Is T&F really dying? Or should we accept that it's always been a marginal side show?

It’s dying bad. People tryna make it look cool but it’s a joke. Barely any fans at the world champs. I see bigger crowds at regular season MLS games.

A lot of the 70s meets that were on TV had very little competition, as in, nothing else going on that would take up TV time.

Road races that were on in the 80s followed the "running boom" wave. People were interested and participating in running events.

Now it's all about posting modified images of yourself on social media like crack-addicted monkeys.

Look and listen to this crowd, so what is the problem?

I have been going to meets since the early 60's. Always have a great time and here I am some 60's years later still have a great time wit the sport. I see no problems, what problems

Doesn't T&F still draw more participants than any other US high school sport?

Think of how many track meets are going on across this country on a weekend during track season. Many times having a hard times deciding where to go.

Just one weekend during track season....

Arkansas Invitational (January 14)
Corky Classic (January 14)
LSU Purple Tiger (January 14)
Virginia Tech Invitational (January 14-15)
Nelson Invitational (January 14-15)
Nelson Invitational (Day 2)
Clemson Invitational (January 14-15)
Pole Vault Summit (January 14-15)
Green Invitational (January 14-15)
Virginia Showcase (HS) (January 14-15)
Simmons-Harvey Invitational (January 15)
Nittany Lion Challenge (January 15)
Washington Preview (January 15)
Gamecock Opener (January 15)
UAB Vulcan Invitational (January 15)
Houston Marathon (January 16)

The problem is that when we die no one is taking our place. It's a niche sport at least in the US.

Disagree, check out this crowd,

I have no evidence for this but I blame the Nike-fication of this sport for its decline. Everything is at Hayward (which isn't even a good stadium), all athletes forced to wear Nike in competition, etc. Its just not interesting and there's no variety or personality

I'm a bit older than you are. And I understand where you're coming from. Sports and entertainment have changed over the years. My Dad has told me tales of taking the train from Kankakee, IL to South Bend, IN on Saturdays to watch Notre Dame football.

Back in those days there were trains from the same station taking fans to the Drake Relays. Not anymore. Track and Field was very popular up until the NFL started getting all of the attention and buying up all the fast guys. ( back in the day the fast track guys would give up their amateur status for an NFL contract.) And for those who weren't born during that era, baseball was the most enjoyed sport, following, College Football, Track/Field, then finally Pro Football. Although hockey was coming into to its own about the same time football did. But until TV and expansion came into play, I was fortunate enough to watch the Original 8 NHL Hockey Clubs play. And my gosh was that fun hockey to watch. Back then the goalies didn't wear masks or helmets. Neither did the rest of the player or officials. When fights occurred everyone left the bench and fought to the bitter end like it was one of the closing battles of WWII. But now don't you even try boarding a marque player. You might get set down for a few games. Sports have changed over the years. For better or worse? What the hell do I know. I'm just 1 of 7 or so billions of Earthlings populating this planet. What say you?

With all due respect, you are not the market. One elder proclaiming that he "still has a great time" does not wipe away the fact that the sport has a smaller paid in-person and TV audience than it did years and decades ago. You are honestly basing your assessment of the sport's demise based on your personal experience alone? Regrettably, the sport viewing public moved on and it's not comprised on individual's such as yourself. This is well accepted. My broader point was that the sport never really occupied a meaningful slice of the viewing public's market share, and now it is even less visible.

(The video? Seriously? Don't show me a video of the crowd at the World Championships, at the only location in the country that cares, and after a home-nation sweep. That's your objective data point? No, show me the paid attendance by non-family members of the athletes at the NCAA championships. Show the number of track meets that regularly appear on ESPN and major networks throughout the season. It doesn't exist).

With all due respect, you are not the market. One elder proclaiming that he "still has a great time" does not wipe away the fact that the sport has a smaller paid in-person and TV audience than it did years and decades ago. You are honestly basing your assessment of the sport's demise based on your personal experience alone? Regrettably, the sport viewing public moved on and it's not comprised on individual's such as yourself. This is well accepted. My broader point was that the sport never really occupied a meaningful slice of the viewing public's market share, and now it is even less visible.

(The video? Seriously? Don't show me a video of the crowd at the World Championships, at the only location in the country that cares, and after a home-nation sweep. That's your objective data point? No, show me the paid attendance by non-family members of the athletes at the NCAA championships. Show the number of track meets that regularly appear on ESPN and major networks throughout the season. It doesn't exist).

I was there. I'm very familiar with the Penn Relays. This was 15 years ago and although Penns is still huge in the northeast, and a pipeline for the Jamaican HSers, other meets are taking place across the south diluting the talent in Penns' college divisions. Ultimately the Jamaican HS teams will go to meets held by SEC schools instead and Penn will lose its luster.

Track as a spectator sport is on life support in the US. When I ran D1 in a major conference in the 70s we routinely had crowds of 10-20 thousand for big DUAL meets. These days you can’t even get 20 thousand to attend a World Championship.

Bottom line is there are TONS of track meets going on right around here every weekend during track season just like there has always been.

We get track on TV, tons of sites out there about the sport.

Life is good.

I competed in the Penn Relays many times. About 80% of the "crowd" in the stands consists of the participants, not paid spectators. Further, to reinforce the broader collapse in the sport's mindshare, the Penn Relays used to be televised. Now you're lucky if 1 out of 100 people you randomly stop of the street even knows what it is.

Yes, I remember going to Rangers games and a few indoor track meets in the Garden 40+ years ago. Rangers games are still sold out, Knick games are sold out but the track meets no longer take place. 20 years ago the track athletes and coaches were able to get tickets for 5 bucks and even most of us wouldn't attend.

Unfortunately most of the kids on HS teams are not fans of the sport. I hope this is just a problem in the NY area but I'm afraid it's not. I used to go to the world championships and was impressed by the European crowds who were knowledgeable and passionate, I hope that's still the case but I don't see it here.

look no further than the The Color Run aka the 'look at me now!!!!! run'