I was at Hayward Field today for Nike Outdoor Nationals. The place was basically empty and still the greatest place in the country to have a meet.
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Waterloo1815kgl wrote:
would never go back to Austin...horrible traffic and hot as hell.....Eugene is just better all the way around.
I don't recall Austin or Sacramento (2017) having to move events around due to heat like they did with Eugene in 2021 for the trials. 2022 US trials were a scorcher too.
Eugene's weather is so unpredictable it makes it just another reason it shouldnt host championship meets.
The athletes don't even like going to Eugene.
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Build a stadium or upgrade the old one in Indianapolis, where the USATF and NCAA offices actually are. I still can't believe this hasn't been done.
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runlongandhard wrote:
Build a stadium or upgrade the old one in Indianapolis, where the USATF and NCAA offices actually are. I still can't believe this hasn't been done.
This ^
Centrally located with an international airport. Also if they can host the Superbowl, draft combined and countless other large events the only trials would be nothing.
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Hats off to Indianapolis for installing a 50 meter above ground pool in Lucas Oil Stadium for the Olympic Swimming Trials. That's innovative thinking and I bet that swimming (watching people go back and forth in lanes ad infinitum-more boring than track, IMHO) draws far more fans than track.
Innovation and marketing prowess is what our sport lacks.
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Yeah Okay wrote:
runlongandhard wrote:
Build a stadium or upgrade the old one in Indianapolis, where the USATF and NCAA offices actually are. I still can't believe this hasn't been done.
This ^
Centrally located with an international airport. Also if they can host the Superbowl, draft combined and countless other large events the only trials would be nothing.
And this weekend through next, the Olympic USA swim trials inside our NFL stadium!
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runlongandhard wrote:
Build a stadium or upgrade the old one in Indianapolis, where the USATF and NCAA offices actually are. I still can't believe this hasn't been done.
Nike Beaverton fired the last salaried staffer at USATF Indianapolis back in December, 2022. USATF no longer has a media service. Nike replaced USATF with marketing volunteers and unpaid interns.
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Where to begin...
1. Acknowledge the sport barely has a pulse in the US instead of pretending it's alive and well and trying to generate hype that can't be backed up.
2. The sport needs heavy growth investment. It has to be subsidized across the vertical - from athlete development/cost of living, to media marketing, to attractive accommodation/ticket packages for spectators. It simply cannot generate significant returns right now.
3. Eugene is not it. Small town, far from a high-capacity airport, not nearly enough low-cost and convenient accommodations.. to throw some huge cons out there. Atlanta would make a lot more sense. Very accessible, densely populated, warm weather, can accommodate high attendance, lots of hotel options.
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Eugene T. Roll wrote:
Hats off to Indianapolis for installing a 50 meter above ground pool in Lucas Oil Stadium for the Olympic Swimming Trials. That's innovative thinking and I bet that swimming (watching people go back and forth in lanes ad infinitum-more boring than track, IMHO) draws far more fans than track.
Innovation and marketing prowess is what our sport lacks.
Very cool...
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coachy wrote:
I was at Hayward Field today for Nike Outdoor Nationals. The place was basically empty and still the greatest place in the country to have a meet.
It's a high school meet plus a U20 championships tacked on to save money. No one is traveling to Eugene unless they have a kid running in it. The locals and Portland track fans are not buying tickets to watch random teens race each other.
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Eugene T. Roll wrote:
coachy wrote:
I was at Hayward Field today for Nike Outdoor Nationals. The place was basically empty and still the greatest place in the country to have a meet.
It's a high school meet plus a U20 championships tacked on to save money. No one is traveling to Eugene unless they have a kid running in it. The locals and Portland track fans are not buying tickets to watch random teens race each other.
Yes I agree and it was great to be there for it.
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anacondarunner wrote:
After the dreadful attendance at NCAAs this past weekend, Eugene can no longer call itself TrackTown USA. It’s time to stop hosting NCAAs and USAs there every year. Austin was a way better atmosphere for NCAAs last year—the stands were packed for both the men’s and women’s finals. The attendance in Eugene was embarrassing and made the national championships feel like a low-key dual meet.
Just think how cool it would be to build a new T&F stadium so we could start threads about why the old one sucks and we need a new one somewhere else.
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5313-175 wrote:
The only problem with Eugene is they need to expand the airport. Hotels etc will take care of themselves.
It is truly a world class destination that offers far more than just T&F.
The airport has plans now to double capacity. I think ground breaking is 2025 but may be 2026. Passenger counts at the airport are roughly 150% of pre-covid.
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Always easy for many to complain from afar, try to estimate from tv and never make an attempt to step foot toward Hayward Field or any other place. Stop complaining and just put your butt in a seat! Ive done it since I was 14. It's all about planning, being creative and sticking to a budget. Cant afford it, WORK! Stop making excuses and when you come see important meets live, you wont regret it.
What happened to the party zone outside the stadium? Id be willing to pay an extra fee for a wristband and have access to new track friends, athletes and entertainment.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.14 -
Have you been under the I-35 at 7th St., about 1/2 mile from the University of Texas track?
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Starr wrote:
Do you want to prioritize the fan experience over what’s best for the athletes?
Yes
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Having raced at Eugene many times, one must remember if you want fans you build a world class facility in a large city with easy access. Eugene would slowly die if you moved T&F away to Austin (180,000 to Austin's-Round Rock almost 2.5 million). The big cities in Oregon are dark blue; while Austin is blue, it is Texas purple and Texas as a whole is solid red.
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Bump.
When I started this thread, I thought, “well, Eugene couldn’t fill up Hayward for NCAAs, but surely the stadium will be packed for the trials.” That was wrong. The backstretch and turns are mostly empty, and even the homestretch has numerous empty seats. Compare this to the swimming trials, which has been filling up an NFL stadium for the past week. Track has more household names than swimming—Sha’Carri and Lyles have way bigger followings than any of the swimming stars. And track has much higher youth and high school participation than swimming. The problem, as we know, is Eugene. USATF and the NCAA do serious damage to this sport each time they hold a championship there. Thank you to Rojo for continuing to preach this gospel.
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STFU! You anti-Semites keep ragging on Phil Knight.
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NYDCRunner1 wrote:
MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:
Hayward has 3 advantages over Austin for major track meets.
1. The stadium is honestly much, much better
2. The track is faster
3. The weather is usually much better for the athletes and spectators1 and 2 could be "easily" taken care of with a re-model. It would be costly, but add some seatbacks and some shade along with a world-class track surface. The heat....yeahhhhh, maybe they could figure out a way to "AC" the stadium like they did for the World Cup in Qatar
That's about the only advantages Hayward really has. Austin is wayyyy easier to get in and out of. Way more to do. More places to eat. More places to stay.
If you've been to both places, which one would you honestly want to go back to for track and hanging out for a long weekend or even an Olympic Trials? Again, fix 1 and 2 above and there is no debate.
I have never been to Austin. I would go if Trials were held there.
I have never been to Hayward and you couldn't pay me to go there. Well you could, but it would break your bank.
I would never go to Austin for a meet in mid summer so I cancel you out. I am in Eugene now, and unlike you, enjoying the meet and the city.
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