BestMed Ballito Entry Fee Up 25%

[P A B]

Saw on Roag the other day that the Bestmed Ballito race has gone up to R 225.00! Are races getting too expensive?

[Lurch the stalker]

Welcome P A B.

I guess that you're going to get a lot of answers saying things like, "If you don't like it then don't enter" or, "If there is a market they can charge what they like" or, "I'm happy to pay that for the safety of a proper event" or, "Inflation"which all do hold water to some extent, but, I do have to agree with you. I personally am getting more picky about what races I enter.

[Skubarra]

I can only guess who are the organisers... I have seen it with a few races organised by them here in the Cape.

 

I follow the first line from Lurch's answer - don't enter if you don't like the price - there are other options out there

[Beerfan]

It is getting out of hand. I really try and quantify what some races are charging and it just doesn't add up. Due to some races charging a lot, the others jump on the band wagon and use the " it's the going rate " excuse. Why is it possible to charge half the price in the free state as they do in Gauteng which gets twice the amount of entries !!!!

[Skylark]

I suppose once a race is entrenched and reasonably popular/well known they know they have a winning formula and then it's time to start testing how much they can gouge, std capitalist practice.

 

Every race organiser crys foul when the ticket price is questioned, "do you know how much time effort and money it costs to put on an event like this?", nope I don't so it's just a case of do you want to get bent over or not, your choice. But mountain bikers are generally not on the poorer side of the population, give or take a few ronts no one really cares I suppose, unless the race organisation turns out to be a shambles.

[Rich]

Yes an ASG event.

[Skylark]

Yes an ASG event.

Simple but to the point..

[P A B]

Thanks guys, good to see i'm not the only one thinking race entry fees are getting crazy, maybe i should have posted it as that topic and got more people talking about it!

 

And yet as mentioned there are races out there well priced and with great t shirts as an added bonus, like the Bell Big5 MTB in Monzi this last weekend, great race.......

 

As you say Lurch, 'time to get picky'

[Chris NewbyFraser]

Just a thought to ponder. Marshals at events. It is getting very hard to get folk to volunteer for marshaling at bike events, motor sport, running races etc. Those who are still happy to do this are either super supporters of the sport or they have been offered some form of reward. This can typically be to cover transport costs to the event as well as a day's 'pay'. This has definitely got the price up.

 

Event insurances have gone through the roof, along with the services required at an event. When last did we price the rent on 10 portaloos?

 

Also, the folk who put on the aces - they are using a lot of their personal time and resources to bring us events. They deserve  to be rewarded. If we do not let these privateers or companies cover costs and even make a profit, they will stop arranging races. 

 

Do we want that?

[P A B]

I think you miss my point FatFossil. Not one 50km race is close to R 225 this year in KZN (apart from the Ashburton 'National' MTB race held at Ballito), so how can all these other organisers do it for less, with more perks, but not ASG?

I know they don't really do these races to make a big or any profit as it's more of an adverstising tool for their products and i understand increases, inflation etc but not 25% and not when other races are much cheaper and just as good if not better.

Just don't want to see the local races get to the stage where it becomes eliteist and only the ones that think nothing of forking out R 250 - R 300 for a 50km race can enjoy it. Then it also takes the fun out of the day and without the fun and enjoyment of a MTB event whats the point!!