IM 70.3 had a solid pro field...the full did not. There was no difference at all in volunteer support. One place I suppose I could have noticed a difference would have been the run, but Vineman does do three shorter loops for the full rather than two loops of the (longer) 70.3 out-and-back, so runners were a bit more compacted on the course. Guess I'll see what more I'm getting for the more than double the expense when I do IM St George in May... |
| 2009-09-22 2:16 PM in reply to: #2418261 |
| 25 | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? I agree, I did Redman full this last weekend and was glad to have the 4 loops so I would not be solo too much..It pushed me to run more than I probably would of and was overall pleased with the race...Except parts of the bike coarse....That could use some work. |
| 2009-09-25 5:17 PM in reply to: #2417956 |
Champion 34263 Chicago | Subject: RE: Why do IMs sell out so fast? Tri-Wog StL - 2009-09-21 1:05 PM In some respect (and I know this is not true of all "indy-IMs"), it is the known quantity (consistency of the event production). I participated in the Redman 1/2 this past weekend and I WILL NOT go back and do the full there.....it was apparent from the way things were laid out and not ready for the leading IM folks that the 1/2 event was the focus of the day... I wrote in my RR that the full runners even had to dodge pedestrians on the run course while doing their marathon and the race staff had no way to ensure a clear path for them.....I felt really bad that these guys/gals were putting out the effort but had to worry about something other than their own issues! my .02, Paul Yeah at IMKS 70.3 the cyclists who were out there a bit longer had to dodge pedestrians, so I think it's more about race direction than the event. I agree that it's marketing. WTC has done an amazing job with Ironman brand that, as was said, some people don't even know that there's anything else out there. I tell people I'm doing an ironman (for simplicity's sake) and they say `The one in HAWAII!?' and I have to say `No. I wish. No this one is a smaller race in North Carolina (B2B).' To which they usually reply `So is that, like, a real ironman then?' Most people have seen Kona on TV and think that's the only ironman out there, so when they look in the mirror at 40 and decide `I'm fat and lazy. I'm going to do an ironman.' they immediately go to the Ironman brand. Genius marketing by the WTC! |
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