Event registration and race day app RaceNation has released findings from a UK event organisers survey. This aimed to evaluate the initial impact of coronavirus on the mass participation event industry.
The survey, conducted by the Sussex Innovation Centre for RaceNation polled over 2,600 event organisers, participants and charities to uncover the impacts of coronavirus on the industry.
Event organisers
- The biggest findings were around the financial impacts of Covid-19. Over half (54%) of event organisers estimate a business revenue loss of over 50% during COVID-19, with 9 out of 10 race organisers (93%) reported overall losses in revenue.
- While mass participation events are still financially viable for some, the impacts will be huge for the industry; and it seems many won’t have the resources to come back, with 13% of the industry not planning any events for 2021.
- Of those continuing to plan for 2021, the majority of event organisers (71%) will be seeking new sponsors to fund future events as a result of lost revenue.
- Race organisers appear to be expecting a a change in consumer buying habits. Over half (59%) of race organisers foresee entrants purchasing tickets closer to the event day – with 13% believing that tickets will be purchased just before the event.
- Remaining positive, over one third (35%) of event organisers think ticket sales will increase because entrants haven’t competed in-person for a while. 19% of event organisers thinking ticket sales will increase because more people have taken up running during lockdown.
Participants
- Survey responses from event participants reveal that four out of five (81%) of race entrants would race again within three months of lockdown measures being lifted – of which, over half (51%) said that they would return straight away.
- It seems nearly all participants are happy to get back racing in 2021, as 96% of respondents would race again within a year of lockdown measures being lifted.
- Over half (53%) of race participants surveyed have done at least one virtual event in lockdown; although, only 10% would be looking to continue.
Will Golder, Director of RaceNation said “RaceNation is committed to doing everything we can to help improve and rebuild the event and charity industries across the UK. By completing this survey, we were able to gather a significant and in depth understanding about the impacts that this virus has had on the industry and has validated some our decisions in securing new partnerships and building new features, products and services where they’re needed most.
“We’re extremely grateful for the overwhelming response from over 2,600 people and some incredible feedback and suggestions from some of the biggest names in the industry.
“While there are inevitable challenges ahead, we remain positive that the strong appetite from participants along with the passion from event organisers and charities will put the industry in a strong position to come back fighting for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.”
RaceNation recently announced a partnership with The National Running Show to ‘host the first ever Event Village for its 27,000 visitors to sign up to any race in the country all under one roof.’ Last week also saw RaceNation announce a partnership with findarace.com that will allow any event registered with RaceNation to advertise on findarace.com free of commissions and fees.
