usat

Well would you rather them charge $92-112 entry fee and not mention USAT? The only reason I get the yearly membership is because I'd pay more doing the one day fees. Also you get a couple gear discounts here and there. I think if they require RD to insure their own races that $12 one day fee is going to be A LOT higher

I could be very wrong here...but...

I always thought race insurance was for if the race was at serious fault for an accident, and people wanted to sue them.  The insurance would protect the race director or owner from having to pay out of pocket.

When you sign up to race, you normally sign an injury waiver.  Stating that the race is not responsible for any injuries you may incur.  That's what the insurance you pay for every month is for.  If you crash your bike (by your own fault) during a race...don't expect the race insurance to cover it.  Your personal insurance will.

At least that's how I understand it.

^^^^THIS^^^^

The insurance is to cover the RD/orginization's butt incase something goes wrong.

I believe there was a Slowtwitch article not too long ago on USAT and the cost/benefit of sanctioning a race.  If I remember right, most municipalities typically require the event to carry some sort of insurance.  The cost of getting insurance outside USAT is very cost prohibitive.

That said, I won't race an event that does not obtain USAT sanctioning.  When a race is sanctioned, it has to meet certain standards, including basic stuff like making sure the course distance is reasonably accurate.   I also do a one year membership because I race enough to make it worth it.

I will say that the kid membership is b.s.   My kids did their first tri last summer and were forced to buy a full year membership at 35 bucks a pop.  They don't have one day memberships for kids.  Between the entry fee and the membership fee, it cost 85 bucks for each of the twins to race 20 yards in a pool, a quarter mile bike and 100 yard run.

I believe you're covered under the insurance as well, however to what extent is probably in the fine print that everyone just initals and moves on (injury waiver you sign for every race). Honestly I've never fully read an injury waiver but know I've signed one for every race I can think of (road race/tri/mud run) The answer to this question is probably in that waiver.

A youth membership is $15.00......just saying.

Why do you find that strange?  Is it so unheard of for a company to pass on it's expenses to it's customers?  Do you find it strange that a grocery store passes on it's electricity costs on to their customers?  Or their water bill?  Or their employees health care costs?  Or their own liability insurance?

Exactly.....and in this deal, if you take advantage of the USAT sponsors, and the deals they offer you as a member, you come out WAY ahead on the minimal membership cost.  See if you can get that from your grocery store.

I was a USAT detractor, until I saw firsthand what they are doing with youth development in our country.  They have been through some growing pains, and have some to go through still, but it's coming along.  

This is completely untrue. There is nothing in the USAT certification process that addresses accuracy of course distances.

Also as previously noted, USAT membershio for those under 18 is $15 per year. A couple years ago it was only $5. Regardless, no one doing a single race is " forced to buy a full year membership." all sanctioned races should offer one-day licenses.

Don, I'm not sure how you can single out a "primary purpose" like this. USAT's mission statement is:

 The mission of USA Triathlon is to grow and inspire the triathlon community.

And they provide a wealth of resources toward that mission.

Fair enough.  I may be making a little bit of a leap in saying it's their primary purpose.  I base this opinion on USAT being a NGB under the USOC.

BTW, anyone interested can pull up tax returns from USAT and many other non-profits on sites like GuideStar. Per 2010 TR, $7million in revenues came form membership and $1.6mlion was spent on event sanctioning, including liability insurance.

Edited by the bear 2013-01-10 10:06 AM

THIS is interesting.  Wow.  Where'd the rest go?  Profit sharing back to USAT members? 

I got that same survey from Multirace. I cannot figure out what their goal was for sending that out.

I'm looking ay $1.7 mil spent on members (magazine, individial liability while participating, etc) and $1.6 mil on event sanctioning (event insurance, development, risk management, safety reviews, etc)

$4.8 mil spent on "competitions and training" to include junior teams, age group championships, coaching education, elite athletes, training race officials,

I'd say its more than worth the annual memebership fee.

No!?!  Would an example be the volunteer at a non-sanctioned race I did last year, who was supposed to be stopping traffic as cyclists made a 90 degree turn onto another road, but instead was sitting in a chair playing with her phone, not paying any attention at all?  

Pulled up an old statement, you are correct, it was 16.01 per kid.  Not sure where I got the $35 dollar figure from.