I just watched day 1 of the USA Swimming Trials: USATF SUCKS

Part of the problem is the "Go USA!" syndrome. Yes, we should support our national team but fans enjoy the sport much more when they learn a bit about the other competitors and cheer them on. Right now, NBC has the "designated heroes" in our faces on every televised meet, yet the sport is much deeper.

The televised meets usually barely give you a glimpse of the non-Americans at the starting line. That's terrible but is a result of the telecast times being compressed. So there is often little time for background on the other competitors much less to even see their faces!

A distance race does not have to be boring as far as presentation is concerned. A good commentary includes lap times and time projections along with the running time and visuals on the splits as well as the capabilities of the runners in the lead pack. These top runners make it look so easy that it is difficult to appreciate how fast they are running.

location location location. anybody on the east coast ever try to get to Eugene? And once you get there it is $$$$$. Hotels and restaurants have a captured audience and they take advantage of tourists. From eastern NC, cheapest flight is $905 and 10 hours and 41 minutes with two stops. Avg hotel $365 a nite

I wonder if MJ is considering this for his new track league.

Swimming trials are in Indianapolis. Central US location. Within driving distance of more swimmers than Eugene is for runners. Indianapolis is less expensive to get to and stay in than Eugene. Tickets are less expensive. (many tickets available for swim finals @$35 Least expensive comparable track ticket is $65)

US track trials have been held in Indianapolis before. That was before Nike locked up USATF with some $ in a long term deal. Its probably less expensive to bid for swim trials than track trials

Realistically there are more and better opportunities for elite runners than swimmers. Running is a better sport to watch. (swimmers come out to their blocks with caps and goggles on, and you can't really see their bodies when they are swimming so name/face recognition is lacking).

But any crowd is going to sound much louder indoors than out. Plus US swimmers do relatively better in the olympics than our track athletes do so this is the year for swimmers to shine. Swimming is still primarily a rich white mans sport and does not attract participation depth at the world level like running does. How many competition training level swimming pools are there in Kenya/Ethiopia and many other countries?

Swimming is a white dominated sport. White people support their own athletes especially in white dominated sports. You ever watched youth baseball ?

They suck yet they're strategizing to receive more money from the loyal fans to increase their salaries.

What is there that USA Swimming, an organization that like USA Gymnastics has had rampant sexual abuse of children for which it was liable, actually does well to contribute to the atmosphere at these meets?

A big part of it is the difference in the pace of the meet. The swimmers come out, get on the blocks and go. There isn't 10 minutes of preening and posing before every single race just to get to the point of being able to start. Makes for a way better spectator experience.

I suspect Nike has a great part to play with this decision. There has to be some underhanded deal.

I’m a track sprinter, you damn fool.

Even if all that shlt was true, so what? If I’m old and black can’t I cheer for the Adidas sprint meet in Atlanta?

Kids like you need to get real and stop posting your stupid shlt. It’s not me who you’re making me look like an a-hole.

You don’t even know what you’re doing by posting shlt like that. You’re making enemies, that’s what. I see turkey-tough kids like you all the time. Grow t f up before you get your azz kicked.

No one here has mentioned $$$. I assume it’s like this everywhere - but my kids swim club requires every kid participating to join USA Swimming if they swim in a single meet. I think it’s maybe like $100? That adds up. They might even get a piece of all the meet fees. Not sure.

Sure you are, pops. I bet you used to hold the world record for the 125 yard dash on cinders wearing crocs. You're just another dude with an opinion, like the rest of us here.

Marketing US Nationals should be a slam dunk, especially in an Olympic year. Earning one of those top 3 spots to go to the Olympics or World Championships should be enough to make every competition meaningful and exciting, yet somehow USATF has blown this single mandate. It's starting to border on criminal negligence at this point.

Swimming is like watching the difference between Magnum and Blue Steel

The events don't have enough differentiation. When one guy or girl can clean up most of the distances its a farce

My point is: How do you get control away from the current "leadership"?

Nailed it

Hollywood TV CEOs have stated many times that the "Olympics" label has and will continue to have tremendous market value. Thus we need a yearly Olympics to cash in on viewership each year.

Rowdy Gaines makes the T & F announcing crew look pathetic too

Lots of sports have this phenomenon. Eric Heiden won 5 speed skating medals at distances from 500m to 10000m. Simone Biles grabbed 5 medals in Rio. Mikaela Shiffrin is a contender at almost every downhill skiing discipline.

Running is uniquely difficult for the body to recover from, but I also think most top Track athletes are just not as ambitious as they could be. Sydney has a one race a day schedule that could result in 3 golds (400H, 400, 4x400), but will only go for 2. If she had the same mentality as a Phelps or Heiden, she'd be taking a shot at the 4x100 as well, her 200m time shows she'd be an asset on anchor. Why isn't Holloway giving long jump any attention? It's like Sifan Hassan is the only one willing to try some stuff.