Just the 3rd edition of Surat Night Marathon, and
it hit a bump this year in form of the widely epidemic swine-flu. Though I’ve
been just recently bitten by the running bug, I’ve had a more than a little
company of some regular runners. And when it comes to marathon, my profession
as an event manager enables me to see a probably-unseen side of it too!
It’s been just 5 hours the event has been officially postponed,
thought will key in a blog about the top challenges from the marathon organizer’s
point of view.
1. The wagging tongue syndrome –
Normally when an event of this scale is rescheduled, the tongues go wagging
about the organizational capability and in some way gives the participants a dissonance.
2. Domino effect of this one delay – A major
event is but yet another professional project for the organizer. They want to
do it in the best way possible and then move on to the next coz just 1 event
doesn't pay all the bills! This might all the more be true for organizers here
who are more into commercial rather than client-based events.
3. Rescheduling the visitors – From elite
runners to pre-booked international entertainers; all will have to reschedule
their travel plans. usually there’re more drop-outs than add-ins in such cases;
though let’s hope at least the elite runners will turn up on the next date!
4. The increased ad-spend – A 2-month
delay means to keep the visibility and hence the final impact as it is. It’s as
simple as a monkey’s red ass that it is impossible. However, a second final-phase
of ad-spend will have to be incurred in April to gain momentum and reach a
shattering climax.
5. Laxity in the revving event team – As an
event reaches its final phase, the event team revs up and work at its peak. Such
an event team has a lot of temps who come on-board just for that project; and
go over to their studies or another project after that. A sudden trough like
this will leave the team clueless at first, then worrying about the delay. Some
attrition is bound to happen and organizers may have to re-train the new chaps.
6. Dipping interest levels – It’s no
rocket science that the success of an event is gauged by the participation
levels. A lot of runners and enthusiastic junta were doing their last
lag preparation and this cancellation will can it. Some might just not get in that mood again after 2 months.
7. Loss of revenue – A lot of sponsors get
on the bandwagon at the last moment – yes even in the last 1 week. (Just FYI,
in case of Navratri, AT LEAST 30% sponsors are confirmed within the last 24
hours - before the 1st of the 9 days.) I’m not sure if the same will
happen in April also; considering that a lot of them may not have frozen their
ad-spends for the next financial year and will take a while to decide (and miss
the bus).
8. The large looming shadow – Come next
year, there’ll be a breed of stupidus-maximus who will nonetheless fill up the
form; will also throw a jibe like – ‘aa
vakhte pan tarikh padse ke shu?’ This one unavoidable rescheduling will remain
in collective memory for around 5 years.
