Gentleman Savage wrote:
ClubRunnah wrote:
No city would bid for the Trials if the fields were that small. It's a qualifying event, but it's still an event in and of itself. Once that requires a city to clear streets, post security, aid/refreshment stations, etc. In other words it costs money to hold the Trials.
One of the more rational points made so far. I want to hear the purist that want a severely limited field pitch that to a host city.
"We want you to shut down a huge area of your city, provide traffic control, and all the necessary safety, antiterrorism efforts, and support to host this race, that will have 25 women and 25 men in it. The crowds will be in the hundreds and there will be limited spotty tv coverage. So who wants to start the bidding???????????!!!"
Did you rationally read what you just wrote? You cannot be serious that you think thousands of people turn up for the 2:14+/2:35+ entrants. The majority of the crowd wants to see the Rupps and Seidels, the ones with a real shot at top 3, the ones they know from racing on-camera at WMMs and shoe ads and social media. People who are talking about the stories of local yokels getting in are running on emotion. You pitch it being the Olympic MF Trials, you don't tout having a large field of also-rans. Wow, just wow.[/quote]
So just have ten runners in each field, that should REALLY draw the attention of the sporting world!
Sorry you are completely wrong on this, we need MORE people invested and interested, not less.
2:20 is a good number and keeps some people running after college. Creates more interest, never know who might emerge on race day.