Commentary

Dave McGillivray’s New Title

With no fanfare, the BAA announced a new title this spring for long-time Race Director Dave McGillivray, who has been called – and acted as – “Race Director” since 2001. For the 2023 race, he became the “Race Course Director.” According to a BAA spokesperson, the title “Race Director” was retired, and McGillivray and Lauren Proshan were given co-lead roles with the titles “Race Course Director” and “Chief of Race Operations and Production” respectively. Interestingly, the 2023 Media Guide tells a slightly different story, stating that starting in 2022 the title “Race Director” was changed to “Race Course Director.”

I do not understand the inner workings of the BAA that resulted in this decision, but I do know that Dave has been a treasure to the entire race directing community and he does not deserve to be treated in this manner after 37 years of service to the race. BAA CEO Jack Fleming indicated to Road Race Management that there was no dissatisfaction with Dave’s performance. There is no one who has given more unselfishly to race directors of events large and small to help everyone advance the quality of their events. No matter how the BAA may try to spin it, this appears to be a downgrade for the individual who has been the face of the Boston Marathon for decades. He masterminded an epic 100th Boston Marathon in 1996, huddled with Massachusetts state officials to develop contingency plans when the 2007 Nor’easter nearly caused the event to be cancelled, and was drafted by State officials to run the mass vaccination site at Gillette Stadium during Covid. Basically, he has been at the center of every organizational and operational change throughout his tenure. And now all of a sudden, after all these years, he is the “Race Course Director?” This is not right. /Phil Stewart/