Penn to get NCAA track Nationals?

Hopefully the Olympic Trials soon follow.

They hosted the NCAA's in '76 and it was an incredible meet. I was young (it was a long time ago) but I remember that the competition was outstanding, and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric.

Quakerboy wrote:

Penn is trying to get the 2022 track nationals by changing the track to 8 lanes instead of the nightmare that they have now.

The track is already 8 lanes. But they will push back some walls, so the inside lane will be where lane 5 previously was situated.

From what I have heard outside of this article, there are plans in place for the renovations to modify the facility as discussed in the article. Not sure when they plan on doing it or how they will work around the Relays.

And Penn has hosted it twice before, granted not in the last 40 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Outdoor_Track_and_Field_Championships

Old Time Track Fan wrote:

They hosted the NCAA's in '76 and it was an incredible meet. I was young (it was a long time ago) but I remember that the competition was outstanding, and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric.

Video of 1976 NCAA

Great find - thanks for sharing.

"the brick wall which surrounds the track would need to be pushed back by three rows"

This is the main thing to make this an eligible track with a 400m lane 1.

Though, they may have to completely tear down the stands along the straights and start over in order to give vision to the people in the stands.

The current problem is that as a spectator you can't see anything outside of lane one on your side of the track.

You'll still have problems seeing on your side if row 4 is the new row 1 but is high off the ground blocking the view behind them for the outer lanes.

The intimacy of the fans being run up to the track does give it a nice atmosphere.

They could raise the track/fill in the competition area. As easy as filling in more dirt/sand/gravel.

April Fools?

"The proposal will be submitted to NCAA on April 1st, 2015."

Is a sure fire sign that it is a joke. Sorry.

It's a very poorly executed April Fool's joke.

It reads like an April Fools joke, which is too bad. I would like to see it happen for real.

A close friend is in a position to know at Penn, and he told me about this weeks ago. Not an April Fools joke. Exciting prospects for major meets in the future.

For context, if you've been to Penn and seen 1. The tremendous development of the land between FF and the railroad tracks, including the great throwing facilities mentioned in the article 2. The rebuild of what used to be the lower level of FF where the infamous men's room used to be... into a great weight/training area with several two-lane 50m stretches for spints 3. The complete renovation of Weightman Hall next to FF, into a multi-purpose athletic complex... then you know that they are committed to drastically improving the athletic infrastructure. While I have mixed feelings given the history of the facility (I ran in my first Relays in 1965), it is exciting to contemplate events like NCAA's or large invitationals or International events in coming years and decades.

Oh, and forgot to mention that as a Relays ticket holder for years, the other day I received an email from Penn's new AD, soliciting for the newly-created fund raiser to accomplish this project, with a matching funds angle from a wealthy alum. Not a joke, this.