Mastercard, a long-time sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon, has teamed up with Lyft to offer runners and spectators unique experiences, discounts, and bib access for the 2025 event, which takes place on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
Since 2020, Mastercard has supported the New York Road Runners. It is focusing this year on ‘unlocking the marathon’ through a series of activations designed to power the ‘cultural and economic force’ of the race, which hosts over 55,000 runners from more than 150 countries.
The centrepiece of Mastercard’s runner engagement is the #MastercardMarathonContest, run in partnership with Lyft. Here, marathon hopefuls were invited to share their best ‘marathon hacks’ to win a spot in the race.
The 25 contest winners gain access to Mastercard’s Priceless Start, which is billed as an unforgettable opportunity to kick off the race ahead of the women’s pro field on the Verrazzano Bridge.
Mastercard and Lyft are also providing a practical race-weekend hack. Here, its World and World Elite Mastercard cardholders will receive travel discounts to help runners and spectators move through the city throughout race weekend.
Mastercard is planning a high-energy presence throughout race week to engage both participants and fans:
- ‘Unlock the Marathon’ Booth (marathon expo): The booth will feature visual marathon advice from other runners, photo opportunities, and free co-branded swag with Dick’s Sporting Goods. Exclusive giveaways include bibs for the Tokyo Marathon, the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, and other 2026 NYRR races, alongside tickets to Edge at Hudson Yards.
- Pre-Race Celebration: A wellness event in partnership with TAO Group will be held at Edge at Hudson Yards on November 1. This event will offer expert Q&As, mini treatments, 3D body scans, and race-ready nutrition for runners and their loved ones, all set against the backdrop of Edge NYC.
- Cheer Zones: Mastercard-branded Cheer Zones will be set up at Mile 8 and Mile 16, featuring live music, free swag, and reserved seating to give fans a front-row view of the runners.
Mastercard will continue to offer other experiences across culinary, wellness, and entertainment for cardholders interested in exploring the city, all available at priceless.com.
www.mastercard.com
www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon
www.priceless.com
