| RabbitWhole |
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Max's group has been the outsourced marketing department since 2011 and on the board prevoius to that. Has anyone noticed new or innovative marketing related to USATF? Has anyone noticed marketing at all since Max's group took over or he took a leadership position on the board? Marketing at indoor series? Marketing with socal media? Marketing at the Indy Superbowl? Marketing related to World Indoors? Marketing at the annual meeting? Or has it been business as usual? Shoe companies, NBC, Coke, and other Olympic sponsors promoting track and field so that they can see a return on their investment for 3 weeks this summer? Forget exploring what happened with NASCAR. What value has been shown with track and field? |
| Shoebacca |
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I doubt Siegel is the guy they romanticized filling the job. Realistically he is somebody with ties to the organization who can at least do some good immediately. Why is the necessary? Because the Olympics is in four months. Yes, four months. They needed somebody ASAP. They can reevaluate after the Olympics whether or not this guy should continue and hopefully they'll have enough time between Olympic bouts to hire a new one if this doesn't work as hoped. |
| Ya Ya Ya |
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He may have to honor these existing deals with the current sponsors. I am sure that they only run up until the Closing Ceremony in London. Then I would hope to see some fresh air leading up to the World Champs in 2013. |
| buffet rule not |
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why would the board conclude that he was doing a good job marketing t&f when the marketing of t&f in the united states has been horrific the past few years? the meet formerly known as the millrose would be exhibit number 1. how much money did usatf piss away on that train wreck that wasn't marketed at all? |
| yeah butt |
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This is the best point in this string. What has he done to innovate marketing since taking over? I haven't noticed anything. |
| ZigZiggler |
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And that's the thread that binds this discussion. Communications and PR have suffered as Jill Geer has been retained and promoted. USATF has had its most pathetic marketing efforts since Max's team took over, and he is hired. In the end, an entire Olympic cycle has been lost. Perhaps a pivotal Olympic cycle. Without accountability how can we expect (positive) results? |
| Bye Bye |
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USATF should leave the IAAF and start it's own world wide professional league. |
| Max is not good |
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I know nothing about Max and NASCAR diversity but from watching any NASCAR race you can see that he was a failure at that and he was a failure in running the Earnhardt team. He could not resign the biggest name in the sport, he could not find sponsorship to keep the team running and they were forced to merge with another team for financial reasons. What has he ever done that has been successful? Thus far I have seen nothing that makes me believe that he is going to bring new life and new fans to track and field in the US. |
| wejo co-founder |
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The article has some good points but I don't think we need to give him credit for NASCAR's success: "Siegel has a strong resume of success in the sport and entertainment industries. As President of Global Operations at Dale Earnhardt Inc., he helped sell sponsorships that promoted NASCAR, a sport that has grown from the fringes of the American sporting landscape into popular consciousness." Let's not give Siegel credit for the rise of NASCAR. Siegel worked for one team in NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Inc, for essentially 2 years. Right after Siegel got there Dale Earnhardt Jr went to a different team and the team was then on the decline and had to merge with another one. Yes he sold sponsorships. He didn't sell enough to save the team. I don't blame him for that as he made the best of a tough situation. But its too simplistic to just lump Siegel and NASCAR's success together. The guy is clearly hungry and willing to put himself out there while others might sit by and wonder if there is a conflict of interest. The sport might need someone who is hungry. Vin Lananna is hungry. Way back in the day he was coaching at Dartmouth. He agreed to take the job at Cornell. Next thing you knew he was back at Dartmouth with a pay raise. It upset some at Cornell but you can't argue with Vin's track record of success. |
| eyes wide shut |
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Nice backgrounder , thanks. We have to forget what the guy has done in the past , he will now be judged on everything he does from May 1st on. How he got the job , the boards lack of credibility , Millers BS excuses all history. Olympics this year is really to bed , sponsors , trials all but done. What should we demand of Max and 1st steps ? 1. Get your ass out of the sky box at events and mix with the coaches and athletes and get a pulse on the sport. 2. Take notice of the ass kissers that will be chasing you around trying to hold on to their jobs/roles and judge wether they are capable or not. 3. Sit with the shoe company reps and see where they stand on the sport as they are funding many of the elites and events. They have a direct link to the consumer. 4. Talk with your major sponsors to see if they are getting what they paid for , do this without Hightower and crew. 5. Talk with the major marathon/race directors see how they are doing with the masses that are flooding their events in record numbers. 6. Talk with the media , ask what is it going to take to get your attention on a regular basis , not just every four years. BTW , make sure someone in the USATF organization understands advance notice of 16 minutes of a press conference is simply not acceptable by any account. |
| Watchdog |
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7. Talk to the Defense Department to get funding. http://www.rolandsmartin.com/blog/audio/martintjmsmaxsiegelnascarcuts021711.mp3 |
| Cregg Mustbeg |
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When they wanted a Director of Broadcasting, they scoured the country and came up with someone from...Indianapolis. That guy wasn't qualified for the job, couldn't do the job, and was allowed to leave quietly, leaving chaos in his wake. When they wanted a CEO, they scoured the country and came up with someone from...Indianapolis. Someone who in his own words started his connection with USATF in 2009 (smells like "wasn't qualified for the job), can't do the job (by his own admission has not raised any new sponsors in the year he has been trying), so the only thing that remains is now long this latest Indiana Lap Dog will hang around before he quits or is fired - leaving chaos in his wake. You don't start the process to 30 medals three months before the Olympics, and anyone who is dumb enough to think you do, really, really, really, shouldn't be in a job that pays in excess of $500,000 a year. Who is the Director of Marketing at USATF? They don't have one. I sincerely hope that the pessimistic side of my personality is going to be wrong on this one. But even my optimistic side is feeling slightly nauseous. |
| Got it covered |
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The USATF regional associations in Southern California, Arizona, and Texas have those medals covered. Alls USATF Indianapolis has to do is make the travel arrangements. |
| toodarnloud88 |
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Here is my domestic agenda for USATF - 1. Back the building of the olympic (and track and field) sized stadium in LA that they are building to lure an NFL team back to the city. obviously, to host the Olympics. 2. Back a new 30,000+ seat MLS stadium in NYC/NJ that includes a track and field. To host a world championship, diamond league meets, USATF every year, NCAAs every 1/3 year (rotate between NY, IA, OR), etc. 2b. Move the corporate offices to NYC/NJ (heck, even into this stadium). 3. Solidify the high school state cross country championships - 5k for everyone. Merge USATF Junior Olympics, Nike Team Nationals, and Footlocker. 4. Influence the NCAA to schedule the Div. 1 indoor track meet sooner so collegiate athletes can compete at Worlds. |
| sickman |
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toodarn: Love your agenda. |
| Maximus Siegel |
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Task List for Max Siegel: 1. Pull out of IAAF, cancel USATF participation in IAAF worlds, Diamond League, etc. 2. Start a T&F Pro League with HP & LDR only. 3. Start a T&F Pro TV Network. HQ in L.A. |
| why is charles upset |
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That is a fine task list for an entrepreneur who thinks that a professional track league can work. USATF is the governing body with different responsibilities. There's not one governing body that operates a professional league. |
| smd |
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I agree. How the hell is USATF going to order Nike and Foot Locker to stop doing what they want and instead put on one high school championship for something as vague as "the good of the sport"? |
| It's the money |
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100% agreememnt here. We don't need the IAAF. Start out own pro league and invite foreign athletes to join our league. We need money. |
| show him the money |
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all I see when I look at the picture on the front page is cuba gooding jr. |