UKCE begging letters

slowbike
slowbike Posts: 8,498
edited January 2017 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Anyone else getting a pletherer of "begging" emails from UKCE?

I know I've done a few events with them in the past - priorities and cycling has changed so I'm tending not to do any at the moment, but they seem to be really pushing on the email front....

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,313
    They are probably struggling... I have never heard of any of their events, so they might well be on the endangered list.

    The 100 electronically timed miles formula on a signed course is a bit dated, with all the GPS and Strava games kids can play these days, the appeal of riding 100 miles at a fast pace to get a gold standard is not that great. Epic courses like the Fred Whitton keep thriving, the others struggle. They have to come up with something more exciting
    left the forum March 2023
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    They are probably struggling... I have never heard of any of their events, so they might well be on the endangered list.
    They do the sportive organisaton for Wiggle amoungst others - have a few of their own events too. They're "big" in terms of have a larger number of rides and they are, for the most part, popular.

    I know the appeal of a sportive is waning for me - I wonder how many others have moved on too....
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,313
    Slowbike wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    They are probably struggling... I have never heard of any of their events, so they might well be on the endangered list.
    They do the sportive organisaton for Wiggle amoungst others - have a few of their own events too. They're "big" in terms of have a larger number of rides and they are, for the most part, popular.

    I know the appeal of a sportive is waning for me - I wonder how many others have moved on too....

    They are always overstaffed and I suspect the profit margins are not that great... being popular might not be enough.

    Long Audax event are growing in popularity among the non racing lots... the others prefer to go for massive events on closed roads, where there seems to be some element of excitement left.

    I think this year will be the last for me, as far as sportives go... I am doing the Etape du Dales and a smaller one in Wales called "The Monster"... the Audax calendar is far more exciting and challenging at a small fraction of the cost
    left the forum March 2023
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    I had dealings with them a few years ago as a potential host for one of the events, they have preferred subcontractors for all the catering and other attractions so most likely charge suppliers a pitch fee or take a percentage of the takings to boost income from the event. Nice people to deal with.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,313
    Sportives derailed when they went from being organised by local clubs to being organised by event corporations. The atmosphere and the personality of an event is something that only the locals can create. Event organisers can't drag people out of their homes to cheer, which is quite a common sight in locally organised events.
    left the forum March 2023
  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Sportives derailed when they went from being organised by local clubs to being organised by event corporations. The atmosphere and the personality of an event is something that only the locals can create. Event organisers can't drag people out of their homes to cheer, which is quite a common sight in locally organised events.

    You've hit the nail on the head here. The 'monetisation' of cycling events has turned them into bland corporate non-events. The UK seems to have lost its way with them. Even overseas, events like Paris Roubaix, Flanders, Marmotte still have a soul and a sense of fun, even the Etape just about still has and I guess will get some back when the UK box-tickers find another event to ruin. I remember the Magnificat as being a great local fun event, now it's really lost its way which is a shame as it was a great event.

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