ASICS & World Athletics Announce New Conference: The Business of Running Events, Coming July 2024
ASICS and World Athletics will partner to host the first combined road and trail running event professionals conference in July 2024
London, ON (Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023) – In partnership with World Athletics, ASICS is excited to present The Business of Running Events, a new conference for running and trail event industry professionals hosted in Colorado Springs in July 2024.
The conference aims to provide an exclusive group of running event and timing professionals with new strategies, tools, and frameworks to help bolster their running event businesses. The conference seeks to elevate and grow events by sharing business, marketing, and sponsorship advice while also looking ahead at the newest innovations in the industry.
Specific topics include sales training for sponsorship acquisition, marketing with limited resources, how to leverage your data as a competitive advantage, how to engage and build your local running communities, building customer loyalty, and leveraging social impact with your city, to name a few.
World Athletics will also host a one-day primer on requirements and expectations for current and potential World Athletic Labeled races. Topics to be covered by World Athletics include the technical rules of the sport, Label Road Race regulations, anti-doping and integrity, the World Athletics Rankings, World Athletics agent regulations, and the international media rights market.
“We are excited to announce this opportunity to bring together our global portfolio of customers and provide them with innovative tools and progressive education to help their businesses excel and prosper,” said Alex Vander Hoeven, CEO of Race Roster, an ASICS-owned registration platform. “In partnership with the World Athletics Association, this conference will be the premier learning destination for running industry professionals worldwide. Additionally, we have hired Christine Bowen, a long-time industry conference expert, as the conference director, who will bring the experience required to help accomplish the goals of this new endeavor.”
Guided by ASICS’ ethos of A Sound Mind in A Sound Body, in addition to the educational components of the conference, attendees will also have opportunities to move and experience the beautiful landscape of Colorado while networking with peers and business leaders within the running industry.
“World Athletics’ vision is to use the power of athletics to create a healthier and fitter world; and few stakeholders in the global athletics ecosystem have more power to help us achieve this than race directors,‘’ said Marton Gyulai, Director of Competitions & Events at World Athletics.
‘’Mass participation road events can attract tens of thousands of participants and inspire millions across the globe. As more people become health-conscious, and as more governments promote participation opportunities in what remains the world’s most accessible sport, we are delighted to be working with our long-standing partner ASICS in bringing world-class education to race directors worldwide in the hopes of multiplying the global exposure and impact of our sport.”
What’s next?
We will be announcing more details as we confirm them. If you are interested in attending, or finding out more about the conference, please reach out to christine.bowen@raceroster.com, or visit https://www.asicsapps.com/businessofrunningevents/ to stay informed.
About ASICS
Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in A Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded over 70 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of performance athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com. Follow @ASICSamerica on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for exclusive content and real-time news about ASICS products, events, and elite athletes.
About World Athletics
World Athletics is the international governing body for athletics (track & field & running events). Our vision is to use the power and accessibility of athletics and our athletes to create a healthier and fitter world. World Athletics serves a number of stakeholders: elite athletes, their coaches, and their agents, and the 214 national athletics federations that make up the organisation, commercial partners and broadcasters. We work closely with the national federations to develop the sport around the globe, and with local organising committees to stage the biggest international athletics events, exciting and engaging fans of all ages.