NYC marathon

[FUDU]

Should it be postponed?

I'm not a marathon guy so I will not pretend to know the details of the support for this event, and I understand this will bring in some money and the money is needed.
I just get past all the reasons not to run this now, tons of people displaced, in serious trouble, in need of everything, safety forces are significantly stressed, and victims are being removed from hotels etc so marathon participants and support can have a place to stay. Not to mention dispensing supplies to runners, particularly water simply to be dumped on their heads.

IMO this is a bit insulting and insensitive to the victims of this storm.

[leadpipe]

After it's all said and done, that marathon will raise millions more than the millions and millions...and millions it already brings into the city.

And that's what the city needs the most of.

Tough situation, and certainly hard for many of the victims to swallow, but at the end of the day NY will be better off for it.

And the sensationalism from the media ain't helping matters. A sensible person would go ahead and assume that NYRR's club (who put on the race) would have been declined the option by NY officials if the resources that were being pulled from the city were not going to be worth the millions of dollars the city is going to gain.

And if you postpone the thing, you will drop from 45,000 patrticipants, to about half, including losing the elites. It would cut the monetary profit TO THE CITY by over half. (Nature of a marathon-most are running it at the peak of a training schedule, not eaily delayed for a month or whatever)

At the end of the day, running it this weekend is going to generate a boatload of money - full profit from the 40,000 plus the special fundraising programs they've tacked on - a suggested buck a mile from the 40,000 runners - the same from each of the NYRR club's members, over 60,000. Plus you've got a fund that's approaching 5 million consisting of money that the race itself contributed off the top, plus the raqce sponsor ING donating from their end. And this isn't even counting the private donations from running companies and sponsors which will be in the millions.

I would assume an astonishing monetary figure, and I would also assume many to remain pissed off. I ain't here to judge, but man, they need this money.

[motherscratcher]

I thought I heard on the news a few nights ago that the marathon generally brings in the neighborhood of $350 mil to the city. That may be inaccurate and I may be misremembering but that's the number that sticks in my head.

If LP is right and they lose $175 mil by postponing, then that doesn't seem like much of an option.

Again, if those numbers are accurate.

[FUDU]

All good points, and I'm certain the final decision was not easy. However a runner's training being inconvenienced will garner zero sympathy from me.

[leadpipe]

All good points, and I'm certain the final decision was not easy. However a runner's training being inconvenienced will garner zero sympathy from me.

The point of a runner's training being inconvenienced is only referenced because it will have a direct effect on attendance for the rescheduled event. Sure, the runner can adjust training, but it ain't gonna bring back the 200 or so million lost should half the field not show, or defer to next year. And the elites they lose cause the loss of the charitable donations that would have surely been contributed from their backers such as Asics etc.

Real tough choice, and I can't argue them canceling under the public pressure. My big problem is how it has been portrayed through the media, and them showing the common, "There just selfishly doing it for the money" angle. When, again, the reality is that the New York Road Runners Club puts on the event. Two big things about them 1. They are very much like other road runner clubs across the country. Thee coffers have enough money for the events they put on during the course of the year, some sort of shirt/jacket for club members, and nominal monies, most of which go to scholarships or charities. Difference with New York is they deal in millions because they put on one of the world makor marathons, wheras most local clubs put on 5K's or small half marathons at best, but it's all relative. 2. The NYRR and it's members are NEW YORK. Straight NEW YORK. They aren't going to do a thing to hurt that city. They aren't going to do anything without the blessing of city officials. The fact they immediately allowed people to defer to next year at no cost should tell people something. The "for profit" marathon companies in this country have no refund policies. Something happens, SOL.

The NYRR club and the Mayor (who by the way also has a very good reason not to piss off the NY masses) have handled this about as well as you can. At the end of the day the city will be out well over 200 million - and that's IF they reschedule. And again, I'm not trying to argue this point to someone in 3 feet of water. 500 million down the road means little to them right now. But man, it would mean a lot.

[FUDU]

I think this had a ton to do with the different borough leaders being in overwhelming agreement from day one and finally letting their majority opinion carry weight v. a few opposing opinions.

Either way I think NY will work this out best for all.