Marathon officials say sponsor discount misused

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Hundreds of people who’ve signed up to run the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon are being told to pay up or sit out.

Race organizers say about 300 people inappropriately used a discount code, giving them up to half off their registration fee. WLUK-TV reports the discount is meant only for the employees and families of the race’s major sponsors.

With a little more than 12 weeks to race weekend, 8,255 people are already registered for marathon events. Organizers say about 3 percent of the runners used the sponsor discount, despite having no apparent affiliation with the six sponsors. They say the money adds up to several thousand dollars that’s supposed to benefit charities.

The entry fees ranged from $60 to $110. Sponsor discounts were worth up to $55.