Yes. How much do runners really care about the survival of events?
Twenty years ago when I was concerned about declining numbers in long "A" races like Ennerdale I had a conversation with Richard Eastman and he told me in some years he personally subsidized his race (Wasdale) but that as long as some people wanted to run it he would put it on. That conversation was part of the inspiration to establish the Lakeland Classics Trophy (with Brian Martin).