Are Races Too Expensive?
YES: 77%
Races have gotten increasingly more expensive, often pricing out newcomers or even those who enjoy racing but may not be on the podium. It also deters those that have to travel to races. The cost of traveling (fuel, food, lodging, etc.) is becoming so high that the extra cost of the entry fee might be enough to make me decide to just go out on the local group ride instead.
—Paul Muething, Richmond, Va.
I wish some runs would forgo chip timing and the short sleeve shirts that accumulate unused in my closet. If charity is the point, get imaginative and solicit donations on the entry form, sell higher-end gear, and advocate your cause.
— Robert 2.0, Blacksburg, Va.
Cost prevents me from participating in all the races I’d like to try.
—Robert, Hermitage, Tenn.
NO: 13%
Most races donate some of the proceeds to charities, and it takes a lot of money to promote and plan an event like a race.They would be more expensive if they paid everyone who works to make them happen.
—Virginia Faircloth, Charlotte, N.C.
It is easy to sit on the sidelines and say a race is too expensive without knowing the full realities of what it takes to put on an event. I am not a race director nor do I work in the industry. However, I participate in and volunteer at enough events to know that race directors are not retiring at 40. In a lot of cases, RDs are volunteers themselves. Don’t judge a man/woman/race until you have run a few miles in their shoes.
—Jeremy, Brunswick, Maine
An entry fee is a small portion of the expense to race, and the money usually goes to a charity—or to putting on the future races.
—Rick Stein, Lynchburg, Va.
Should College Athletes Be Paid?
NO: 83%
The commercialization of collegiate athletics is deplorable. Who would get paid? Most likely, only football or basketball players. Instead of paying players, the NCAA should do something for the schools considering how much money they make off them.
— William O., Lynchburg, Va.
College athletes are getting an education that cost tens of thousands of dollars per year. That is their payment for playing sports.
—Jackie, Gallatin, Tenn.
Do Division I schools pay or do all levels? Do you only pay those athletes playing the big sports or all sports? Is there a cap on paying or do colleges with the cash pay the most like pro teams? Too many questions that can never be answered fairly for all.
—Bill, Raleigh, N.C.
YES: 17%
Universities and the NCAA make so much money off of the athletes that there is no good reason why they should not share the profits. Most of these young athletes do not have support from home to provide them wth a quasi-normal collegiate experience.
—Ryan, Kernersville, N.C.
Yes, colleges make billions and coaches make millions, but if athletes get injured, they lose their scholarships. If nothing else, put royalties from the video games that use their likenesses into a trust fund that they can get after college.
—ADK, Los Angeles, Calif.
