The Numbers Are Not Adding Up

From CIRREM's social media post

The numbers are down. This is the common report being quietly communicated across several disciplines of participatory sporting events. Gravel cycling is not immune to this. 

Despite a robust growth in numbers from around 2015 until just after the pandemic, it now seems we are experiencing a downward trend developing in participation across gravel events. 

Events which once had to turn away would-be riders are now posting messages trying to entice registration. One may not care about this, but I wondered why this might be occurring at this time. As with most issues involving humanity, this is not an easily answerable issue. It's complex. 

I did a little - admittedly light - research into possibilities for why gravel events, and events in general, seem to be having more trouble getting people to commit to participating. This is not an exhaustive list of reasons, by no means, but it is interesting to consider where we are in terms of the gravel scene. 

Well, at least I find it interesting! Your mileage may vary on that. 

Is it fun to pay to do the same course year over year?

Been There - Done That:

First of all, I think there is a bit of fatigue relating to gravel events which may be a factor here. I think this is especially true if an event uses the same course year after year. 

You see the same things and it is not like the first time you saw those things. The discovery phase is exciting. The "here that hill comes again" phase is.....boring. 

Same with event venues, formats, and overall experiences. There are 'discovery" elements to any event which may keep things fresh for a time, but after a while, things get stale and then you have......

Rising Costs:

Probably the number one factor I saw in comments on this issue. Rising entry fees, housing costs, travel, etc. It all adds up to a larger obstacle to attending events. Unless there is an overarching reason to go to an event beyond the high cost of entry fee, lodging, and travel, I would have a hard time making a decision to attend. Of course, having friends there makes it a bit more enticing which leads me to.....

Events have gotten so big we've lost the ability to have intimacy.

The Social Facet Of Gravel Is Becoming Rare:

Finding any social benefits to attending gravel events is becoming harder to find these days. It's no wonder when events have grown to having thousands of participants. 

I hear a bit of complaining about how people finish events and then pack up and head home with no time for relaxing and connecting afterward. This is harder to do when you are simply part of a crowd which is there, really, to support the career choices of a few individuals. 

It was not always like this, and in my opinion, the social side of gravel events was one of the big attractions to attend events like CIRREM, The Gent's Race, and even Gravel Worlds back in the early 2010's. Odin's Revenge had possibly one of the best, intimate social facets to an event that I can point to. But now days? Yeah......why would you stick around? Everything is geared toward being a big time production with a big crowd of people around and things just get too hectic and crazy. 

We went to gravel races for the calm atmosphere, the bucolic scenery, and to connect with a few others doing something we loved. Not to be a cog in a wheel for some LLC that needs to turn a profit. 

Changing Culture:

Much of my research turned up the way younger generations see events and what they like in their entertainment choices. It seems anything with a start to finish time of three hours or less is okay, but anything beyond this time period seems to lose younger audiences. This also goes for participation in events. 

Many younger folks also are tied to digital means of entertainment which they find more engaging. Opinions on this may vary, but it is a factor in why younger folks don't gravitate to outdoor activities or physical exertion. Obviously, it takes an effort to do a gravel event and usually these events are longer than three hours. 

Trend Cycles:

Finally, trends and movements have cycles. The typical long-term cycle for a sport, or fashion, or cultural trend is said to be around 20 years. Gravel cycling, in its Modern Era, has reached the 20 year threshold already. Could it be we are experiencing the natural ebbing of a once growing sport? 

In my opinion, I could see this coming in 2019. The pandemic threw a wrench in the cycle, I think, and extended things for a few years afterward. But I feel as though we are back to a descending  part of the wave of gravel cycling. Of course, I could be all wrong about this, but everything I see is indicating to me we are on the downward slope now. 

Those are my thoughts and what I found in my limited research. What is your opinion? Is gravel suffering from a long list of ills or are we still on the upswing? Maybe things have plateaued a bit? Let me know in the comments.