Athlete Communication Templates
Use these templates for the athlete emails, registration-platform messages, and social posts that go out before race day. The goal is simple: athletes should know where photos will live, when to look, how selfie matching works, and what PodiumBase will and will not do with their data.
Send at least the T-7 message and the race-morning reminder before your first pilot event. If your registration platform supports segmented email, send the selfie-match note to registered athletes only; keep public social posts focused on the event photo link and timing expectations.
Message timing
| When | Channel | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| T-7 days | Registration email + event website | Announce PodiumBase as the official photo gallery and set expectations. |
| T-2 to T-1 days | Registration email or SMS | Remind athletes to keep bibs visible and explain optional selfie matching. |
| Race morning | Social + announcer script | Tell athletes where to find photos after they finish. |
| Finish + 2-4 hours | Email + social | Drive first photo search while uploads are active. |
| Finish + 24 hours | Catch athletes whose photos arrived later. |
If you can only send two messages, send T-7 days and Finish + 2-4 hours.
T-7 days: official photo gallery announcement
Subject: Your race photos will be on PodiumBase
Hi athletes,
We're using PodiumBase as the official photo gallery for this year's event.
After you finish, go to the event photo page:
[event photo page URL]
Photos will appear as photographers upload from the course and finish area. Most athletes should see early matches within a few hours after finishing. Some photos may arrive later if a photographer uploads from a low-signal area or after the event.
To help the matching system:
- Wear your bib on the front of your body.
- Keep the bib flat and visible at the start, finish, and photo spots.
- Use the same email address you used for registration when looking up photos.
- If you cannot find yourself by bib, use the optional selfie match flow on the event photo page.
You'll be able to preview watermarked photos before buying. No purchase is required to search.
See you on race day,
[race team name]
T-1 day: selfie-match and bib-visibility reminder
Subject: One quick tip for finding your race photos
Hi athletes,
Tomorrow's event photos will be posted on PodiumBase:
[event photo page URL]
The fastest way to find your photos is still your bib. Please pin it to the front of your shirt or belt and keep it visible whenever possible.
If your bib is covered, turned sideways, or hard to read, PodiumBase may also offer optional selfie matching. That means you can upload a selfie from the event page so the system can look for photos of you. Selfie matching is optional and only used to help find your event photos. You can skip it and search by bib instead.
Good expectations:
- Photos do not all appear at once.
- Finish-line photos usually appear before remote course photos.
- A missing photo shortly after you finish often means it has not uploaded yet.
- If nothing appears after 24 hours, contact us with your bib number and approximate finish time.
Good luck tomorrow,
[race team name]
Race-morning social post
Race photos will be on PodiumBase after you finish:
[event photo page URL]
Keep your bib visible for the cameras. If you cannot find yourself by bib later, try the optional selfie match flow on the photo page.
Photos will roll in throughout the day as photographers upload from the course.
Announcer script
Official race photos will be posted on PodiumBase after you finish. Keep your bib visible for the cameras, then check the event photo page later today. If you cannot find yourself by bib, PodiumBase may offer an optional selfie match to help locate your photos.
Finish + 2-4 hours: first search push
Subject: Race photos are starting to arrive
Hi athletes,
Photos are starting to arrive on PodiumBase:
[event photo page URL]
Search with your bib number first. If you do not see anything yet, check again later today - uploads continue after photographers leave the course.
If your bib was not visible in a photo, try the optional selfie match flow on the event photo page. You can preview watermarked photos before deciding whether to buy.
Thanks for racing with us,
[race team name]
Finish + 24 hours: late-arrival reminder
Subject: More race photos are online
Hi athletes,
More event photos are now online:
[event photo page URL]
If you searched right after finishing and did not see many results, try again now. Course photos often arrive later than finish-line photos.
Search by bib first. If needed, use optional selfie matching from the event photo page.
If you still cannot find anything, reply with:
- Bib number
- Approximate finish time
- What you were wearing
We'll use that to troubleshoot.
[race team name]
Privacy wording for registration pages
Use this when your registration platform has a "race photos" or "participant communications" field.
We use PodiumBase to host and sell official race photos. Athletes can search by bib and may optionally upload a selfie to help find their photos. Selfie matching is optional and used only for photo discovery for this event. Watermarked previews are free to browse; purchases happen through PodiumBase checkout.
If your event already has a privacy policy, add a link directly after this paragraph.
What not to promise
Avoid these claims in athlete-facing messages:
- "Every athlete will have photos."
- "Photos will be ready immediately."
- "Selfie matching is required."
- "All photos are free."
- "The race director can see every athlete's personal data."
Use this instead:
- "Photos roll in throughout the day."
- "Search by bib first."
- "Selfie matching is optional."
- "You can preview before buying."
- "Contact us with your bib number if you cannot find anything after 24 hours."