What happens when you squeeze over 53,000 runners and 2 million spectators onto a 26.2-mile course that threads through all five boroughs of America’s most beloved city? Well, you get the 52nd annual New York City Marathon, the biggest and rowdiest party in running.
“The TCS New York City Marathon course traverses vibrant, diverse neighborhoods filled with millions of roaring fans,” said Suresh Muthuswami, Chairman of North America, TCS. “It’s where the world comes to celebrate running,”
On Sunday, November 5, the sixth and final World Major Marathons race of the year will take place, and it’s bound to be fast, real fast. But in addition to the elite field hunting for that podium (and the $100,000 awarded to each winner), this week, race organizers announced several new tech upgrades to enhance the race-day spectating experience.
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“We are thrilled to be launching new activations that will elevate the fan and spectator experience further—whether it be for those following the marathon for the first time or those who have been part of our running community for decades,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR).
Here’s what we know.
New Earpiece Radios for Spectators
OK, this is a first. For the first time in a major marathon, anyone at the finish area who is a Mastercard user will be able to snag an earpiece radio to pipe in the race’s live WABC-TV/ESPN2 broadcast. Imagine watching with anticipation in Central Park (along with tens of thousands of others) just as you’re listening to real-time play-by–play as the field pummels toward the finish.
App Upgrades for Better Race Tracking
This year, race organizers have upped the number of timing mats and added five cameras along the route, for a more intimate runner tracking experience on the app.
Where’s your loved one on course? How is your running buddy looking at mile 10? What’s your coworker’s 20-mile split? A quick dash of the thumb and you’ll be able to see exactly where they are, and perhaps even watch as they fly through several points along the course.
In addition, there will be a livestream of the professional race available in the app, built with “second screen” compatibility, meaning you’ll be able to seamlessly watch the race just as you toggle to track runners.
This year’s live commentary will be dished out by American legends Des Linden, Galen Rupp, and two-time NYC Marathon champion and three-time Paralympian Amanda McGrory. Another exciting bonus with this year’s app upgrade is that it now offers an integrated sustainability survey for app users to measure their environmental impact during race weekend and, in turn, make greener choices. What gets measured gets improved, right?
User-Generated, Crowd-Sourced Cheer
Other than a New York City Marathon app with second-screen capabilities and enhanced camera footage along the course you can stream in the palm of your hand, other activations this year include New Balance mobile feeds, where runners and their cheer teams can amplify their support from any phone to jumbotrons, interactive selfie stations with elite runners, a Citizens Stage that will host three days of speaker panels, and interactive maps at the expo where runners will be able to scan their bibs and a large map will light up their hometown. Last year, there were 131-plus countries represented, so expect the map to be a veritable fireworks display.
How to Watch the New York City Marathon?
The race will be covered on ESPN2 (and livestreamed on its app on ESPN.com) from 8 A.M. ET to 11:30 A.M ET. Pre-race coverage for the 2023 New York City Marathon will begin at 7 A.M. ET. You can also download the ESPN app or ABC 7 New York App to stream the event.