Boston Marathon "Unicorn Club" -- BAA is a ripoff artist!

terribletakebyu wrote:

It would be hard to be a millennial and have 10+ Bostons in the tank. This is about soaking up more cash from older upper middle class folks that do Boston every year.

Someone who ran their first Boston at age of 25 in 2008 and each one ever since would have been born in 1983, a typical millennial (like yours truly, yes I love avocado toasts thank you). I really find it hilarious how basically everyone on the web who matters is a millennial now: schoolchildren are plentiful but only matter as a mass, old farts are few and irrelevant. Yet millennial bashing is at all-time high. This must be 'post-irony'.

all depends on your perspective i guess... i jumped on it.

ride on a real bus instead of a school bus?

inside waiting area?

place to stretch and foam roll?

distinct gear drop in the finish area?

didn't sound like a rip-off to me.

i signed up within moments of getting the email.

just stating the obvious here wrote:

nbskis wrote:

I'm sure there's a market and demand or this wouldn't exist.

You're right. My brother-in-law always runs Boston and jumped on this as soon as it was offered. My sister (ie, his wife) and every one of his Facebook friends thought it was a great idea. The bump in the cost to their annual 4-5 day trip is pretty modest, so who am I to say.

my wife took one look and said 'why would you not do that?'

Don't forget the dozens of selfies to be posted on your social media accounts snowflake! Look at me! Look at me!

25-timer wrote:

all depends on your perspective i guess... i jumped on it.

ride on a real bus instead of a school bus?

inside waiting area?

place to stretch and foam roll?

distinct gear drop in the finish area?

didn't sound like a rip-off to me.

i signed up within moments of getting the email.

SelfiesForAll wrote:

Don't forget the dozens of selfies to be posted on your social media accounts snowflake!

Look at me!

Look at me!

[quote]

is that supposed to be some kind of insult?

not on Facebook, Twitter, or any other sites... never posted a selfie anywhere on the internet

so maybe try something else?

I've run six in a row and when I got the email, I too, thought hey this is a nice way for BAA to reward their loyal customers.

But no, the BAA wants to reward its loyal customers by giving them the opportunity to spend more money. I have nothing against the people who decided to pay $250. But I do think it generally in poor taste of the BAA to reward long time customers with only the opportunity to spend more money. Maybe they could give a free entry to one of their other races, or provide any of the benefits they are now charging for. Something for their long time customers... other than the chance to buy more.

I mean, if I spend $50 bucks at Dick's Sporting Goods, they always give me $10 off. If I buy a pair of running shoes online, I always get free shipping. It's kind of good customer relations 101 to reward your best customers. Apparently the BAA feels differently. It's a shame. I never thought of the BAA as an organization that does the cash grab.

Think those motor coaches will carry folks for free?

Drivers going to work for free on Patriots Day?

For that matter do you think the school bus drivers are volunteers?

After 10 years in a row, you get a reward: you are no longer subject to any qualifying cut-off time and you get to register early.

The BAA may generate a little money from this, but it's hardly a "cash grab."

It's limited to 200 people, so $50k max. And it appears it sold out.

I got the VIP deal through John Hancock since that's how I obtained my bib. I would gladly trade it all for them to put me with runners with similar PRs/goal times to mine.

Think those motor coaches will carry folks for free? Think BAA can't pay for an extra motor coach or two?? See previously quoted tax returns for the NON-PROFIT BAA

After 10 years in a row, you get a reward: you are no longer subject to any qualifying cut-off time and you get to register early. Thanks, all streakers know this and it costs BAA nothing.

The BAA may generate a little money from this, but it's hardly a "cash grab." So why charge then???

It's limited to 200 people, so $50k max. And it appears it sold out. You know this how exactly???? I just got the second email yesterday asking me to sign up. Seems more like their desperate to fill the slots, having first only intended this to be for 10 year streakers, but now accepting 5 year streakers.

Go Long wrote:

It's limited to 200 people, so $50k max. And it appears it sold out. You know this how exactly???? I just got the second email yesterday asking me to sign up. Seems more like their desperate to fill the slots, having first only intended this to be for 10 year streakers, but now accepting 5 year streakers.

'cause someone i know clicked on the link in the email but it said 'registration is closed'

Is it $250 per year or a one time fee? If it's one time only and you plan to continue to be a streaker, why the heck not do it?

busssdriversszz wrote:

The BAA may generate a little money from this, but it's hardly a "cash grab."

It's limited to 200 people, so $50k max. And it appears it sold out.

Did you read what you wrote? $50K?

Even if we assume these are buses with waterslides and caviar...they're still nowhere close to a fraction of $50K.

This is a cash grab by the BAA. That they're doing this (the overcharging, not the concept in general) with streakers is really disappointing.

statfool wrote:

> As a long-time Boston Marathon streaker

What do you do to control chafing?

"Unicorn Club" sounds sexist for streakers? What about the females?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaking

Ask Caster

Go Long wrote:

Think those motor coaches will carry folks for free? Think BAA can't pay for an extra motor coach or two?? See previously quoted tax returns for the NON-PROFIT BAA

After 10 years in a row, you get a reward: you are no longer subject to any qualifying cut-off time and you get to register early. Thanks, all streakers know this and it costs BAA nothing.

The BAA may generate a little money from this, but it's hardly a "cash grab." So why charge then???

It's limited to 200 people, so $50k max. And it appears it sold out. You know this how exactly???? I just got the second email yesterday asking me to sign up. Seems more like their desperate to fill the slots, having first only intended this to be for 10 year streakers, but now accepting 5 year streakers.

there are only 400-some 10 year streakers... that email went out on 3/11

no way they were going to get half of them to buy in. and i'm sure they knew that

i'm guessing they gave the 10-year folks first shot and then opened up to the 5-years?

STREAKERMADNESS wrote:

there are only 400-some 10 year streakers... that email went out on 3/11

Where have you seen this? I'm interested in seeing a histogram which shows streak length. Does BAA make this data public?

25-timer wrote:

just stating the obvious here wrote:

You're right. My brother-in-law always runs Boston and jumped on this as soon as it was offered. My sister (ie, his wife) and every one of his Facebook friends thought it was a great idea. The bump in the cost to their annual 4-5 day trip is pretty modest, so who am I to say.

my wife took one look and said 'why would you not do that?'

It sounds to me like BAA know its customers. The people kvetching are probably not Boston regulars and those who got the offer thought it was good. I only ran it once it sounded like a good deal to me.

bmarathoner 2000 wrote:

STREAKERMADNESS wrote:

there are only 400-some 10 year streakers... that email went out on 3/11

Where have you seen this? I'm interested in seeing a histogram which shows streak length. Does BAA make this data public?

they don't make streaker list public.. i've asked before to see where i stand as i'm getting close to 25

but they break down the acceptances every year:

"433 Qualifiers were accepted based on finishing 10 or more consecutive Boston Marathons."

[

Did you read what you wrote? $50K?

Even if we assume these are buses with waterslides and caviar...they're still nowhere close to a fraction of $50K.

This is a cash grab by the BAA. That they're doing this (the overcharging, not the concept in general) with streakers is really disappointing.

to each his own...

i think it's a fair price...

i've spent more on a bottle of scotch

Old Man Runner wrote:

I sent them a message and said something along the lines of "what about runners who have done at least 5 full Shamrock Marathons, but haven't done one in a few years? Do you not care about those people...the people that helped make this race what it is today?" I never heard back from them.

You sound like a lot of fun to hang out with.