The REAL reason why Track and Field isn't more popular...

Swimming is a more minor, niche sport than Track and Field.

I think track and field used to be more popular relatively (although never hugely popular). So did boxing and horse racing. Sometimes trends come and go. I'll never understand why NASCAR is getting so many people there.

All the details have not been released yet but this sounds like an interesting proposal that could go a long way to enhance the appeal of T&F. Athletes will show up if you pay them and this sound like it addresses that issue.

http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=101/newsid=49541.html

Monte-Carlo - The IAAF is delighted to announce a major new initiative with the creation of a new circuit of elite Athletics Meetings known as the “IAAF Diamond League” starting in 2010.

The biggest stars of the sport will be engaged with centralised contracts to ensure that the best athletes take part.

The real reason? MEDIA.

TV / News ... it's all in how it's brought to the public.

Look at the rise of Nascar.

Oh yeah! The IAAF stand up! Show me the money with T &F and

Ill believe it. Yet there is no money. Which is what the problem is. SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!

Full contact track!

What about golf? That $hit is SO boring to watch. But, it gets mass sponsorship. And the prize money goes DEEP down the list compared to running. Furthermore, there's more local opportunities. Even a slightly above average golfer can make decent money as a local pro.

Americans have short attention spans and the coverage is terrible. Too many bleeding heart stories, not enough PR lists and descriptions of the race and tactics. Flotrack has much better coverage than NBC, and that is a real problem.

The fratwhale's vid clip sites and federation sites are boring as hell. Too much redundant teenage crush style questions. Too much information on stuff not even the track nuts care about. An insulting amount of over coverage on meets and athletes that don't matter to anyone including the athletes themselves. Some of my athletes have been interviewed then later laughed at those bungling idiots for even caring about what they did. Those potpourri sites should trim down to 5% of their current content and throw out 95%. The worst is iaaf.org which censors articles on dopers, uses old pictures, and sensationalizes poor and mediocre performances.

ReddyEye wrote:

Well those people who are saying that the reason track does not get much love is because the sport is inherently boring are yet to explain why Nascar or swimming seem to be gaining more traction than T&F. The sport will never be bigger than a team sport like basketball, soccer or football but why does Nascar get more love??!!! Come on. How many times can you watch the same car go round and round a track. People turn out in droves to watch that and you are telling me that this is more stimulating than watching athletes compete against each other.

When was the last time you saw a Track runner smash into a wall, hit another track runner, and then turn into fiery debris at 150 mph?