USM Entry Fees

[Christina Brinkmann]

USM events are popular but are they treating their bread and butter athletes, the age groupers, with contempt with the ever increasing entry fees? Where does this money go? Not into running the event it appears as other organisations can run triathlons at half the USM entry fee. Does it go to a handful of elite athletes in the form of prize money, something I don't really want to contribute to, or does it go into the USM fatcat's wallets?

For a non member it will cost $335 plus a 5% booking fee to do the Sunshine Coast 70.3, or I can do a similar event, the Hervey Bay 100 as a non member for $170. USM get showered with local Council support and sponsorships so where does the extra $150 or 45% of the age grouper's entry fee go?

[george-bob]

It seems the ironman branding has more to do with an event cost than anything, I came across a forum thread of cairns locals complaining about the sharp increase in entry fees when cairns went from an independent tri to an ironman event.

[wardie]

Go over to transitions.org.au and there's always heaps of posts on Ironman fees etc.

[Parker]

:shock: USM events are popular but are they treating their bread and butter athletes, the age groupers, with contempt with the ever increasing entry fees? Where does this money go? Not into running the event it appears as other organisations can run triathlons at half the USM entry fee. Does it go to a handful of elite athletes in the form of prize money, something I don't really want to contribute to, or does it go into the USM fatcat's wallets?

For a non member it will cost $335 plus a 5% booking fee to do the Sunshine Coast 70.3, or I can do a similar event, the Hervey Bay 100 as a non member for $170. USM get showered with local Council support and sponsorships so where does the extra $150 or 45% of the age grouper's entry fee go?

It's called a business and like any business it's called making a profit.... Regarding prize pool, usually it's put up by the headline sponsor, if you don't want to be sure that your entry fee's don't contribute to prize pool, then maybe don't enter.

USM runs really good events in my experience

[Baldy]

I suggest you ignore Parky Brewster, contact USM and explain to them in detail why you like riding in the rain.

The fee might go from entry to appearance

[Christina Brinkmann]

Parker, I did exactly what you suggested and did not enter. I refuse to support businesses that are greedy and will leave that to the mugs. I will do an alternative event with a reasonable entry fee.

Baldy, I also like your idea.

[Parker]

Nicely done Christina, it's true, Ironman is expensive enough without the entry fee's, but whilst I can afford them I'll continue to enter.