Continental's Pull Out--It's really up in the air...

May Day! May Day! We're Bailing out over the Pacific!!! Aie-e-e-e-e! We're still reeling from shock here in Guam Running Club central control. The decision by the management of Continental Airlines' local Sales and Promotion division, to abruptly pull its sponsorship came as a total surprise. The 30th Anniversary running of the Guam Marathon was supposed to be a celebration of something special, not the victim of a corporate cost-saving measure.

Some Background. Continental came on the scene two years ago and offered to sponsor the 29th Guam Marathon, which they did in a wonderful fashion. From that small beginning, Continental's stated goal was to increase the number of off-island participants to a significantly larger level than has been characteristic for the past several years. The first year's effort didn't produce the numbers and, to Continental's credit they made good on all their sponsorship promises. After doing a "post-mortem" on the marathon completed GRC and Continental agreed to take the lessons learned and attempt to use that knowledge toward a more successful second try on the upcoming 30th Guam Marathon.

Mutual plans were made to start earlier, get up a web site to put out the word well in advance and post the upcoming marathon on running related web sites throughout the world. It was mutually agreed that GRC would run the logistics of the race with Continental Airlines underwriting the awards, T-shirts, finishers' medallions, etc. and securing hotel and airfare discounts. Some other sundries were included. Continental would take primary responsibility to market the marathon in their various travel stations throughout Asia but especially in Japan.

Hind sight is always 20/20 they say. The meetings started at the end of summer. The website was up and running and fully capable of hosting the on-line application and marathon particulars. But airline and hotel discounts were not ready and in place, and consequently applications were not fully available until the end of December...way too late. Posters advertising the event didn't go up in Japan until the same time frame. Continental, wanting to do this one as the sole sponsor, didn't want to network with GVB or any similarly experienced agency. Only by the mid-January, through an indirect source, did Continental have any leads on Japanese running clubs. With the receipt of this information also came the belated advice that the Japanese (just like any other serious runner who is up to marathon level) do not sign up for any specific marathon only 1 or 2 months upon learning of its existence. It became clear that this year's off-island turn-out would be no more impressive than the previous year.

The past year's work represents a considerable investment of time and effort. GRC officers met for numerous meetings with Lou Sanchez, Katie Black and Rebecca Kyler (all delightful and capable ladies who were most pleasant to work with). Throughout these meetings Continental's message to the GRC was:

              This year's running of the marathon must draw a minimum of
              100 off-island runners, or else this will be the final year of
              Continental's involvement as a sponsor.

We all understood this, accepted it and proceeded to share the challenges and the risks together. That is until the middle of last week. When it was obvious that the numbers of off-island participants had not yet materialized, I received a courtesy call in lieu of a letter which I am yet to receive, informing me of the decision the pull the plug this year, effective immediately. Then, it was suggested that if we simply accepted this act of bad faith, Continental would be willing to work with us for the 2002 or 2003 Guam Marathon.

Breathe deeply and let that one sink in.... To be honest we felt much like Charlie Brown must have felt, as he lay in the flat-on-your-back position, just after Lucy had pulled the football seconds before the intended punt.  And now it was being suggested, immediately after the deed was done, that we could do it again..."Just trust us." Forget that Continental made its sponsorship commitment not only to off-island participants but also to the local runners, both for the solists and those participating as teams in the Ekiden relay. Even if only 20 or 30 local folks run the solo event, there are more than 100 who turn out for the relay event. These folks don't fly Continental?! Add to this the fact that there are still two months before the event and we might still see some off-island folks. Gone are the great prizes the discounts, etc. Gone also is a lot of credibility.

GRC sent a letter, dated February 6th, to Mr. Larry Dias, the Vice President of the Sales and Promotion Division of Continental Airlines. He was, afterall, the one who made decision to pull the sponsorship inspite of the frequently stated commitment to see this one through and pull later if it didn't pan out. Mr. Dias can also reverse this decision if he desires. GRC expressed a willingness to pick up where we all left off and then terminate, if Mr. Dias reconsiders. This would be doing the right thing. But we indicated that if the decision is not reversed the GRC cannot entertain any future relationship with Continental as a sponor for the Marathon. Hopefully Continental will do the right thing.

Unfortunately, much credibility has been lost already. Runner's World indicated that they would feature a paragraph on the Continental Airline's 30th Anniversary Guam Marathon. In the meantime, our web site has dropped all references to Continental as a sponsor. We have sent revised applications and apologies to a few off-island applicants explaining Continental's recent actions and encouraging them to come anyway because we still have a fine & friendly marathon.

The GRC has learned some valuable lessons from this. Let met summarize them:

          * We need to know, before we go any further, if a larger marathon
             for Guam is where we should be going. Does our membership
             want to see it grow any larger than it currently is (40-100).

         * We know now, that no single sponsor can pull off a marathon
            of any significant size. To grow larger, a Guam Marathon
            Association, solely dedicated to this single event, will have to be
            formed. This association must involve, the GVB, the Guam
            Hotel association and other private-sector leaders. A marathon
            director with experience and marketing saavy must be enlisted and
            compensated for his or her work.

         * Building a marathon will take patience over several seasons and
            a sustained financial commitment; it will not be accomplished in a
            one or two year blitz. Print ads will need to be taken out in periodicals
            like Runner's World.

         * GRC cannot pull off the running of a large-scale marathon by itself.
            GRC can be contracted to operate start & finish line and timing,
            but the Club has a full schedule of annual races and cannot possibly
            do those races and a large marathon.

Will Continental step up to the plate and do the right thing? Its anybody's guess and Mr. Dias's decision. I guess that for the meantime its up in the air...and perhaps this shouldn't surprise anyone--it is an airline afterall.

Keeping On Course in the Turbulence,

Neil Culbertson, GRC Prez
2-06-2001