What's the Value of a USATF Certified Road Race Course?

Other than the cachet of championship designation or whatever which requires certification, there’s not much that doesn’t originate from the end user, namely the race participants.

One benefit for the RD is that he doesn't really have to deal with people wearing GPS watches telling him his course is the wrong distance. If he doesn't get it certified his course probably will be the wrong distance, and he will get plenty of those complaints. He'll still get some of those people complaining if he does get it certified, but in that case he can just send them to the course measurer.

When I get inquiries from people wanting to start a new race, I tell them they don't have to get the course certified, but a certified course can attract serious runners who, in turn, can attract more competition and more revenue for their cause.

Around the D.C. region, where I do most of my measuring, it seems to me that a non-trivial percentage of runners - the more serious types, obviously - just won't register for a race on a non-certified course unless it is for their own fave charity or is on a XC course. I explain to clients that the cost of certification is easily justified by the additional entry fee revenue that would go missing without the certification. And, if the race is an annual event, the amortized cost of the certification may be less than a couple of entry fees per year. Stating this fact doesn't always convince, but it usually works for me.

I put a page up on my measuring website aimed at race directors to answer this very question. I would value your feedback. What am I leaving out? How can I strengthen what is there?

https://txcourseworks.com/race-directors/