For a flat annual fee, Racepass membership covers full registration of a pre-set number of races for the year at a discounted cost, helping runners “save more the farther they run.”
Writer: Tom Ryan
Long-time runners and Google employees Chase Rigby, Tom Hammel, and Thomas Hanson have launched Racepass, the first subscription-based membership for distance races.
For a flat annual fee, Racepass membership covers full registration of a pre-set number of races for the year at a discounted cost, helping runners “save more the farther they run.”
The three founders came up with Racepass because they were frustrated with how complicated and expensive it was to sign up for distance races and recognized a demand for syndicated sponsorship in the industry. The goal is to bring down the barriers to entry and get more people running more races and comes as traditional race participation was down last year for the first time in 20 years.
For runners, it eliminates the administrative headaches of finding, registering and recruiting for races. For race directors and brands, it provides opportunities to advertise products and events, helps promote races and facilitate corporate sponsorship opportunities, and offers direct access to thousands of active runners.
“As runners, it was obvious to us that the simplistic nature of running wasn’t reflected in the racing industry. With Racepass we want to encourage people to run more races, help race directors lower the cost of acquiring race registrants and give race sponsors and athletic brands a more efficient advertising solution,” said Rigby.
Racepass initially offers three race packages for different levels of runners: The Contender ($195/year for 3 races), The Athlete ($295/year for 5 races), and The Pro ($695/year for unlimited races). Everyone will be able to access to Racepass’ discovery tools, including maps and social streams for free.
From Bay to Breakers in San Francisco to the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii, runners can choose from Racepass’ global network of 5,000+ races in 30 countries worldwide, with distances ranging from 5K to the full marathon. Race registration fees vary depending on the race and can cost anywhere from $100 to more than $200 per race. Running enthusiasts can search for complete race listings for free at racepass.com/map.
Building beyond its subscription model, Racepass plans to roll out a suite of additional offerings directed to help race organizers attract and maintain runners, and partners, including advertising and promotional opportunities for retailers and brands.
“Racepass is poised to create a new racing paradigm. The racing industry is a multi-billion dollar market with untapped potential for a technology platform that can organize race information across the world and allow users to discover races and promote the sport,” said Brent Knudsen, founder of Partnership Capital Growth, Managing Director of Financo, and Racepass advisor.
Photo courtesy Racepass
