Opinion: Marathon majors should introduce an influencer corral
If there are corrals for charity runners and race sponsors, why not create a secure space for celebrities and influencers to capture content?
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Kevin Morris
This week, the running community was up in arms after social media influencer Matt Choi used two ebikes to pace him through the 2024 New York City Marathon. The 29-year-old clocked a 2:57:15 finish time, only to be disqualified and permanently banned by the New York Road Runners (NYRR) for violating their Code of Conduct and Rules of Competition. The backlash was fast, with Choi taking to social media to apologize, admitting his actions had affected other runners by blocking access to water stations and obstructing the course.
While Choi’s actions were wrong, I believe the situation has been mismanaged on multiple fronts. A permanent ban from future NYC Marathons or NYRR races seems extreme, given the circumstances, plus the organization’s lack of on-course intervention allowed Choi and his ebike crew to film for most of the race without interference. Instead of stepping in and redirecting them off the course, they were given the opportunity, which created a disruptive experience for other runners. This oversight raises the question: why not create a corral for influencers and celebrities at these major marathon events?
As major marathons continue to grow and intersect with social media, the time has come to recognize the unique needs of influencers in these settings. Just as there are corrals for different pace groups, why not establish a designated influencer corral at major races? This would serve several purposes:
- Preventing interference: By giving influencers their own starting wave, organizers can prevent the type of interference that plagued this year’s race. When athletes who are there to capture content start separately, they’re less likely to obstruct others striving for personal bests, and vice versa.
- Security and content creation: A small influencer corral starting an hour or so before the mass field would enable races to control the flow of content creation and ensure adequate security for higher-profile participants. If former Bachelor star Matt James can start 50 minutes before the mass field in New York City (with Mastercard), why not create a similar arrangement for popular influencers looking to document their race-day journey?
- Event marketing: Marathon majors are some of the most-watched events globally, and content shared by influencers offers valuable exposure. In return for a designated corral, events like the NYC Marathon gain a free promotional partner, reaching a broader audience (outside of running) without compromising the experience of other runners.
This setup would allow influencers to capture the content they need without impeding anyone’s race. If other Abbott World Marathon Majors introduced this structure, influencers could document their experiences without needing to find “workarounds” that infringe on other participants. Although not every influencer or celebrity may want to use an influencer corral, the option would create a safe, controlled space for those who choose to do so.
Choi’s decision to bring an ebike entourage was selfish, but there’s a greater takeaway here. The marathon community is big enough to accommodate everyone, from competitive athletes to weekend warriors to influencers. So rather than punish or cancel social media influencers for trying to share the sport, marathons should meet them halfway with a designated corral that balances content creation with the integrity of the race.
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