Has the MTB Stage Racing bubble finally burst?

[Shebeen]

Ha ha. Try justify the cost of entering a trail run event!

[Trackz]

 

[WrightJnr]

Got a mail today from one of the leading 3 day stage race events offering a payment plan for entry fee.

 

One must assume that entries are not what they used to be. There was a time a kidney donation was required to get into one of these events.

 

I have participated in a few of these events around the country. Had an absolute blast every time. But for the first time in years I’ve got no stage race planned after this years Berg & Bush and I’m not upset about it. Have people got tired of the format? Finding it too expensive? Enjoying new disciplines? Got tired of their riding partners? Not enough time to train anymore?

 

Or......is it still as strong as ever and I’ve missed the point.

[DieselnDust]

So over it.

I'm loving XCO and just having fun with my pals.

Stage races seem filled with stuck up snobs from the hoity toity side of the tracks these days. Doing W2w again but nowhere near as excited as I was 4years ago

[Christie]

Oooh, payment plan - sounds like a great investment. Good excuse to finance a new rig, too!

????????????

[coppi]

A sign of the difficult financial times, I think.

I entered 3 Towers and broke my wrist a few weeks back, asked if they can hold my deposit for next year............they are prepared to do it !

Kudos to them............

[Escapee..]

A sign of the difficult financial times, I think.

I entered 3 Towers and broke my wrist a few weeks back, asked if they can hold my deposit for next year............they are prepared to do it !

Kudos to them............

 

+1

 

Spoke to a couple of guys this weekend and they would love to do Sani2c, they just dont have the cash flow to pay it once off.

[stefmeister]

A sign of the difficult financial times, I think.

I entered 3 Towers and broke my wrist a few weeks back, asked if they can hold my deposit for next year............they are prepared to do it !

Kudos to them............

 

Most definitely people are struggling financially and it's not a recent phenomena. The way entry fees have escalated the last few years points to organisers not reading the market very well and themselves got blindsided by the hype.

[BigDL]

Got a mail today from one of the leading 3 day stage race events offering a payment plan for entry fee.

 

One must assume that entries are not what they used to be. There was a time a kidney donation was required to get into one of these events.

 

I have participated in a few of these events around the country. Had an absolute blast every time. But for the first time in years I’ve got no stage race planned after this years Berg & Bush and I’m not upset about it. Have people got tired of the format? Finding it too expensive? Enjoying new disciplines? Got tired of their riding partners? Not enough time to train anymore?

 

Or......is it still as strong as ever and I’ve missed the point.

Which event?

[Escapee..]

Which event?

 

Sani2c

 

I got the mail yesterday

 

 

Dear 2018 riders,

As promised last week, here's the info on our payment plan offering.

The payment plan allows you to pay for your sani2c entry in automatic monthly payments. You can choose over how many months you want to pay, with the last possible month of payment being March 2019. You can also select the day of the month on which the payments should be deducted.

Click the link below to read more.

Monthly Payment Plan

Till the next news, happy riding

Farmer Glen, Tamika and the crew.

[karma]

Sani2c

 

I got the mail yesterday

 

 

Dear 2018 riders,

As promised last week, here's the info on our payment plan offering.

The payment plan allows you to pay for your sani2c entry in automatic monthly payments. You can choose over how many months you want to pay, with the last possible month of payment being March 2019. You can also select the day of the month on which the payments should be deducted.

Click the link below to read more.

Monthly Payment Plan

Till the next news, happy riding

Farmer Glen, Tamika and the crew.

 

That is sad. I think they realize times are tough and willing to accommodate their market, and not lose out on money either. 

 

Not sure how long this will work though, at the end of the day, paying off a stage race or any general sporting event hardly seems logical and will most probably not be at the top of most household yearly budget and expenses. 

[Slowbee]

Shoewee, this is interesting.

 

MacDonalds syndrome of note.

 

But full kudos to S2C to recognise that entries are down and costs are up. A huge risk if you ask me. I would love to know what the T7C's look like. I mean if you only pay for 3 months and want to pull out can you ask for a refund? Should you stop the debit order because you got fired can they blacklist you ? Will they "sell" your slot. Are does your "poor partner take over. So many questions.

 

Alternatively, if you really really want to do this ride and cannot afford it this year. Rather put a debit order into your OWN savings account and then pay cash next year. Delayed gratification and all.

 

Maybe the other side of the coin is the land might not be there next year.

[VicanZA]

Shoewee, this is interesting.

 

MacDonalds syndrome of note.

 

But full kudos to S2C to recognise that entries are down and costs are up. A huge risk if you ask me. I would love to know what the T7C's look like. I mean if you only pay for 3 months and want to pull out can you ask for a refund? Should you stop the debit order because you got fired can they blacklist you ? Will they "sell" your slot. Are does your "poor partner take over. So many questions.

 

Alternatively, if you really really want to do this ride and cannot afford it this year. Rather put a debit order into your OWN savings account and then pay cash next year. Delayed gratification and all.

 

Maybe the other side of the coin is the land might not be there next year.

 

easy fix drop the price on the events, at 8k i would do it no question...LOL

[LeoKnight]

 

Alternatively, if you really really want to do this ride and cannot afford it this year. Rather put a debit order into your OWN savings account and then pay cash next year. Delayed gratification and all.

 

Maybe the other side of the coin is the land might not be there next year.

 

Or put it in your own savings account and then pick up one at a discount on the classifieds

[awesme]

But this will allow a guy thats cash strapped to ride the single race he wants to race for the year.

 

should and guess would not be used by people wanting to do 2 races, except if they far apart.

 

G

 

That is sad. I think they realize times are tough and willing to accommodate their market, and not lose out on money either. 

 

Not sure how long this will work though, at the end of the day, paying off a stage race or any general sporting event hardly seems logical and will most probably not be at the top of most household yearly budget and expenses. 

[Eldron]

I have always found the popularity of stage racing in SA an oddity.

 

The prices are so high and the high disposable income group so small that the massive growth and popularity seemed at odds (or that is was destined for a sharp decline at some point).

 

I got on board, had a jol, rode a bunch of fun races and have a full memory bank but I reckon there is now better value to be had in other spheres...like a honeymoon :-)

 

We booked a proper "eat your heart out mofos" style 5 star african experience honeymoon for a fraction of the cost of a stage race.