The paper contributes to research on runners’ preferences for attributes of running events. The number of events has increased significantly due to increased demand. In this popular sport, there are a variety of ways to design running event profiles to meet the heterogeneous demand. It is therefore important for event organizers to be able to assess the preference structure of their target groups as accurately as possible. A key goal of this study is therefore to estimate the marginal willingness to pay (MWTP), which reflects the preferences for characteristics of running events.
Using a sample of 214 recreational runners in Germany, this study employs a discrete choice experiment based on McFadden’s random utility theory (RUM). Respondents were asked to reveal their preferences by making trade-offs among the following event characteristics: distance, altitude difference, route profile, service, distance to home and participation fee.
The distance in running competitions is the decisive factor that determines preferences. The increasing demand for running events will tend to be for short- and medium-distance events.
A limitation that applies in general is the hypothetical nature of the responses that could lead to the so-called hypothetical bias. Future studies should also investigate whether the assumptions underlying the RUM are fulfilled or whether other conceptual frameworks such as random regret minimization are more suitable to capture the preferences of runners or other athletes.
The heterogeneous MWTP values for each attribute are an indication that organizers can achieve competitive advantages if they succeed in identifying the target groups of runners of short-term and medium-term distances and aligning the respective event with the corresponding preference structures. At running competitions, the selection of different running distances should include the very heterogeneous preference structure for this attribute as precisely as possible. A practical implication here is, e.g. the change in the offer structure through the inclusion of new or the termination of previous run offers.
The results show clear preferences for the landscape around the running route. It also becomes clear that personal experiences with the event, such as the environment and the running route profile, strengthen self-satisfaction and long-term commitment to individual running events. The results provide useful input for designing running tracks and for the development of a strategy concept for the marketing of running events.
