The lack of track and field facilities at the University of Wisconsin is intentional

Sorry I do not agree. The reason that Wisconsin's track program is being ignored/downgraded is precisely because of Mick Byrne who doesn't give a rip about track. Mick took over a program that was successful in both cross country & track. Historically, they were a power in both. Mick comes in and ignores the track program to "do his thing with distance" and now we are at the place we are. Don't feel sorry for the guy that was a causative figure.

The AD is on the hotseat due to football.

Mick has been there for 16 years. Do you realize how much the ncaa has changed in 16 years? You weren’t allowed to give kids a bagel with peanut butter in 08.

The cost to attend college has doubled. Also every event has gotten much much stronger.

It was easier to have a full team 20-25 years ago. Spread the money around and have some low scholarship guys score points. You need borderline pros to score at NCAAs now.

Every school has found their niche, Wisconsin has a lot of big 10 titles since mick took over

Define for this thread "lack of facilities". Don't tell us to read an article or a book. Spell it out here in this thread so we have a consistent and clear reference.

That said, let's say there's poor investment here. Are you sure this is unique to Wisconsin? One general issue for everyone is that ADs and schools see running as an investment-minimal sport. Every other team sport needs a wide variety of equipment beyond footwear and uniforms, but for track they think that all you need... is a track, if that. Runners can run, and therefore train, just about anywhere that one can safely walk or run.

So, a) you're working against that, and b) are you sure Wisconsin's (apparent lack of) investment is substantially less than most other schools? What's your average point of comparison? Or are you comparing them to the best facilities in the country, which generally is going to be a fool's errand?

Mick took over track in 2013. The issues with needing a new indoor facility were present even before he took over. Their old indoor track wasn’t great 20 years ago.

I’ve been awfully critical of Mick in the past for various reasons but I don’t blame much of this mess on him. I’m not in the know at Madison though so who really knows besides the current athletes and alumni.

The new AD has been pro football since he took over. Which makes sense given he played football at Madison. Even though the football team sucks, he isn’t going anywhere.

Lack of facilities means indoor track. Iowa has one. Iowa State has one. Nebraska has one.

95% of D1 schools don't have one. Having one would put them among the top 5%.

Now, if you want Wisconsin to be top 5%, that's understandable. But lacking an indoor track is not unusual at all.

I don't believe those stats. In addition, 75% of colleges can get by without an indoor track due to climate. Wisconsin is one of the coldest locations of D1 colleges.

What are you talking about?!?! 95%...come on...that can't be true.

Hell, all the University of Wisconsin DIII schools have indoor tracks...I think all DII and DIII schools in WI have indoor tracks...and what...the only DI school in WI that doesn't have an indoor track is what...UW-Green Bay?

The number of schools that have one in the entire country is a very small list.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:College_indoor_track_and_field_venues_in_the_United_States

I’m surprised everyone is surprised. Massive change has been occurring in collegiate sports and more changes are on the horizon. I’m a casual fan of the sport so I have no idea of Iowa and Nebraska’s Big 10 successes. Heck, I cannot name an athlete on either team since Erik Sowinski. So yes, I am rooting for a distance focused program at UW so they can continue to have more of the Hacker, McDonald, Hoare, and Monson of the sport.

Is the juice really worth the squeeze fielding a competitive track and field team? Or go all in on distance and compete for team stuff in the Fall and shoot for individual performers in Track? Which is what I’m hoping for.

What us that list? There are 20 just in Wisconsin and 20 in Iowa. Those are two states with small.populations.

I do think the proposed indoor training facility will work IF they add an area for pole vault which isn’t currently part of the proposal. Wisconsin traditionally has good multi athletes who need that type of training area. They don’t need a complete indoor track but they should have the capability to have a training area for each event in the same building.

As a fan of Wisconsin XC, I do want to see the distance squads continue to do well. But as a fan of Wisconsin track and field as a whole, I’d still like to see kids do well in other events too. Now that’s probably a pipe dream now but they should still be able to have kids on the roster who can grab points for them in other events or develop into national qualifiers.

Who knows what will happen at other schools. All that’s really come to light so far is the SEC limits and Wisconsin’s squad limits.

This is all about the article on the front page of LRC. The throwers and jumpers and pole vaulters have nowhere to train. This is Wisconsin. They had the Shed, and then it was torn down and a football facility is being built but nothing for Track athletes. I don't know... I don't really think every school needs a top notch indoor track facility, but if you are in Madison, Wisconsin and you're a pole vaulter, it is kind of hard to train outdoors everyday. Maybe not? I don't know... You seem to know more about the situation.

This is not even close to a comprehensive list.

Go find us one. I went looking for and found that one. You seem to think there's a better one, so go get it.

I don’t know where a full list is…but you can’t honestly think that is remotely close to a complete list. Use some common sense…just look up how many schools sponsor indoor track.

Did you run in college?

Yes. And most of these schools with indoor programs run their indoor meets entirely at separate locations... because they don't have an indoor track!

Maybe many the small schools up north have them, but most of the country does not.

That's not how this works. If you're going to make an assertion, it's on you make sure it's right.

Just off the top of my head, I can think of at least a dozen that are not on the list.

And to the larger point, SEC schools have been building indoor facilities recently and many don't need one because of the weather. This move will leave Wisconsin as one of the few P4 schools that need an indoor training facility without one.