RLS100 2014

rich_e

AchillesLeftKnee wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

I wonder how high the entry would need to be before it put enough people off except to fill the available places?

Run it as a combination of a Dutch auction and a series of mini-ballots. Start with a ballot for a number of places at, say, a grand, close and draw it after a couple of weeks, drop the price according to the level of under/oversubscription then repeat until all ballot places have gone. That would give an idea of the actual value of places. Okay, it would also be grotesque for a whole raft of social reasons, but it would get a number out the other end and also get pretty close to maximising organiser revenue.

Those who are in a position and quite happy to pay large sums of money can already get a guaranteed place by simply riding for a charity though.

AchillesLeftKnee

Rich_E wrote:

AchillesLeftKnee wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

I wonder how high the entry would need to be before it put enough people off except to fill the available places?

Run it as a combination of a Dutch auction and a series of mini-ballots. Start with a ballot for a number of places at, say, a grand, close and draw it after a couple of weeks, drop the price according to the level of under/oversubscription then repeat until all ballot places have gone. That would give an idea of the actual value of places. Okay, it would also be grotesque for a whole raft of social reasons, but it would get a number out the other end and also get pretty close to maximising organiser revenue.

Those who are in a position and quite happy to pay large sums of money can already get a guaranteed place by simply riding for a charity though.

Wasn't suggesting it as an idea, merely as a way of solving Carbonator's "what should the price be?" thingy. Personally, I reckon the lowest priced places would go for £300-£400. FWIW, I reckon the whole thing should be done by a straight unweighted ballot on a cheap entry fee and riders should be allowed to raise money for the charity of their choice should they wish to do so. Strikes me as a lot fairer as there's no "buy your way in" route, and makes the charity element 100% sincere.

kentphil

What happened to the big rush for places? I stayed up til midnight on sunday to register first thing Mon am to make sure a got in with a chance. Looks like the ballot entry is still open today!

Anonymous

KentPhil wrote:

What happened to the big rush for places? I stayed up til midnight on sunday to register first thing Mon am to make sure a got in with a chance. Looks like the ballot entry is still open today!

There was a massive rush compared to last year.
50,000 now after 24 hours. It took 5 months to get to 50k last year.

It will be closed off today I reckon.
Next year will be crazy!

Thing is, are they likely to close the door on all those £48 donations. Maybe they will run to 160,000 8)

Cycling is an expensive hobby (but cheaper than smoking) so I have no real problem with doing whatever I have to to get into this event.

Its as near as I will get to an Olympic/Pro ride, and nothing in the UK touches it.

Anonymous

getnoticed wrote:

I'll take my chances in the ballot but am sure the charity places will still be available if I am unsuccessful.

I would not count on that.

Last year it took 5 months to get 50,000 people registered. This year 24 hours.

There are a lot of people who are kicking themselves for not taking this event seriously last year.
They will not want to wait until 2015, so I think they will view a £50 donation to charity as a good insurance policy to a guaranteed place.

If charity places are available after the ballot, they will be snapped up quicker than an iPhone 5S in Tokyo city!

binkybike

Ballot places are still available, I only just got round to it, and I registered... no problem.

rich_e

They said that they are nearly there though this morning.

Shows how big the interest is this time around, but also as a downside means that there are even more people in the ballot after a place.