Well, it looks like San Diego’s dreams of hosting the 2025 World Road Running Championships have hit a wall — and not the kind you can power through with a burst of energy at mile 12.
World Athletics announced that the event, scheduled for late September, will no longer take place in “America’s Finest City.” Instead, the road race is headed for parts unknown, with a new host city to be announced soon.
According to World Athletics, the decision to pull the plug came after “detailed discussions” with the San Diego organizing committee. Translation: The financial and logistical pieces of this ambitious puzzle didn’t quite fit together.
Despite San Diego organizers securing a $3 million title sponsor, it turns out that was just a down payment on the millions needed to host a world-class event.
It seems the financial model for hosting these mega events is, well, a bit of a tough sell.
According to an inside source, the problem isn’t San Diego itself but the structure of the deal.
Governing bodies like World Athletics (WA) and USA Track & Field (USATF) expect host cities to cover all expenses — often tens or hundreds of millions of dollars — with little to no help from the organizations themselves. It’s a classic case of “you pay, we play.”
Paul Greer, president of the San Diego chapter of USATF, told the Times of San Diego email that while the local organizing team had made significant strides, the financial backing just wasn’t enough to keep the event in town.
Tracy Sundlun, CEO of the event and the man behind the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon Series, took the hit with a bit of dark humor: “Well, I am pleased that there were no sharp objects around the house.”
The World Road Running Championships weren’t just another race. The event promised a blend of elite competitions and mass participation races, including a mile run, a 5K, and a half marathon weaving through great San Diego running spots like Balboa Park.
It was supposed to draw 50,000 participants, with 67% coming from outside the immediate area. Local businesses could’ve seen an economic boost rivaling Comic-Con’s $165 million impact, according to the local organizers.
Sundlun also had plans to make the event inclusive for wheelchair racers, visually impaired, and amputee athletes, emphasizing prize money and visibility.
And now? All that’s left is a “404 Page Not Found” error on World Athletics’ website where the event details used to be.
This debacle highlights a broader issue with hosting international sporting events in the U.S. Unlike Europe or Asia, where government support often fills the funding gap, American organizers are left rattling the corporate tin cup.
Vincent Mudd, who led San Diego’s failed 2019 World Beach Games bid, noted that U.S. companies are hesitant to sponsor untested events, preferring to hop on board only after seeing success elsewhere.
And it’s not just San Diego feeling the burn.
The USATF Masters National Outdoor Championships, set for July at Mount San Antonio College, were also scrapped over financial disputes. It’s a pattern that doesn’t bode well for future U.S. bids to host world-class events.
World Athletics is currently courting new cities to save the 2025 Championships, and is reportedly planning on delaying the event for at least two months, which will conflict with the fall road racing season for many would-be competitors.
