Mike Murray
My note was not directed at you. Actually I specifically exempted races that must have pre registration like TTs. I think you are doing just fine.
Mike Murray - Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
-----Original Message-----
From: kl_graham@comcast.net
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:48:31
To: mike murray
Cc:
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Race cancellations
Mike -
I not trying to threatening anyone and if you have concerns with what I said, please call me directly! I am trying EVERYTHING I possibly know how to do to get this race off and make it successful.
The email I was going to write isn't for everyone to read, so since have the answers for everything - why dont you call me directly and I'll share with you directly!
541-905-9698
Kenny Graham
Revenge Cycling and Promotions.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Murray"
To: obra@list.obra.org
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 9:26:02 AM
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Race cancellations
Not to call out any individuals but there seems to be an annoying recent
trend of threatening to cancel races if there are not enough
preregistrations. While as a race organizer I can appreciate the concern
and worry that can cause this but I have to point out that the number of
preregistrations is not a particularly proven marker for attendance at
races. It is probably true that low registrations will trend to low actual
turnouts and high preregistrations to high turnout it is certainly possible
to have very low numbers preregistering and still have sufficient numbers
turn up at the race. Races that require preregistration, like time trials,
are an obvious exception. The following items should be kept in mind:
- Historically most race registrations are done day of race.
- For various reasons many people do not preregister. I rarely do and I
have only used the OBRA preregistration system once.
- Posts to the OBRA chat list serve only reach a minority of OBRA members.
Most OBRA members don't receive these posts.
- Race cancellations, or even the threat of cancellations, have a chilling
effect not only on future races put on by the same individual or group but
also on races put on by other people. When a race is cancelled the message
is that any race could be cancelled. Worse yet is the probability that
people will travel to a race unaware of the cancellation just to find no one
there.
- Most of the cost, particularly the non-monetary costs, of putting on a
race occur before you ever get to the race site. Most of the monetary
day-of-race costs are variable, in other words tied to participation levels
so that if the turnout is low the costs are low too.
I think that the time to worry about what you will do if there is a small
turnout for a race is when you put that race on the schedule not a few days
before when the preregistrations are low. We are lucky enough to have a
very busy schedule. This week alone there are 12 races. On this weekend
there are 5 races. The down side of this is that the value and
participation for each individual race takes a hit.
Mike Murray
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