The IAAF has published an interesting article on this weekend's FBK Games in Hengelo. Jos Hermens' firm is in charge for the first time this year and the have made some changes.
1) They are reducing the number of events.
“It’s not only the length of the programme,” said Hermens colleague Ellen van Langen said. “For people who are not familiar with our sport, an athletics meeting can be overwhelming chaos. At four or five spots in the stadium something is happening at the same time. It’s difficult to find the heroes that you want to see, and if you find them, you may miss other important performances.”
2) They are introducing laser pacers.
"Wavelight technology will be used for the first time with lights lining the inside edge of the track functioning as a sort of pacesetter, moving around the track like in a wave-like motion. But will not only serve runners by designating a pace. The lights will also be used to show spectators record paces, with different coloured lights highlighting world, national or meeting records or season’s bests."
3) There are zero distance races this year (there is an 800) but that's not necessarily always going to be the case.
Correction there will also be a women's mile
The absence of distance races and throwing events is not set in stone, Hermens said. “We might make other choices in the future. But we are convinced that we have to make a change to make our sport more accessible for a wider public. We now have the opportunity to give attention to each of the disciplines and to almost all of our stars’ individual performances.”
https://www.iaaf.org/news/preview/new-presentation-concep-unveiled-fbk-games-he
Not that you asked, but here is my take.
1) I 100% agree that reducing the number of events is a good move. People claim there is too much dead time at a track meet. I disagree. If you are at Pre Classic or something, it's like hurts your head to try to follow the field events and running events at the same time. I think the key is to sell a few storylines and sell them well.
That's why it drives me nuts when the major marthons men's and women's races overlap as you can't sell the storylines well.
2) I love the laser idea. I've long thought we should run 400s as individual time trials every now and then. Do it like speed skating. Then you can show people the line on tv of who is in the lead and what not.