I would like to see the meet moved to Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Others that would be OK would be Mike Myers Stadium in Austin, Bernie Moore in Baton Rouge, or John McDowell in Fayetteville. Even Helmer Lodge in Walnut, CA would be better than Hayward.
When participation grows it just means more overweight women in tutus showing up at the local 5K or half marathon, and more gallowalkers doing 6 hour marathons. It doesn't benefit the core participants for more of these people to show up.
who are these "core participants" and why should we be especially concerned about "benefiting" them?
It's code for people like him. Too fast and they're semi-pros, too slow and they don't count, but if they're +/- 10 sec of his pace then they are 'core participants'.
Getting people moving and active is a good thing. Basically everyone here is fat. Yes, walking a 5k isn't going to solve the issue on it's own, but it's a step in the right direction. My only quibble is when you make exercise seem like something that needs to be done under strict rules and events then you push people away from otherwise active lifestyles. E.g. it's okay to just go on a run because you feel like it, it doesn't need to be part of a couch to 5k or beginner marathon program.
Nike continues with the myth that Eugene is the "Track town" of the USA. When only a few 1000 people show up to the showcase event of your sport, it's not the epicenter of anything.
You say "a few 1000." What were the actual attendance numbers last night? Anyone?
I would anticipate that the numbers will be better for the finals. True, we had the 10K finals, and I like distance running, but watchin a 10K is like watching paint dry. 99% of the time the event does not get exciting until the last few laps. If I were going to the meet yesterday the only athlete that would probably motivate me to go would be Anna Hall.
1. Last weekend was a four-day weekend for most folks. Money was spent and the boss expects you to put in a solid three days of productive time this week.
2. Thursday night was mostly prelims. Portland fans are not going to make a two-hour drive or take PTO, book hotels, etc. for preliminary heats.
3. Be realistic, how many people are going to use the family vacation fund to travel to Eugene, Mt. SAC, Sacramento, Des Moines, Austin, or anywhere else for a track meet? Unless everyone in the house is a track nut, good luck selling your spouse that a week in Eugene, OR beats a week at Disney World, NYC, or a national park.
4. I agree that USATF needs to spread the meet around. The problem is that hardly any other city bids for it nor has the facilities for a championship meet. USATF doesn't pay for this meet - local organizers do.
5. The greatest generation of track fans is either very old or very dead. The sport doesn't enjoy the importance that it once had. A lot of folks will accept a crappy livestream in the comfort of their own home vs. spending thousands to watch it live. The large core of participants in mass running events are not fans of the sport, they are fans of mass events and their own achievements. High school athletes are teenagers that would rather go to someone's summer pool party, drink cheap beer, and make out with someone cute instead of watching a couple of 10K races on their phone.
6. Our national championships should be held in June the weekend following NCAAs. College kids would be closer to their peak fitness and the event might draw some additional spectator interest because of the college athletes.
7. As an alternative, structure the USATF Nationals differently - regional qualifying meets and every event at the nationals is a final. Cut the meet to two days, three days max. Possibly restrict entries to athletes that already have the WCS or are within a small percentage of the WCS. Every race then becomes important and we mostly avoid the weirdness of our national champ not qualifying for Worlds or The Olympics.
they need to stop doing USAs in oregon. accommodations are garbage and it is too difficult and expensive for travel.
Agree 1000%
My opinion is that they should do them at Kezar Stadium in SF. With the cool temperatures from the summer fog, times would be amazing. Across the bay in Berkeley at Cal's stadium would also be a great venue, with a similar temperature situation that time of year.
Good weather for distance runners is bad for sprinters.
USATF champs are going to be stuck in Eugene for the foreseeable future because of all the money Nike sunk into the stadium. With Nike writing big checks, the event doesn't have to worry about attendance. USATF championships have just become a private party for Nike and USATF execs.
Good weather for distance runners is bad for sprinters.
USATF champs are going to be stuck in Eugene for the foreseeable future because of all the money Nike sunk into the stadium. With Nike writing big checks, the event doesn't have to worry about attendance. USATF championships have just become a private party for Nike and USATF execs.
Everyone blames Nike but lets be honest the options are- a meet no one attends OR a meet no one attends that a billionaire helps pay for.
People should focus on USATF not putting on a better product. Not doing more to attract fans. Not doing more to grow opportunities outside of nike.
they need to stop doing USAs in oregon. accommodations are garbage and it is too difficult and expensive for travel.
Agree 1000%
My opinion is that they should do them at Kezar Stadium in SF. With the cool temperatures from the summer fog, times would be amazing. Across the bay in Berkeley at Cal's stadium would also be a great venue, with a similar temperature situation that time of year.
Nothing should happen in SF until they get serious about crime. My rear and side window lasted 10 minutes into our last visit. The police told me they were getting 100 reports a day and not to expect anything to come of the report.
I’m tired of Hayward. Aside from residents of oregon who is gonna go to Eugene? Put the champs in LA or something where people actually want to be and live and attendance will shoot up i guarentee it
US Champs need to come back to the east in alternate years. It can also go to Des Moines as well. It just can't be in Eugene year after year and especially after the world championships.
after what kate brown did to the state, I vow to never set foot in oregon ever again. at this point you should be required to have a passport to cross state lines into oregon, its values and politics are so different from the rest of the country.
they should be holding this event in a location thats actually part of the united states.
I feel like it wasn't that long ago that Hayward meets were a big deal that drew crowds. Is it because of the new stadium? Did Eugene suddenly become a sh!thole out of nowhere?