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HIMs: WTC über alles?

William JenksWilliam Jenks
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Is anyone else concerned that in a couple of years there simply won't be any non-WTC HIM events?  They do a good job and all, but the price goes up and I assume some of local low-key feel goes away.  They just announced that they took over Muncie.  I'm not anti-WTC, but healthy competition is a good thing.  (Even if you think Ticketmaster does a good job, is it a Good Thing there is hardly another choice???)  HIMs can still be small enough scale that local can be good, or at least that's how I see it.

Wm

 

 

Comments

  • mattsullmattsull

    I hope Rev 3 continues to do well.

  • Scott ListonScott Liston
    I have to admit that when I had the choice between IM Louisville and Rev 3 Sandusky for my first 140.6, I chose the IM brand. People know what an Ironman is and appreciate the accomplishment. What do I tell them when I finish Rev 3 without violating the WTC mark? For HIM, of course, friends and colleagues ask why do "didn't do the whole thing."image. I live very close to Muncie and just found out about the WTC take-over. They also took over Racine, WI last year from the local Race Director here in Ohio, Shannon Kurek. Totally agree that competition is a good thing. The Ironman branding is very strong. 70.3, not so much. So local race directors should still be able to compete for 70.3 dollars and should continue to be able to own Olympic and sprint venues. But the final thought is that perhaps it is getting more difficult and expensive to work with government, police, emergency services, etc. to put on the longer races and it takes the muscle of a WTC to keep our sport available and growing. When you reframe it that way, we should be for all race directors who can get it done, even if they charge more and even if they are WTC.
  • Barbara SpitlerBarbara Spitler
    I am bummed to hear that they took over Muncie! I have been there as a spectator and then as a volunteer last year. Plan to actually DO it this next year. It is such a nicely run, low key race! I wonder how that will change...
  • gilliattgilliatt
    Wonder if they will ever buy the pigman
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott
    Posted By William Jenks on 10 Sep 2010 09:47 PM

    Is anyone else concerned that in a couple of years there simply won't be any non-WTC HIM events?

    Resistance is futile.

  • Chris GChris G

     I hear people say that the whole 70.3 thing is not strong but it is nonsense.  The big races - timberman et al which become 70.3's continue to sell out and do really well.  The not as big ones that become 70.3 always get bigger even though they are more expensive.  The new ones do much better than any independent half races.  For example, Syracuse 70.3 is a brand new race.  Certainly not a vacation destination under any circumstances, run course is point to point next to a high way and through generally a crappy strip mall filled part of a crappy city.  Not a great time of year, middle late September and it has 1500 people signed up.  Musselman is about a half hour away, better time of year to do anything in the fingerlakes, scenic course, been there for many years, not even half the size though cheaper.  

     

  • Kevin WalterKevin Walter
    Is WTC buying these events or just selling the rights to use the name? Syracuse, Eagleman, Timberman I think are all owned by individual RD's, but buy the rights to participate in 70.3.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    As far as I know WTC is buying them up. In timberman's case, Keith Jordan now works for WTC and isn't really in charge of the race. A lot more bureaucracy and much higher prices. Basically WTC was withholding slots to first Kona, then to Clearwater, and even threatened putting sanctions on pros who competed in non-70.3 events...in many ways the local race director doesn't have a lot of choices. I am surprised we haven't seen a lot of new races popping up in the hopes they are bought out, like the tech boom of the 90s...

    P
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    No doubt the brand sells, even at the 70.3 distance. I don't mean to sound cynical, but it's like McDonalds - people trust that they will get a pretty specific product, regardless of the location. I know I do. But that works both ways - I would cut no slack in how I felt about a race that ran out of water/gatorade/whatever if I paid full WTC price for it, for example.

    Seems like they are buying the bigger ones first, but then they get VERY big. Maybe that's a good thing. But what disturbs me as a consumer is the prospect of there being nothing but $350 HIMs out there in a few years.

    @Dan - Pigman is a super-well run race, but small enough that I have to think it'll be among their last targets...
  • wieczynskiwieczynski

    I think a great example of the brand name is Vineman. The 70.3 has a partnership with Ironman and WTC of some sort. The race sells out every year. Two weeks later they have a 140.6 AND a couple of aquabike distances AND a women's only 70.3. Those never seem to sell out. All are great races. All have the same race director. All start out at Johnson's Beach....



    That's the power of the brand name.

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Posted By Matt Sullivan on 11 Sep 2010 04:51 AM

    I hope Rev 3 continues to do well.

    Agreed!

    There are still several small grass roots HIMs out there.  This weekend will be the first HIM distance race for the Outer Banks, and I really hope it does well.  The field is really small, but that's OK really.  Sometimes it's kinda nice to do a small race like that and I hope to do this one next year!

    The big challenge is often FINDING the non-WTC races.  They are still out there, but often hard to find.



     

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