Here is a question that you might want to ponder...
Why would the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) negotiate a "60 day blackout" with the Delaware County commissioner before announcing the recent purchase of the Indian Muncie Endurathon and re-branding the race as an Ironman 70.3 event?
BTW: A "blackout" is a de facto prohibition on any other road races 30 days before and 30 days after the now scheduled July 9, 2011, Ironman 70.3 race to be held in Muncie, Indiana.
- Could there be potential safety concerns in having too many races in a two month period on the same location?
- Could there be concerns about tapping into too many resources in a small town like Muncie in a two month period?
- Could there be fears of over-saturating the potential market place with too many races at the same time?
- Or...could it be that this is a way to minimize and forestall any potential competition.
According to the local paper (thestarpress.com) the blackout...which means that local county commissioners would deny any other race organizers a road permit to hold another race...
"has left the man behind another local triathlon group, Muncie Multi-Sport, wondering what the blackout means to his annual slate of five races.
Steve Tomboni asked the Delaware County commissioners this week why they promised a blackout on other "road events in and around the Prairie Creek Reservoir area" for 30 days before and 30 days after upcoming Ironman 70.3 Muncie events staged by World Triathlon Corporation.
Since the 2011 Ironman Muncie 70.3 race is set for July 9, a 30-day, before-and-after blackout would overlap with one of Tomboni's events -- one set for June 1-- by a single day."
So the question remains...why would the WTC negotiate a "60 day blackout" with local municipalities?
Could it be Ironman is playing hardball with local municipality (and any potential competition) and in the process potentially killing a small but established local race?
For now Delaware County commissioners have tabled the blackout request until the next monthly meeting, but the request and the reason for it is something you might want to consider before signing up for your next Ironman race.
What do you think?
Please leave us a comment below with your opinion.
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