Aug 2020
3:14pm, 7 Aug 2020
3,069 posts
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Little Miss Happy
I agree that we haven't already paid for the virtual race roberton - my point was that VLM will already have paid out for the medals and t-shirts so would not be recouping that loss if for example they had just cancelled the race.
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Aug 2020
3:29pm, 7 Aug 2020
660 posts
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BexleyKev
LMH as a business you would expect them to look at ways to recoup costs where possible otherwise they get passed on in higher prices ( which is likely to happen to some extent in future years ). And they are not forcing the virtual on anybody. I actually see it as a bonus given that we still have and option to run in a future event at no additional cost or obtain a refund. I also hope that it means that medals and shirts are not wasted.
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Aug 2020
3:32pm, 7 Aug 2020
661 posts
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BexleyKev
Plus £20 is not a bad price for a running shirt and had the event taken place I expect many would have spent a lot more on merchandise at the Expo.
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Aug 2020
3:42pm, 7 Aug 2020
390 posts
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Spideog
They need to get something back for their sponsors to ensure that source of income. Their income from entries over the years 2020-23 is reduced by 25%, probably similar for their charity entry fees and as we've not heard grumblings on that front yet I'm guessing the charities are not too annoyed by what they were offered in this mornings conference call. Trading from the Expo is also lost for this year and they will probably miss out on any new fees for next years event as those spots will presumably all get bounced to 2021...if the Expo happens and if it does there might be limited money being spent by people in October 2021 such that they traders fees might have to be reduced for the 2022 event as the event might not be such a money spinner.
Then you also have that 2021 is the last year of Virgin Money being the headline sponsor and the new sponsor is therefore going to miss out on 6 months of coverage as they presumably won't be announced until late October 2021 now rather than in April.
So I'll be happy to pay them £20 for a tshirt for a virtual run seeing as LM is a charity and I'm not doing a whole lot of other charitable donations lately.
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Aug 2020
3:48pm, 7 Aug 2020
8,054 posts
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jda
I think overall they've done a good job, my only beef would be with the late announcement as they must have known some time ago the central event was not going ahead.
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Aug 2020
3:55pm, 7 Aug 2020
391 posts
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Spideog
Think if not for spectators trial events at football and cricket being cancelled in the last week they were anticipating having everything covered and numbers being OK by October along with some tracking system built into the race numbers or wrist bands.
Just the spectators became the thing they couldn't work around and that only changed on them at the last minute.
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Aug 2020
4:09pm, 7 Aug 2020
35,991 posts
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DocM
I agree they have done a pretty good job. For those of us that can't be in the frame for GFA it may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to run in a race with it's own very unique atmosphere and they have presevered that option.im sure the thousands in that category will be disappointed about having to wait another year but delighted not to have had it taken from them completely. Hopefully the many charities that benefit will still get a good amount of funds raised by many of those so desperate to be a part of it.
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Aug 2020
4:13pm, 7 Aug 2020
2,835 posts
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Pothunter
Also agree.
I wonder if they’ll have parallel virtual events in the future. May allow them to accommodate the thousands who miss out on the ballot. On the other hand they wouldn’t want to distract from their showpiece event. Just a Friday afternoon musing...
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Aug 2020
5:01pm, 7 Aug 2020
3,072 posts
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Little Miss Happy
I would actually rather they kept the t-shirts and medals and used them next year for the real 40th event.
I always use my GFA place to raise money for a charity - Alzheimer's this year - I don't think that any of the people who sponsored me would be asking for their money back in any circumstances. As I said previously I usually sell my medal to raise additional funds so I may pay the £20 in order to hopefully be able to do that and raise a little more.
Pothunter - I hope not because to me that's not The London Marathon. I always thought that I'd hate London, ran it the first time to raise funds in memory of a friend who had died from cancer and have been hooked ever since, I love the buzz, the crowds, the experience basically.
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Aug 2020
5:40pm, 7 Aug 2020
35,998 posts
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DocM
They can't keep the t-shirts for next year if they have 2020 on them, which I assume they would. And they have said this year is the 40th race, so that would be wrong too.
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