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In three weeks, a record number of runners are expected to take to Philadelphia‘s streets and compete in the city‘s 16th annual marathon.
With 10,000 entrants, the event with a budget of $1.7 million can count on a fourth consecutive year of growth while pumping $10 million into the regional economy and aiding seven local charities.
Those seem impressive numbers, until one looks elsewhere.
Take Chicago, for instance, where the marathon has 45,000 entrants and contributes $140 million to the economy, according to a University of Illinois study. The similarly sized New York marathon, being run today, means $220 million to that city. Both races generate tens of millions of dollars for scores of charities.
Overall last year, Philadelphia’s marathon ranked 12th in size in the United States, trailing the monsters like New York, Chicago, and Boston, but also races in Orlando and Portland, Ore.
“No other running race, in general, gets more people from out-of-town than a marathon,” said Dr. Scott Testa, a runner and a Cabrini College business professor who has studied the economic impact of sporting events. “Marathon runners are more willing to travel from out of state. Hotels and restaurants love them.”
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/68146787.html
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The Philly marathon has a lower cap than thse other races … I don’t know how many would register in total if only some of those 8K and 1/2 marathon slots were reallocated to marathoners (marathoners are more likey to travel than 8K runners). I’m one of the folks who didn’t register before the race sold out, so I won’t be travelling to Philly again this year (ran it last year) to run the race.
should they get rid of the 8k and 1/2? charge more? What do you think? Thinking of ones like NEW YORK which makes money just with the lottery system and BOSTON where the hotels are super priced for marathon weekend, I like how Philly keeps it real.
I do think that over time successful marathons will often phase out the shorter distances (or move those distances to another day), but the big entry fee is not necessary — Marine Corps is still reasonably priced relative to NYC or Boston and race weekend is still a financial boom for the city. I’m not saying elminating shorters distances is the ideal scenario, just an option in keeping with the original question, could Philly make more money on the event. With the current model it will be hard to compete with the economic impact of the races mentioned, but that’s not a statement of my personal opinion about how Philly should be run.
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