Will Komen flap hurt its events?
I wonder how the flap over the Komen Foundation cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings will affect registration for Race for the Cure.
Runners want t-shirts
Road Runners Club of America asked, "What's your favorite race gift?"
Here are the answers:
Tech Race T-shirt - 40%; Finisher Medal - 25%; Race Vest, Fleece, or Long-Sleeved Shirt - 17%; Cotton Race T-shirt - 11%; Other Race Gift (Keychain, Keepsake, etc.) - 4%; Race Coffee Mug - 3%.
If you are thinking of getting rid of race t-shirts, DON'T!
Beer sponsorship
Schools often refuse to sign beer sponsorships for any events because they don't want to create positive messages about alcoholic consumption.
Here's a community confronting the same issue.
Sponsorship vs. advertising
Here's a company that found event sponsorship more valuable than advertising.
Runner friendly communities
Find out what's so great about RRCA's "Runner Friendly Communities."
Designations were awarded in Fall 2011 to: Allen Park MI, Carson City NV, Decatur IL, Knoxville TN, Lawrence KS, Lynchburg VA, Missoula MT, Reading PA, Salem MA, The Woodlands TX.
Free radio is not free
Somebody is paying for it.
When radio stations offer "free" air time as part of a sponsorship deal, it may be free to your race, but it's going to be paid for by someone else.
Radio stations do not sponsor events to promote themselves. They sponsor events to acquire something of value they can sell to their customers - like air time, packet inserts, banners, etc.
So, they'll sell the air time to another company, whose name will be mentioned in the spots promoting your event. They'll sell the right to place inserts in your runner packets to another company.
When you sign a radio sponsor, include a provision that allows your event to approve any sponsors signed by the radio station. You don't want a company that conflicts with your sponsors nor one that may be incompatible with your event (like a beer sponsor for a race produced by a local school district).
"Free" radio spots are not donations. They are part of a business deal.
Kids' races
Lots of races issue bibs with the number "1" to all the entrants in kids' races.
Often, however, kids like three, four, or five digit numbers with everyone receiving a different bib number.
It makes them feel like real runners.
Running in your underwear
"I see London, I see France..." is the lead ad line for the Undie Dash in Chicago IL.
Lots of runners will probably wear more than they would when running, but the appearance of boxer shorts (on men and women) is a bit unusual on a race course.
Flooding
Endurance Sports Marketing tells us the Vancouver USA Marathon, in Vancouver WA, will have to reroute its course because of flooding along the Columbia River.
Races located alongside bodies of water should anticipate the possibility of late course changes. They may even want to certify an alternative course, so last minute adjustments will require fewer logistical hurdles.
Use social networks
Here's a way to use social networking sites to promote race registration.
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