Rabat? Is this part of adidas dumping the IAAF?
Pretty sad.
Rabat? Is this part of adidas dumping the IAAF?
Pretty sad.
I went to this event once. It was sad.
The stadium is kind of open on both ends, it was maybe half full (with a capacity of around 10k).
The events were diluted by high school milers and sprints.
They had maybe one super star per year (like Gay, Bolt, etc.)
Hardly any of the Kenyan/Ethiopian runners came there. Maybe because of the long flight (jetlag), maybe because of the doping controls.
Good riddance.
Sure Americans failing to muster a modicum of enthusiasm for the sport played a part.
The only Diamond League event in the States should be the Pre Classic. Say what you want about Oregon but its the only place where track has an iota of popularity.
Most New Yorkers, even those who can see it across the East River if they tried, have no idea there Randall's Island is.
honestly, not a huge loss
I've been to the meet a few times...it had no life unless a Jamaican sprinter was running.
it's hard to get to, hard to park, the fields were not up to the usual quality of Diamond League meets.
Obvi rough sledding for US track, but this meet was not a jewel.
well, at least it's going to a clean and deserving nation with no history of drug use.
To be replaced by a "street meet".
So the way to "fix" track and make it appealing for TV and popular consumption is to do away with the track.
I hope adidas puts on a meet in boston.
Huge track center there( NBGP was packed, so are almost all the BU pro meets, huge collegiate and indoor scene), also, the BAA Elite are there, and it'd be a great place for a large scale professional meet.
ergerg wrote:
I hope adidas puts on a meet in boston.
Huge track center there( NBGP was packed, so are almost all the BU pro meets, huge collegiate and indoor scene), also, the BAA Elite are there, and it'd be a great place for a large scale professional meet.
As a former resident of New York City, I would rather make the trek to Boston for a track meet than try to get to Randalls Island.
Where are you going to hold that meet in Boston? Where can you fit thousands of fans around an IAAF-quality track?
jsquire wrote:
Where are you going to hold that meet in Boston? Where can you fit thousands of fans around an IAAF-quality track?
They could use the stadium that they are building for the 2024 Olympics.
Oh, wait. ;)
sushi657 wrote:
ergerg wrote:I hope adidas puts on a meet in boston.
Huge track center there( NBGP was packed, so are almost all the BU pro meets, huge collegiate and indoor scene), also, the BAA Elite are there, and it'd be a great place for a large scale professional meet.
As a former resident of New York City, I would rather make the trek to Boston for a track meet than try to get to Randalls Island.
the trick is to ride your bike - easy peasey.
The pro meet in NYC used to be at Columbia [late 1980s / early 1990s]. It's a much more accessible location than Icahn + Columbia recently resurfaced the track. Hope there's some chance of a pro meet returning there.
dkny64 wrote:
The pro meet in NYC used to be at Columbia [late 1980s / early 1990s]. It's a much more accessible location than Icahn + Columbia recently resurfaced the track. Hope there's some chance of a pro meet returning there.
Doesn't that stadium have a synthetic infield?
agip wrote:
honestly, not a huge loss
I've been to the meet a few times...it had no life unless a Jamaican sprinter was running.
it's hard to get to, hard to park, the fields were not up to the usual quality of Diamond League meets.
Obvi rough sledding for US track, but this meet was not a jewel.
The meet was no Monaco, but it's crazy for you to say if had no life unless a Jamaican sprinter was running. I been to the meet twice, it cost me airfare, hotel and a rental car and I would go back again. It was certainly equal to most other DL meets, about half of the top U.S. athletes participated each year in addition to many of the world's top athletes.
Oh no, how is Ben True going to win another Diamond League race now?
rhizomes wrote:
Oh no, how is Ben True going to win another Diamond League race now?
Very clever.
Personally I've never believed in the, "We must put track in a big city argument." Put it in an environment where the stands will be full and it will be a big deal. The biggest problem with NYC was the weather. Not predictable and rarely good for anything.
What elite is going to waste an effort that close to the U.S. Trials in an Olympic year with a street meet?
rojo wrote:
The biggest problem with NYC was the weather. Not predictable and rarely good for anything.
Agree. Im sure it affected entry decisions too, not just the actual meet.
Also, the street racing idea is terrible.
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
Des Linden: "The entire sport" has changed since she first started running Boston.
Matt Choi was drinking beer halfway through the Boston Marathon
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion
Is there a rule against attaching a helium balloon to yourself while running a road race?
How rare is it to run a sub 5 minute mile AND bench press 225?