Evaluate Your Options
How do you decide what option(s) are best for your event?
Who is on board?
The decision isn't always up to you - start having hard conversations now to determine where your stakeholders stand. These include:
- Governing Bodies
- Are there new requirements for permits?
- Do these increase your costs?
- Do these limit your number of participants?
- Are there new requirements for permits?
- Venues
- Are they open for business?
- Are there new requirements for spacing and sanitation?
- Do these increase your costs or limit your numbers?
What are your Production Costs?
What do you have to spend to put on the event? Which costs are fixed, and which costs scale based on the number of participants?
Examples of Fixed Costs
- Park and municipal permits
- Signage
- Police for road closures
- Medical Support
- Base timing fee
- General liability insurance
Examples of Scaled Costs
- Swag (shirts, medals)
- Port-a-potties
- Water and snacks
- Per-runner timing fees
- Race bibs
Account for Increased Fixed Costs
Modifications to increase distance and sanitation often include extra costs. Examples include:
- PPE for staff and volunteers
- More hours for timing and employees to spread out the start
- Lower port-a-potty ratio
- Significant amounts of hand sanitizer
- Individually packaged water or snacks
Break-Even Analysis: What is your Minimum Viability?
What it really boils down to is this: what is the minimum number of participants that you need to make the event financially viable - and can you meet that threshold with the modifications required by your jurisdiction?