NXN or Footlocker

The main reason I prefer Footlocker is who wants to spend a week in Portland in December? Or San Diego in December?

NXN is a crapshoot due to the course conditions. If you're going to be top 10 there it's not much of a risk. FLN is perfect if you want to see what sort of fitnesss you have relative to the best in the nation.

NXN is more about hype. FLN is more old school when it was all about the race, not the gear, games and glamour Nike throws at the kids.

The organization at NXN is next level.

I've had individuals qualify for both, and in my opinion, individuals at NXN feel like an afterthought. I guess we gotta give Nike credit for trying to make their meet into a national championship for teams AND individuals (though maybe they were really just trying to destroy Foot Locker...) but nothing compares to FL for individuals. Everyone is in the same boat at FL, whereas the individuals at NXN are surrounded by kids who are all having a blast with their teammates, while the individual qualifiers "bond" with a group of kids from their geographical area. Just not the same thing.

I have to say that I think both courses are...ehhh. The first time I saw the FL course, I thought to myself, "Is this the best we can do for a national meet? Kids have to run across a street, avoid a metal plate on a steep downhill, etc." But of course, there is history at Balboa. As for NXN, it's a soggy mud pit most of the time. Not a great course for certain types of runners.

If you can qualify for FL, do it. And San Diego weather is a whole lot nicer than Portland, too!

If you have a good team that you think can qualify, you go Nike. If your team cannot qualify, and you have a good individual, you choose Footlocker. If you have both, you can do both...except in the South/Southeast where the regional meets are held on the same day...quite unfair to good runners on good teams in the South/SE. If you have time, have an altruistic bent, want to see the best at both Nike and FL, contact the CEO's of Nike and FL and let them know that this inequity exists...I think they would be surprise that the two local organizations could not work out a solution.

Footlocker had the opportunity, many years ago, to combine both and chose to go it alone...

Have the CEO’s of both companies ? Are you serious? Someone is out of touch with the real world! By the way, it is not up to the local regional directors to decide anything....and the NY/NE also has its race on the same day as FLNE

Footlocker had the opportunity, many years ago, to combine both and chose to go it alone...

Have the CEO’s of both companies ? Are you serious? Someone is out of touch with the real world! By the way, it is not up to the local regional directors to decide anything....and the NY/NE also has its race on the same day as FLNE

M. Hunter wrote:

If you have a good team that you think can qualify, you go Nike. If your team cannot qualify, and you have a good individual, you choose Footlocker. If you have both, you can do both...except in the South/Southeast where the regional meets are held on the same day...quite unfair to good runners on good teams in the South/SE. If you have time, have an altruistic bent, want to see the best at both Nike and FL, contact the CEO's of Nike and FL and let them know that this inequity exists...I think they would be surprise that the two local organizations could not work out a solution.

It's not just the South/SE. California/West as well.

Agree 100%

FL is the best. NXN has recently impacted some top runners from going to FL (more so on the girls side). The school teams that make it to NXN have also impacted those couple top runners who could have made it to FL to stay with team (again, more so on the girls side).

I am a purest and like the format of having top individuals racing each other in a national XC championships. So for me, FL provides that venue best.

FL/NXN has much to do with two companies fighting.

Portland vs. San Diego in December?

Footlocker is for purest and everyone in the race has earned thier spot. NXN is a mixture of elite and good. I have heard Portland called a three day slumber party. Gotta admit it would be a blast to go on such a trip with your entire team. But nationals shouldn't be about the party. FL they have a good time too, but its meeting and interacting with other top runners. So incredible XC has such great competition and opportunities, but FL is better!

90% of the people who pick FL over NXN are over the age of 30. My TEAM went to NXN, nothing could be better.

Arrogant, selfish, greedy SOBs at both BUSINESSES have one thing at the top of their priority lists: crushing the business rival running the other championship series. Nike has a track record (Hee hee, Bevis, he said "track"!) of being a slimy organization, which is appropo for running their championship in slimy conditions. Slip-slidin' away, to quote Paul Simon. Yeah, that's XC in many parts of the country in the fall, but such conditions penalize some kids badly, too.

But NXN certainly isn't all negative. It's the ONLY opportunity for team competition, and a boatload of kids come away with the thrill of a lifetime, and some great swag. For those elite individuals from CA and the SE regions, who are shut out from any opportunity to compete in both Foot Locker and NXN, and potentially shine in both, it's a crying shame, though. For any individuals who get their moment in the Foot Locker limelight, it must be awesome, and deserved.

I blame the unfairness of having two competing championships on arrogance, selfishness, and greed. And those bigwigs at each biz are clueless and will probably always have a righteous opinion of their motivations. After all, that's how businesses are run in America, more often than not.

To the teams which will make NXN in December, you deserve to have the ultimate team experience -- but don't lose any shoes in the muck. To the individuals who compete in San Diego, a hearty congrats will be in order -- but watch out for the ruts on that wicked downhill, especially if there has been rain (which there can be). And watch out for sharks (and e-coli?) when you go for a dip in the bay!

If Foot Locker really did pass up the opportunity to make their championship a team competition...well, it would have altered the fundamental nature of the meet, absolutely, and it would have complicated the logistics of housing, feeding, and entertaining tons of teens. However, by slamming the door on the team concept thing, FL set themselves up for a showdown with Nike, which FL may end up losing, in the long...run. (Hee hee, Bevis, he said "run".)

[quote]DoneBoth wrote:

As for NXN, it's a soggy mud pit most of the time. Not a great course for certain types of runners.

Since they moved the course, the mud isn't nearly as obscene as it was at Portland Meadows. besides, isn't cross country supposed to be about racing on rugged terrain as opposed to a course that is conducive to producing fast times?