NYC is better location for Golden League in USA than Eugene

I believe Charo is only 57 wrote:

--and please tellme how we move that many people on and off that Island--not a simple or inexpensive addition no matter the configuration.

I believe Icahn,as is, cost about $2,750 per seat.

?

THere is a road onto the island, its not just the pedestrian bridge.

They need LOTS of ferries to Icahn

NY Sub Elite wrote:

NY is the best of everything. Anyone with even a small sense of sophistication realizes this. Having the Golden League in NY could transform the whole series, much like the Marathon trials were moved to the highest level of public consciousness ever after only one time.

Mary Witenberg and the NYRR should be consulted on this. Even if they aren't moved, they could offer suggestions for the less sophisticated race officials in the country.

10/10

There is a team of individuals in NYC that can run of meet of that level but it would be on them to find the support base and the marketing partners to pull it off.

There is a team of individuals in NYC that can run of meet of that level but it would be on them to find the support base and the marketing partners to pull it off.

Who?

A huge advantage is that you have David Katz who is the IAAF technical rep for the USA lives 20 miles from the city in long Island, he has a crew he works with. He does the reebok, millrose, NYC marathon and also travels around the world doing meets from the OT's to the Olympics.

In an event like this you woul dhave major organizations working together such as the NYC Sports Commission, the City Parks Department, and you would have 200+ volunteers from all the local college athletes in the area.

NYRR would also help in area's needed.

There would be the possibility of the same group that runs the reebok meet with Icahn Stadium. One of the best if not the best meet directors in the country works out of the Stadium and there is no doubt in my mind he would be able to run a highly successful event of that level. I believe he was the meet director when the USA Champs were at the Armory.

There then of course is support from all different levels of marketing, hospitality, media, ect...

The biggest issue for NYC is funding.

Hayduke wrote:

I believe Charo is only 57 wrote:

--and please tellme how we move that many people on and off that Island--not a simple or inexpensive addition no matter the configuration.

I believe Icahn,as is, cost about $2,750 per seat.

?

THere is a road onto the island, its not just the pedestrian bridge.

Only one lane entrance& egress from RFK bridge.

103 St Pedestrian Bridge only for pedestrians--hence the name pedestrian bridge.

42 million stadium costs divided by permanent 5000 seats is $8400 per seat.

They have many events a year that are very large and there is never a problem getting on or off the island. Itmight take 30 minutes but I think a 30 minute wait is well worth it. There is also more then one road with multiple parking areas. Depending on where you stay there are ramps onto the island and three off with an additional one being built.

If they were to hold it in NYC before May and before Oslo then weather is o.k. otherwise the weather sucks. Eugene has better weather in the summertime. They would just elevate the Pre Classic to GL status and it would be the same meet with more money and better athletes.

The biggest promotional and marketing partner in American T&F is Nike, and it's safe to assume Nike favors Eugene over NYC.

Yes, but isn't IAAF sponsor adidas now? I would think they would not want to be in Eugene.

I don't know about that. Nike's biggest interest is their wallet. Nike sponsors a strong running team in NYC, a significant Half Marathon in partnership with the NYRR, and a disastrous 10k held on Randall's Island last year, that achieved the goal of having many people sign up.

The potential is much greater in NYC if marketed correctly, and who better than Nike?

That is true. Nike does do many events in NYC and they have many "friends" in NYC that they do work well with.

I would also think that Nike would get more out of sponsoring an event in NYC then they do in Eugene. Just the population alone would be enough of a reason. As was stated before there are without a doubt more track and field/running fans in NYC then in Eugene its just making them aware of what is going on.

NYC Fan wrote:

Everyone says Eugene is track city USA but why.

Not sure if this is a serious question. Will wait for confirmation before answering.

I would love for it to be in NYC. Mostly because then I could go watch, but also because Eugene may have the best track fans in America, but the sheer numbers of NYC win out. Then again, neither Hayward Field nor Randall Island (even with expanded seating) are big enough for the size of the city to matter.

Just for reference, here is the capacity for each of the current GL venues:

Zürich Letzigrund - 30,000

Paris Stade de France - 80,000

Berlin Olympic Stadium - 76,000

Oslo Bislett - 15,280

Rome Olympic Stadium - 82,922

Brussels Koning Boudewijn Stadion - 50,000

Others in consideration:

Lausanne Olympique de la Pontaise - 15,738

Eugene Hayward Field - expandable to around 21,000

Doha Khalifa International Stadium - 50,000

Stockholm - 14,500

Beijing Oly Stadium - 80,000

Doesn't look like Hayward or an expanded Icahn would be a problem from this perspective, and with IAAF clearly wanting to enhance the sport's profile out of Europe, travel to the West Coast may not be seen as a huge hindrance if Beijing is in consideration.

Getting to and from Icahn may not be horrible for drivers, but to really market to NYC, you have to make things public-transit friendly. Large concerts typically are ok on Randalls, but the buses for Reebok have been spotty. Walking back over the 125th connector is pretty damn harrowing.

Any other thoughts?

KevinM wrote:

Just for reference, here is the capacity for each of the current GL venues:

Oslo Bislett - 15,280

.

No GL meet is held here anymore.

Arguing to put on a world class track meet in New York is like arguing to put an NFL franchise in L.A. Would everyone would like it? Probably Would it be sucessful? Probably not.

Euro GL/GP, Adid/Pref/Reeb/USAv meets are short TV meets. Reeb & USAv have 95% Jamaicans in attendance, Reeb is humid, Pref is held in nowhere land, Adid is held on a Sunday in a heathen metropolis where track is king so everyone is at a friggin high school meet that whole weekend and not in attendance. But a 3 hr meet and 1 hr TV show can be done no problem in the humidity, a nowhere town, with no pales faces in attendance, and with no pale nor black faces in attendance. Those meets only have finals, no heats/flights, short and sweet. Any locale will do for a short meet like the GL.