It's official Masback leaves USATF for Nike

I think Steve Miller would be a good candidate as well. However, it is HIGHLY unlikely that he would be interested. He was offered the job (or at least a final candidate...anyone know for sure?) before Masback took over. He didn't take it because of the political structure and reliance on volunteers. Until USATF gets Congress to act, candidates like Steve Miller will turn the other way. Sad, but true.

USATF needs to lobby congress for a new law that separates track & field, race walking, and road racing. Then let all three work as professional sports leagues, not Olympics charities. We're so far past the amateur days of our sport, yet the laws bind us to that past. Sad, but true.

History Lesson wrote:

We're so far past the amateur days of our sport, yet the laws bind us to that past. Sad, but true.

Well said.

Can anyone, for those of us they don't know who he is, give us a Steve Miller bio? Thanks.

Thanks.

This TeamworkOnline profile leaves out one recent job that must be noted: CEO of Devine Racing; yes that Devine Racing who spent wildly under Miller's reign as Pres/CEO after acquiring the LA Marathon the Chicago Half and starting up the Salt Lake City Marathon. This site has documented the inabilitly of Devine to pay top finishing athletes at LA and Salt Lake. This started under Miller's watch. The bowling gig came afterwards.

Fiscal restraint at USATF? Come on...

Miller is one of the few people involved in track over the past 25 years who is a PROMOTER. The sport has had its time under a lawyer now it needs someone who can reach out and grow a fan base. The next Olympic cycle is critical. No one can match Steve's enthusiasm and success.

Now, will he take the job, that is another story. Maybe we should be discussing who is the next best choice in Miller's mold, Mark Wetmore.

Masback's legacy is not USATF's fiscal standing, but track's standing in the US. Since 1997, other "minor" sports have exploded, while track has fallen further and further from public vies. On my cable system, there are three soccer channels, and golf and tennis have their own 24 hour networks. NASCAR is everywhere, poker is on at least 10 hours a week on various networks, and ultimate fighting seems to be on constantly. In contrast, we were all thrilled that a short daily highlight package of our sport's premiere event, the world championships, were broadcast on tape delay. The plain fact is that other sports have marketed themselves effectively in the last 10 years, and track simply has not. In the scheme of things, track is somewhere between high school girls basketball and rugby. This failure to market the sport lies squarely at Masback's feet.

I agree with you that T&F has not made much progress in terms of public perception and number of fans. And like you, I'm frustrated to watch golf, tennis, car racing, poker, and mixed martial arts blow past us in terms of exposure. No one would disagree.

However, I don't think the "failure to market the sport lies squarely at Masback's feet." All of the other leagues you mentioned are professional sports leagues, not Olympic sports, the governing bodies of which are mandated by Congress. USATF could certainly do a better job promoting the sport, but you can't underestimate the difference in USATF's structure compared to every other federation (USTA, PGA, NASCAR, etc). Until track & field can get itself out of those handcuffs, it'll always be constrained.

One example - and I have nothing against race walking - but could imagine if the PGA was legally tasked with funding, supporting, and overseeing putt-putt golf? That's how USATF is structured. Sad, but true.

Let me post a bit of possible blasphemy here:

Yes, we all LOVE out sport, no doubt, but maybe, just maybe, all those other sports have more success because they are either( in the eyes of the "outsiders") more FUN to watch or compete in ! In short they are BETTER PRODUCTS.

Remember, all fathers think their daughters are beautiful.

tuffy wrote:

Masback's legacy is not USATF's fiscal standing, but track's standing in the US. Since 1997, other "minor" sports have exploded, while track has fallen further and further from public vies. On my cable system, there are three soccer channels, and golf and tennis have their own 24 hour networks. NASCAR is everywhere, poker is on at least 10 hours a week on various networks, and ultimate fighting seems to be on constantly. In contrast, we were all thrilled that a short daily highlight package of our sport's premiere event, the world championships, were broadcast on tape delay. The plain fact is that other sports have marketed themselves effectively in the last 10 years, and track simply has not. In the scheme of things, track is somewhere between high school girls basketball and rugby. This failure to market the sport lies squarely at Masback's feet.

Is it Masback's fault that the sport's popularity is also on the decline in the rest of the world?

Mark Wetmore the agent would be a good solid choice. Obviously, he'd have to divest himself from Global Sports & Marketing.

The only question is whether he has the stomach to fight and put in place the committees & deal with the politics and power hungry volunteers who want to control the Wii that everyone wants to play with, as JimG puts it.

Wetmore puts on the best pro track meets in the country (exception for Pre where Nike makes it all happen). He should be at the top of the list. Good events create good TV, add good promotion, and can make stars. The next CEO needs to be looking forward and with young eyes.

Then who is the younger version of Wetmore?

[quote]qdog wrote:

If Masback was only making 200K, he was making far less then his law degree and Princeton education would allow him to on the open market. My impression of USATF when he took over was it was pretty much in shambles. He took over and brought a coherent mission to an organization that had none.

Ah, no, Masback was soft on drugs. All of track suspected as a dirty sport, especially USA sprinters.

"ONLY $200K"

My heart bleeds for the Ivies who don't clear that nasty $201K/year hurdle.

Please.

Spare us.

Look out...posted in the Honolulu Advertiser:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080112/NEWS01/801120364/1001/NEWS01

If this happens, consider this a victory for Brooks Johnson, Stephanie Hightower, and all the other cronies that Craig fought with over the years.

Someone on the T&FN board suggested that if Stephanie wins the presidency at the 2008 USATF convention in Reno, her first act would've been to can Masback...all the more reason to get involved with USATF and go to the convention in December if you don't want Stephanie as your next president!

It appears USATF knew of Gatlin's second positive test well before (2 mos. minimum, as test happened at KU Relays and the results were in 30 days thereafter) the Nationals in 2006 and yet chose to prominently market Gatlin (posters of him were everywhere) for said Nationals. Poor decision. Could the CEO have prevented this?

Same w/ decisions to allow other tainted and/or suspect athletes to compete at Nationals, knowing that they're in all likelihood dirty, e.g., Marion Jones to name one. Could the CEO have prevented this?

Nike's minions are idiots and do not represent the company well -- particularly in athletics. The company's products are nice: kits, boots, etc. The company's labour practices are suspect at best. Talk to athletes, coaches, agents, trainers/masseuses, lawyers, and factory workers about how they've been treated by Nike and its minions.

In athletics, Nike is an antitrust suit waiting to happen. And the others (Adidas, Reebok) are NOT competitors. They're just in the same market. Nike employs well-paid executives who see this -- and it appears, after analysis of the risk vs. benefit, the company concludes the benefit of making the multi millions it does quarterly outweighs the risks to which its business practices expose it. See Kasky v. Nike, Chicago Nike Store v. Nike, and other like litigation.

All the best Craig. And you thought dealing w/ dirty athletes and the politics of USATF was a headache.

Mark is an excellent choice, though I don't think USATF can afford him.

Grow up! Many successful, well educated people make well over $200K. No one has asked you to feel sorry for the guy. The point was that he could have been making considerably more money than $200K in the 10 years at USATF.