The Goals of World Marathon Majors Have Changed. Here is What We Know
Prize money for runners and wheelchair athletes is now equal, but the overall totals have decreased significantly. What does it all mean?
In September the Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) announced that moving forward, champions of the wheelchair division will now earn the same amount of prize money as elite runners competing in the series. The organisation that hosts the prestigious road racing circuit – which includes the Tokyo, London, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and New York City marathons – also shared that prize money will be extended to include the top five males and females in both categories.
While wheelchair racers earning equal pay is a step forward for para-athletes, the restructuring of the series purse also includes a steep overall reduction in prize money for pro runners. Following the announcement, Runner’s World reached out to the leaders of WMM. Here is what we know about the change, and what it means for elites and the future of the series.
It marks a shift in priorities
When the WMM series started in 2007, the men’s and women’s champion – determined by athletes scoring points for their finishing place in each major race – each took home $500,000 (R8.5-mllion), launching a circuit then-billed as “the top echelon in the sport of marathon running.” At its inception, the series was focused on promoting elites. Over the years, that focus has shifted to promoting all participants racing in the series.
“So, if you cut the elite series prize from $250,000 to $50,000, where is the consequence? The people in the back of the race have no idea who the frontrunners are, or care!”
In 2017, the winners’ purse was reduced but the prize structure was expanded to award the top three, increase prize money for wheelchair racers, and include a charity donation program. For the last several years, the male and female winners each took home $250,000 (R4.5-million) for second and third place earned $50,000 (R900 000) and $25,000 (R450 000), respectively. The men’s and women’s wheelchair division champions won $50,000. (R900 000) second place earned $25,000 (R450 000), and third place received $10,000 (R180 000).
Following the strategy of promoting the journey of all participants, WMM appointed Stone as CEO in June. The former CEO of Running USA also founded Women’s Running magazine and the women’s half marathon series.
In September, the prize fund was slashed even further, but the prize structure was made equal across divisions. Now the purse for elite runners and wheelchair racers totals $100,000 (R180 000) for each category, $225,000 (R400 000) less for the runners with prize money shifted to include the top five finishers. Moving forward, athletes will now earn $50,000 (R900 000) for winning the series, $25,000 (R450 000) for second place, $12,500 (R225 000) for third, $7,500 (R136 000) for fourth, and $5,000 (R90 000) for fifth place overall.
When asked about the factors that led to the reduction, Stone said the landscape and earning potential for the world’s best marathon runners has “transformed” since the series started in 2007.
“Through our long-standing relationships with the elite athletes and their managers, we know that they compete in the Abbott World Marathon Majors because of the standard of competition, the appearance fee, the event prize fund, and the global TV audience that each race individually gives the elite athletes,” Stone said. “As an organization, we felt creating parity in AbbottWMM series prize funds for elite wheelchair athletes was the right decision.”
When asked if a $50 000 series prize compared to $500 000 would equally motivate elites and capture public attention, Stone said: “We believe that fans of the sport are most interested to see who finishes the year on top of the standings and that working with a range of athletes and sharing their stories across platforms and projects gives us more opportunity to capture public attention.”
The change is part of a five-year plan that includes expansion
In the same announcement, WMM said it would be “allocating funds and working with partners to develop other initiatives” that further promote wheelchair racing. When asked to elaborate on those plans, Stone said the initiatives are part of a five-year strategy aimed to “support the full spectrum of marathon runners around the world.”
Athlete managers were informed prior to the announcement
Broadcaster and writer Toni Reavis spoke to one of the managers, who wished to remain anonymous, and shared their experience in his blog commenting on the changes. They expressed disappointment in the series’ decision to reduce the prize structure. “This is a real slap in the face,” the manager told Reavis. “Why go in this direction? If you reduce the prize to $50,000, it’s no incentive at all.”
As Reavis opined, due to poor marketing and promotion, among other factors, the sport has moved away from an emphasis on elite competition and the series’ decision to slash the prize fund reflects that. “Think about it. Who pays the bills? The people who run 4 and 5 hour marathons who spend hundreds of dollars to enter,” Reavis wrote. “So, if you cut the elite series prize from $250,000 to $50,000, where is the consequence? The people in the back of the race have no idea who the frontrunners are, or care.”
Out-of-competition drug testing will still be funded
Despite the significant reduction in the series prize titles, the partnership between WMM and the Athletics Integrity Unit, the organization that conducts all out-of-competition drug testing, will continue. “The move to parity in the AbbottWMM series prize money and the reallocation of those funds to other projects in the coming months and years has no bearing on that partnership,” Stone said.
Equal pay is significant to wheelchair athletes
The organization’s decision to equalize prize money follows other major races and governing bodies increasing their support towards wheelchair and para athletes in recent years. In 2021, the United States Olympic Committee adjusted the prize money for Paralympic athletes to equal that of Olympians. In July, London Marathon race organizers set a record by announcing that the 2022 race will host the richest wheelchair competition in history with a prize fund totaling $199,500 (R360 000)
The new prize fund structure will be put into effect immediately. For elites to win their category in the WMM series, they have to score the most points in the qualifying races during the scoring period. This year’s series began with the Tokyo Marathon on March 6. The winners will be announced after the New York City Marathon on November 6.
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