OT: Big House Big Heart race cancelled

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December 4th, 2012 at 11:29 AM
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michimoby
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OT: Big House Big Heart race cancelled

Strange decision by the Athletic Department on this one, especially given how popular the race had been over the past few years.  Anyone with more specific information on this?

 

 

Dear Big House Big Heart Participant, 

 

 

We apologize ahead for a lengthy email. It is with sadness that we announce that University of Michigan Athletics has decided that Big House Big Heart no longer fits into its charitable mission and therefore the race cannot finish in the Big House. At a meeting on Nov. 30 with two representatives of the Brandon Administration, Chrissi Rawak, Senior Assistant Athletic Director for Development and Rob Rademacker, Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations, we were told, "our decision was based on a several month long evaluation of our charitable work and relationships and need to streamline and organize those efforts. Unfortunately, the run doesn't fit into those plans."

 

We made it clear how much the race means to each participant, volunteer, committee member and the many charities (over 175) which count of substantial fund-raising from BHBH. We offered to give UM Athletics the race if they would continue to allow it to finish in the stadium. CFC was not made aware of any charitable assessment process. While we were advised BHBH would again be Spring Football Game Weekend, and of the rental price of the stadium, we had been waiting for several weeks for the final "OK" so that we could open registration and begin promoting the race, as well as helping non-profits build their fund-raising teams.

CFC has been very appreciative of being able to finish the BHBH race in the stadium these last 6 years and have been diligent to leave the stadium in better shape than when we entered. We know the extraordinary race finish has always been dependent on UM Athletics allowing access to the stadium and that priorities do change with administration changes.

 

...

 

If you wish to contact CFC about BHBH, please email andrea@champsforcharity. If you have questions about the UM Athletic's decision, please contact them.

 

Sincerely,

 

Your Champions For Charity Crew

--------------------------------------------

"I cannot think of a better person to guide our university's athletic strategy than the inventor of The Noid."

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December 4th, 2012 at 11:31 AM | What a huge bummer.  I've (Score:5 Normal)
Candor for Sale
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What a huge bummer.  I've done that run twice now, and was really looking forward to it in the spring.  It was extremely well attended, don't really get this decision.

This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:33 AM | Well that sucks. (Score:5 Normal)
jonny_GoBlue
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Well that sucks.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:35 AM | What kind of excuse is (Score:5 Normal)
BlueGoM
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 "it doesn't fit in our plans?"

 

 

December 4th, 2012 at 12:17 PM | Charity =/= making money.  (Score:5 Normal)
profitgoblue
Joined: 09/01/2009
MGoPoints: 19415

Charity =/= making money.  NEED MOAR MONEY!

 

Disgruntled former moderator.  I got a lot of problems with you people!

December 4th, 2012 at 12:55 PM | Making money is necessary (Score:2 Insightful)
goblueram
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Making money is necessary before giving to charity

December 4th, 2012 at 1:01 PM | Making money is necessary before giving to charity (Score:5 Normal)
Don
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You're right, but that doesn't seem to be a particular problem for the Athletic Dept right now, does it?


December 4th, 2012 at 1:08 PM | Perhaps... (Score:4 Normal)
BiSB
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But it isn't necessary to make money before allowing OTHERS to raise money for charity.

They no longer call me Bisbiño

December 4th, 2012 at 1:31 PM | They aren't stopping anyone (Score:2 Normal)
goblueram
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They aren't stopping anyone from raising money for charity.  They are just not putting on this event, which I'm sure does cost them a lot of money. 

December 4th, 2012 at 2:10 PM | My understanding (Score:4 Normal)
BiSB
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Is that the Athletic Department doesn't put on the event. They simply provide the venue. Obviously there is some opportunity cost, but I believe the charity picks up the tab for the event itself. The AD is under no obligation to host any and all charitable happenings, but I don't think we can blame this one on "it costs too much to let the charity use our giant empty bowl for a few hours."

They no longer call me Bisbiño

December 4th, 2012 at 2:29 PM | I wonder if the AD did some (Score:2 Normal)
profitgoblue
Joined: 09/01/2009
MGoPoints: 19415

I wonder if the AD did some research into whether posting ads all over the Big House during the event would generate revenue and, when learning that it would not, then decided to cancel it . . .

 

Disgruntled former moderator.  I got a lot of problems with you people!

December 4th, 2012 at 2:34 PM | "While we were advised BHBH (Score:1)
BrewMich
Joined: 09/03/2009
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"While we were advised BHBH would again be Spring Football Game Weekend, and of the rental price of the stadium"

It sounds like the race pays a venue fee for use of the stadium. Maybe not as much as they charge for a wedding or other non-charity event? $6k a pop for one-hour wedding ceremonies is a nice payoff.

December 4th, 2012 at 1:25 PM | Had an 8 million dollar (Score:1)
UMxWolverines
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Had an 8 million dollar profit last year...

NEED MOAR

"Ohio is like a giant turd that Michigan just can't pinch off"

December 4th, 2012 at 11:35 AM | I'm pretty ticked off about (Score:5 Normal)
543Church
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I'm pretty ticked off about this.  Other than the Dexter-Ann Arbor run this has turned into the premiere run in the Ann Arbor area in the last few years.     Tons of charities relied on it and I think the local running community loved it, it was my favorite local race.

I wonder what this "New Direction" for charitable fundraising is the UM AD is cooking up?  Hosting 4000 fund-raising runners at the Big House on a Sunday morning seems like a good idea to me....

Jon Runyan plugged my toilet.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:51 AM | That and the Run to Hell in (Score:1)
Professor X
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That and the Run to Hell in Pickney. I have high hopes the A2 Marathon can fix their issues after their inaugural run last summer (aka DON't RUN IT IN THE SUMMER/THE SUMMER IS 5K). 

December 4th, 2012 at 11:58 AM | Word.  Now this year the AA (Score:3 Normal)
543Church
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Word.  Now this year the AA Marathon is a week after DXA2 rather than two weeks.  I'm too old to recover from a half marathon and run another or even a full a week later. 

Jon Runyan plugged my toilet.

December 4th, 2012 at 12:45 PM | The summer is pretty standard (Score:1)
Professor X
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The summer is pretty standard as the 5-15K season, with the fall and spring as marathon season. I have no clue why they chose the summer for the A2 marathon. If they don't want to overlap with football season, then hold it in the spring. The flying pig is the only major spring marathon in the midwest. Heck, if they hold it early enough, then they could advertise the race as a last chance Boston Qualifier. 

December 4th, 2012 at 3:04 PM | I'm not sure your definition (Score:2)
wolverinestuckinEL
Joined: 09/21/2010
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I'm not sure your definition of "major" but Lansing's marathon is end of April.  Great time of year to run and its a pretty fast track as long as the the wind isn't blowing 40 mph again this year.  I think we had about 500 full marathon participants as opposed to about 800? at A2.  I ran in a2 all through undergrad and I can only assume that the marathon course would not be fun to try to BQ on even in the spring or fall.

December 4th, 2012 at 3:28 PM | The A2 course is a bit hilly (Score:1)
Professor X
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The A2 course is a bit hilly covering almost all Huron Parkway. I did not run it last year as I tend to avoid first year marathons. If they change the course a bit towards the west more towards Dexter, then that will flatten the course out considerably. 

December 4th, 2012 at 11:36 AM | Disappointing (Score:5 Normal)
TwinCitiesBlue
Joined: 11/05/2011
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Brandon has some explaining to do on this decision.

December 4th, 2012 at 1:41 PM | But he won't do it (Score:1 Normal)
Tater
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DB never really explains his decisions, and will brush this one off as "unimportant."  Maybe they should have greased his pockets.

 

 

 

December 4th, 2012 at 11:36 AM | You beat me to it (Score:2 Normal)
notYOURmom
Joined: 03/13/2009
MGoPoints: 581

And I'm pissed. It seems done in an underhanded way. If Brandon is into

Maximizing the fan experience this is a poor way to go about it.



The story about charity policy has got to be nonsense and seems a little fascist - when I choose to run in that race it's because I personally want to support the charities involved. It's my sweat that generates the donation. How comes DB thinks he can dictate the direction my charity should take?

December 4th, 2012 at 11:41 AM | Translation:  "That's wedding (Score:5 Normal)
Bando Calrissian
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Translation:  "That's wedding rental season, have you seen our brochure?"

Another day, another dollar.

December 4th, 2012 at 3:03 PM | I know that you're joking, Bando... (Score:1 Normal)
Section 1
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...so this isn't so much as an attempt at any serious rebuttal; but just to add to the discussion...

Previously, the BHBH run was on the day (in the early morning) before the Spring Game.  So it isn't a normal wedding time, and they are opening up the Stadium anyway, and etc., etc.

So by all measures that I know of, the event was basically zero inconvenience for the Athletic Department.  And it was a nice tie-in to the Spring Game as far as that went. 

It has to be something else; a re-branding and/or re-working of the Spring Game day-schedule; insurance/liability; the Athletic Department's own branding preferences; concern over associating with a charity endeavor that they have no control over, etc.

It is clear that the BHBH people have been so angered that they are going public with their dispute, which seems to me (I could be wrong) like an exercise in bridge-burning, unless they feel as though they can lobby Brandon to reverse the decision. 

 

 

 

December 4th, 2012 at 4:45 PM | I don't think its bridge-burning (Score:1)
Gatekeeper
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Its an announcement to the thousands of people that are interested in this race that it has been cancelled and an explanation as to why it was cancelled. How is that 'bridge-burning?'

.

December 4th, 2012 at 5:06 PM | Because they place the blame (Score:3 Normal)
joeyb
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Because they place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the athletic department. They could have been very vague about the reasons that they cancelled it and just said, "Certain plans fell through that were impossible to work around. We look forward to attempting to get this scheduled again in the future." They didn't say that and now the AD isn't going to be in any hurry to work with them in the future.

December 4th, 2012 at 10:28 PM | This part- (Score:3 Normal)
M-Wolverine
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"If you have questions about the UM Athletic's decision, please contact them." may be true and honest, but it does come off as spurned lover than professional statement.

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

December 4th, 2012 at 5:21 PM | The race used to be held in (Score:2)
Feat of Clay
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The race used to be held in October; the switch to April was a pretty recent thing (2012?)

At any rate, this is going to be a PR fumble.  People liked that race, and they liked the IDEA of that race.

 

Candace: No... That why they make smart word box for tell monkey hard brain-hurty things.
Phineas: Removing prepositions makes it more condescending.
December 5th, 2012 at 2:22 PM | True (Score:1)
Section 1
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Absolutely true; that it was a recent switch to join BHBH in the Spring Game festivities.  But of course a lot of things have changed, in an attempt to turn the Spring Game into a big, multi-event, cross-branding enterprise.  Tours, NCAA lacrosse, promotions, etc.

In any event, the last (previous) BHBH run (2012 Spring Game day) may now indeed be "the last" BHBH run.  It almost certainly won't be called "Big Heart Big House" if they do continue the run.

One of the leading forces behind the event was Ann Arbor attorney Mike Highfield who gave an additional statement in a Mark Snyder story for the Free Press, which has some additional info:

[customary warning as to Free Press link]:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012312050073 

 

 

December 4th, 2012 at 11:42 AM | There's two sides to every story, but this seems like a really (Score:5 Normal)
Don
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odd decision, and without a credible explanation puts the UM Athletic Dept in a pretty bad light. From a public relations standpoint, Brandon needs to get out there immediately with an explanation that's not corporate marketing PR-speak gobbledegook horseshit mumbo-jumbo.


December 4th, 2012 at 11:45 AM | Maybe the explanation is (Score:3 Normal)
MichiganStudent
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Maybe the explanation is being withheld for a reason. That's what popped into my head while reading that.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:48 AM | Asking Brandon for that.... (Score:4 Normal)
Njia
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Is contrary to a marketing puke'sguru's DNA. Since Brandon is a consummate politicianMichigan Man, I doubt he'll need to explain himself in clear terms. 

"If life is the road, then Ohio is simply a place to stop for gas." -- Scott Burgess, Detroit News, 9/16/2010
December 4th, 2012 at 11:44 AM | Oh man that is frustrating. I (Score:4 Normal)
joeyb
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Oh man that is frustrating. I started running earlier this year and was really looking forward to finishing my first 5k without walking in the Big House. I feel personally betrayed by this.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:44 AM | I loved that race and was (Score:3 Normal)
go16blue
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I loved that race and was extremely exited about running it again, I was even sure to tell all of my new freshman friends who run about the race, and they all loved the idea too. This is bs until I hear an actual reason. How could a great event like this "not fit our plans?"

COYS and lets go Detroit FC!

December 4th, 2012 at 11:45 AM | DB's M.O. (Score:-1 Overrated)
December 4th, 2012 at 11:47 AM | Boooo!!  Boo to you sir! (Score:4 Normal)
543Church
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Boooo!!  Boo to you sir!

Jon Runyan plugged my toilet.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:48 AM | God forbid your sleep is (Score:5 Normal)
Professor X
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God forbid your sleep is disturbed while we support charities one morning in the spring before the Spring Game. God Forbid.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:54 AM | Calm down and keep your pants (Score:2 Normal)
Maizeforlife
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Calm down and keep your pants on.  I wasn't saying they sholdn't do it, nor was I saying they shouldn't play music.  I was just requesting that they play music that doesn't suck. 

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is never get involved in a land war in Asia - but only slightly less well-known is this: Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

December 4th, 2012 at 12:44 PM | Really? (Score:3 Normal)
ceebee
Joined: 12/08/2010
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And you chose....CCR?

December 4th, 2012 at 12:47 PM | Ok ok, let's find someone (Score:1)
Professor X
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Ok ok, let's find someone other than special K. You don't like bittersweet sympathy or Bon Jovi?

December 4th, 2012 at 11:47 AM | Reason #23903921 Dave Brandon (Score:4 Normal)
Professor X
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Reason #23903921 Dave Brandon is scrooge mcDuck. I am at the point where my high school x-Country speed is pretty shot. So, I pretty much just run for fun and keep myself in decent shape. I chose 5-15ks's based on the charity and the organization. BHBH was my favorite washtenaw county race. It supported many wonderful charities. I got the email also and I am still fuming. It offers zero logical explanation from the athletic department and points towards them only interested in maximizing their bottom line and not serving their community. 

Poor form Dave Brandon Poor form. 

December 4th, 2012 at 11:49 AM | If Dave Brandon hadn't hired (Score:5 Normal)
turd ferguson
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If Dave Brandon hadn't hired Brady Hoke, I would really detest him at this point.  Maybe there's more to this story, but it certainly fits with the type of leadership that we've been getting from this AD.

December 4th, 2012 at 3:24 PM | Bleh (Score:1)
Ponypie
Joined: 06/30/2008
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He hired Brady Hoke, and I still detest him.

December 4th, 2012 at 5:17 PM | heh (Score:1)
Ultimate Quizmaster
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heh

December 4th, 2012 at 11:52 AM | I heard Dave Brandon kills (Score:5 Normal)
State Street
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I heard Dave Brandon kills kittens, he must be evil.

Why don't we wait for the facts to come out?  The release makes it sound like some unethical stuff was going on behind the scenes with regards to the charities.  They would not cancel an event of this magnitude for no reason even, as many on the board will so hastily point out, the almighty dollar.

December 4th, 2012 at 11:57 AM | It's a fair point. (Score:5 Normal)
michimoby
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There could have been a whole slew of other options that would allow this race to remain on the docket and not torpedo a bunch of charity money in the process.  Why not have the finish on, say, the Diag?

Sure, there may be some attrition due to the loss of the Big House as a venue, but....to cancel it outright?  Seems a little bit fishy.

 

That said....I have my pitchfork ready.

--------------------------------------------

"I cannot think of a better person to guide our university's athletic strategy than the inventor of The Noid."

December 4th, 2012 at 11:58 AM | Where are you getting (Score:3 Normal)
turd ferguson
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Where are you getting this?:

The release makes it sound like some unethical stuff was going on behind the scenes with regards to the charities.

December 4th, 2012 at 12:09 PM | The fact that the race "no (Score:3 Normal)
State Street
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The fact that the race "no longer fits into the charitable mission" of the Athletic Department.  What legitimate charity wouldn't fit into this "mission?"  It would be terrible PR to dissociate from this race.

The AD is not filled with bigots and insensitive idiots.

December 4th, 2012 at 12:18 PM | There are a whole lot of (Score:4 Normal)
turd ferguson
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There are a whole lot of equally/more reasonable interpretations of that than charity indiscretion.  It could be spin from CFC, a decision by the AD to trim down its non-core charity work, a personal conflict between the two groups, and on and on.  No one said the AD is filled with bigots.  Stop constructing straw men.

 

December 4th, 2012 at 12:24 PM | It would be terrible PR to dissociate from this race. (Score:5 Normal)
Don
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Agree 100%. It's horrible optics from a PR standpoint to turn down any popular charity, and the athletic dept screwed up in not getting ahead of this from the get-go. Maybe they didn't anticipate that BHBH would release their statement now, but they should have.

Now Brandon has to make sure that he doesn't commit the cardinal sin of public relations: never turn a one-day story into a two-day story. He needs to speak to the media before the end of the day today to explain his department's reasoning here. Silence will be the worst thing.


December 4th, 2012 at 4:48 PM | We're not going to wait for the facts to come out (Score:1)
Gatekeeper
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because the facts are probably never going to come out.

.

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