Why are events so expensive ?

I’ll be honest having helped run all kinds of events from XC, DH, TT and RR, I’m amazed at how much SDA are spending on prizes and marshals. Hard to say either way whether NON-RACE COSTS £16,117 is value or not as it is so vague.

Marshalls doesn’t seem that unreasonable.
6 races, 2 days per race, £50 per marshal. Only works out at an average of less than 14 marshals per race day. Seems about right?

Why are events so expensive ?

Try organising one yourself, you will see why.
There 2 reasons why events might carry a higher entry fee than you might expect:

1 – Supply & demand.
2 – It costs a lot to run.

TINAS- I know we balk at the Birkett Trophy in the Lake District because it’s about £25-30 quid! Sailing does depend on volunteers- but the volunteers are expected to volunteer as part of their membership to a club (we have to do race duties twice a year or we can’t sail in the races, which seems fair). But considering they are paying for a club house, rent on a lake, a couple of ribs at a few grand a piece, a committee boat, a bar, a kitchen, showers etc. it does put bike racing in a field with some portaloos into perspective.

Bar? So you are actually taking income in elsewhere, along with other food/drink I guess in the club house.

6 races, 2 days per race, £50 per marshal. Only works out at an average of less than 14 marshals per race day. Seems about right?

Who are you getting to marshal for 10 hrs for £50? And get there/back.

Who are you getting to marshal for 10 hrs for £50? And get there/back.

Me personally, nobody but I was trying to make the point to the OP that the overall marshall cost didn’t seem unreasonable. SES is £50 per day plus lunch this year, so an assumption of £50 a day in 2012 is not unreasonable.
I think we are making the same point, the marshalling cost quoted is perfectly reasonable.

Maybe I’ve been doing it wrong, but I’ve never been involved with an event where the marshals get money, we’ve always given up our time (and any expenses) for free.

The way I see it.. is that events are either run by charities, who are trying to raise funds, or by businesses who are looking to recover their costs + turn it a reasonable profit.

As the cost breakdown above has shown, there are a lot of ‘hidden’ costs that aren’t immediately obvious.

I did a small scale charity sportive earlier this year, which was around £18, and included a feed station, proper timing and a hot meal at the end…

Maybe I’ve been doing it wrong, but I’ve never been involved with an event where the marshals get money, we’ve always given up our time (and any expenses) for free.

On the flip side I can’t remember last time I did a race that didn’t pay the marshals, I thought it was pretty normal now. Seems to be such a struggle to get enough onboard that incentives are needed.

Simon, bit of a double edged sword that. Lots of clubs, lots of people, lots of events. Clubs help each other, marshals do it to say thanks for all the Marshalling they received. Result I can race four times a week all within 1/2 hour from here. Five if you count the club based mtb series.

http://www.britishdownhillseries.co.uk/marshal-brief/

The number of marshals needed for a gravity event to go ahead means that people have paid them covering expenses to get there or just as thanks for their time. It would be great if enough people would turn up and do 16hrs over a weekend in their own time out of the goodness of their heart in a random location and get themselves there and home again but it just didn’t seem to happen.

For big day long events we have shifts, again the club network really helps.
Even marshalling the CX nationals was out of love, but the reward was getting the World Cup.
I’ve been trying for years to get a mtb series going, and even with BC help I’ve had no joy.
As for sportives, too expensive. I’ve organised them and road races including the vets national championships, if id charged sportive prices I’d be minted.
However I’ve no idea what costs are like for enduros? But talking to Pat Adams I assume it’s the charge landowners make that really Sting.