Let's face it, for years, the "virtual option" on races were just a way for race director to collect a few extra registration dollars in exchange for a t-shirt. These participants were generally looked at as "not really part of the real event", but did offer people from out of the area to get the swag from an event they wanted to a part of, but couldn't.
Then The World Went Virtual
Then 2020 came along, and with it the global pandemic of COVID-19. Suddenly the world went virtual in just about every way; offices, city hall meetings, and oh yeah, races too.
But Are Virtual Events Enticing?
Race directors were now faced with the challenge of finding a way to make virtual events as enticing to their participants as their regular events have been. Too many of them erroneously thought that just saying "now we are virtual" would be enough. Sure, some of the registrations transitioned over with little or no pushback, but that is really just a testament to the connection that participants have to the race. They were happy to be able to still support the event or the cause, even if the experience was not the same.
Virtually Engaging? Yes!
The thing is, it doesn't have to be like that. The technology companies behind the registration platforms really stepped up in an effort to improve the experience for these virtual events. Depending upon what platform you work with, there are some solid features all intended to make participants feel more connected to the event. Participants can now more easily submit results to be displayed online alongside others who also participated, just like a real event. They can get a virtual bib that can be shared via social media channels (think about how many people post pictures of their bib...). And of course, there are still finisher certificates. Some of the coolest things that we have see is the ability to have a virtual playlist and the ability to get tracked while you run the official race course. Think about it! Participants can run the course that they would have run and they could listen to the music they've come to expect at your event! This really can keep the look and feel (and sound!) of your event alive and well while we work towards ensuring in-person events can happen safely again soon.
If you're interested in learning more about how Race Day Professionals can be implement these technologies for your event, let us know. We have some great ideas and look forward to sharing with you.