The company responsible for running the Irish Life Dublin City Marathon has posted combined profits of €1 million across the past two years.
Newly filed accounts indicate that Marathon Events Management recorded profits of €452,399 last year and €592,066 in 2023, reports Breaking News.
The confirmation of the €1.04 million total profit over the two years comes after tens of thousands of runners were left disappointed this week when they were unable to secure a coveted spot in next October’s Irish Life Dublin City Marathon.
Organisers have revealed that over 47,000 applications were submitted for the 2026 ballot, marking the highest level of demand in the event’s history, reports Breaking News.
They confirmed that 17,200 runners were allocated places through the ballot, with an almost even split between first-time marathon entrants and returning participants.
A key motivation behind the new ballot system was enhancing female participation, and a spokeswoman for the Dublin City Marathon said that 39pc of the 17,200 slots were awarded to women, reports Breaking News.
This compares with female participation levels of 36pc in 2025 and 32pc in 2024.
The choice to stage a lottery and Marathon Events Management’s introduction of a half-marathon this March for the first time is expected to make 2025 an even stronger financial year, reports Breaking News.
Runners were charged €5 to enter the lottery, generating €149,000 from the 29,800 unsuccessful applicants.
A Dublin City Marathon spokeswoman said today: “The €5 fee was clearly outlined in advance and covers the system, data security, verification and customer support costs of operating a large-scale ballot”,
The €5 fee paid by the 17,200 successful entrants will be credited toward their €110 entry cost, reports Breaking News.
Selling the 17,200 marathon places will generate €1.89 million in revenue for Marathon Events Management.
In January, all 12,500 entries for the Dublin City Half Marathon scheduled last March sold out in under two hours, bringing in an estimated €850,000 from the €68 fee, reports Breaking News.
The 2024 financial statements for Marathon Events Management show that by the end of last December the firm held accumulated profits of €1.75 million, with cash reserves rising from €3.72 million to €4 million.
When asked about the company’s 2024 performance, a Dublin City Marathon spokeswoman said: “As a not-for-profit organisation, our financial position is managed to ensure long-term sustainability”,
She added: “We do not provide a detailed public breakdown of revenues or individual cost lines. Overall costs continue to rise, driven largely by inflationary pressures affecting suppliers, services, and operational delivery across the wider events sector”, reports Breaking News.
Commenting on public responses to the new ballot system, the spokeswoman said: “We have heard strong support for improving fairness and widening access, especially for first-timers and women, alongside understandable disappointment from some applicants who were unsuccessful”,
She said: “We will continue to improve communication and transparency as participation evolves”, reports Breaking News.
The remaining 5,300 places for next October’s marathon will be distributed among charity and international tour partners, good-for-age club runners, and elite male and female athletes.
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