I’m here right now And it’s amazing. Not sure what you’re trying to prove or say but this is exactly how you grow the sport. It’s not about people in the stands it’s about participation and NON just broke all participation records.
It's Eugene, they probably do have women's urinals
It's true that Eugene is known for being progressive and open to innovative ideas, but women's urinals are still quite rare. They have been proposed and implemented in some places to improve restroom efficiency and accessibility, but they haven't really become widespread...
Can I just go on record and say we will never "grow the sport" as long as the following five factors are missing. It doesn't matter what you are selling, nobody will buy your "sport entertainment product" unless it has the following:
Well-known athletes that the fans care about. That is why Nordas' comment about some "random African" was kind of accurate. It was rude to say out loud, but if a bunch of new Kenyans and Ethiopians come and go each year, then it is hard to care. That is why Kipchoge and Bekele are so popular, they have been in the game for years!
Distances that people can related to. The 100m and the mile are the only events on the track that anyone can mentally envision. If you tell people at my work that you are running a 5km, they would not really know how far that is. They can't estimate what a good result would be. It is just "running laps" to casual fans.
Some kind of sustained conflict. Just running laps fast is not enough for non-track people. Sha'Carri is the fastest but she is also the most interesting. You have to have lots of people like her who are "embattled." It can be on or off the track, but you have to bring some kind of drama into the game.
A sense of ownership in the outcome. If it is the Olympics, the sport is imbued with a National identity. When Bolt wins, Jamaica wins! When Peter Snell won his golds, he was winning them for New Zealand. Just running laps for yourself? Why should other people care about that? People in Boston love the Celtics because they are from Boston. It is like family, you love your team. Track doesn't have that...
Historical context tells us if something has a meaningful place in our culture. The Olympics has it. The Kentucky Derby has it. Wimbledon has it. The Indy 500 and the Masters and the Boston Marathon have it. You can put on a better horse race, but I am still watching the Kentucky Derby, sorry.
I think we have to respect the fact that people know what they like and they don't like to watch people sponsored by shoe companies running random distances (6.25 miles?) around a track for no apparent reason.
And unless they are setting the WR, we runners don't even consider them to be very good... Just ask the US women's 10km team. Letrun doesn't even think they are any good. If we don't, why should anyone else care?
Imagine watching a mediocre movie, with no plot, and characters you don't know, doing something you don't really understand. That is the way most people feel about our sport.
Can I just go on record and say we will never "grow the sport" as long as the following five factors are missing. It doesn't matter what you are selling, nobody will buy your "sport entertainment product" unless it has the following:
Well-known athletes that the fans care about. That is why Nordas' comment about some "random African" was kind of accurate. It was rude to say out loud, but if a bunch of new Kenyans and Ethiopians come and go each year, then it is hard to care. That is why Kipchoge and Bekele are so popular, they have been in the game for years!
Distances that people can related to. The 100m and the mile are the only events on the track that anyone can mentally envision. If you tell people at my work that you are running a 5km, they would not really know how far that is. They can't estimate what a good result would be. It is just "running laps" to casual fans.
Some kind of sustained conflict. Just running laps fast is not enough for non-track people. Sha'Carri is the fastest but she is also the most interesting. You have to have lots of people like her who are "embattled." It can be on or off the track, but you have to bring some kind of drama into the game.
A sense of ownership in the outcome. If it is the Olympics, the sport is imbued with a National identity. When Bolt wins, Jamaica wins! When Peter Snell won his golds, he was winning them for New Zealand. Just running laps for yourself? Why should other people care about that? People in Boston love the Celtics because they are from Boston. It is like family, you love your team. Track doesn't have that...
Historical context tells us if something has a meaningful place in our culture. The Olympics has it. The Kentucky Derby has it. Wimbledon has it. The Indy 500 and the Masters and the Boston Marathon have it. You can put on a better horse race, but I am still watching the Kentucky Derby, sorry.
I think we have to respect the fact that people know what they like and they don't like to watch people sponsored by shoe companies running random distances (6.25 miles?) around a track for no apparent reason.
And unless they are setting the WR, we runners don't even consider them to be very good... Just ask the US women's 10km team. Letrun doesn't even think they are any good. If we don't, why should anyone else care?
Imagine watching a mediocre movie, with no plot, and characters you don't know, doing something you don't really understand. That is the way most people feel about our sport.
I appreciate your thoughtful response, but I have to disagree on several points:
1. Well-known athletes: While star power can certainly help, it's not the only way to engage fans. Track and field has a diverse pool of talented athletes from all over the world, and focusing too much on a few stars can overshadow the sport's inherent excitement and diversity. Building a sport's popularity should not rely solely on a handful of recognizable faces.
2. Relatable distances: The beauty of track and field lies in its variety. Simplifying or standardizing distances to cater to a less-informed audience risks diminishing the sport's richness. Instead of changing the sport to fit a casual viewer's understanding, we should educate and engage fans about the unique challenges and strategies involved in different events.
3. Sustained conflict and drama: While drama can attract attention, it shouldn't be manufactured or forced. The integrity of the sport is paramount, and creating artificial rivalries can undermine it. Real stories of perseverance and competition are compelling enough without needing additional dramatization.
4. Sense of ownership: Track and field is already a deeply international sport, and athletes often carry their nation's pride. Forcing regional or national leagues could dilute the sport's global appeal and the spirit of international competition that defines events like the Olympics and World Championships.
5. Historical context: Track and field has a rich history and significant cultural impact. Rather than creating new prestigious events, we should focus on promoting and celebrating existing ones. The legacy of events like the Boston Marathon, the Olympics, and the World Championships provides plenty of historical context.
Your analogy of a mediocre movie with no plot or familiar characters doesn't hold for track and field. The sport is filled with extraordinary athletes, incredible stories, and a global following. Instead of changing its core to fit a casual viewer's expectations, we should focus on better storytelling, education, and showcasing the sport's true essence. Track and field has intrinsic value that, when highlighted effectively, can captivate and inspire audiences worldwide.
I see what you are saying and I gave you an up-vote. In an ideal world, you are onto something.
But the notion that we have to "educate" the fans is like the opera, ballet, and theater communities saying, "if the audience was smarter (better educated), they would love to watch opera, ballet, and plays.
Sorry, but if your product requires the customers/audience to "be better" then you are fighting a losing game. The audience knows what it likes. They want story-lines, plots, characters, conflict, and meaningful outcomes. Just like in all their entertainment.
We sound like the International soccer aficionados who say that if Americans would just take the time to learn about the subtleties of the game, we'd love soccer too. Sorry, no thanks.
Track and field isn't that interesting. I would not drive for an hour to watch no-name, random athletes running 27:30 for 10km. That is fast as hell, but sorry, it is not "entertaining." They are literally running in a circle.
But I would drive for an hour to watch Abdi vs. Meb vs. Solinsky vs. Rupp run 27:30 in the US Olympic Trials because I know the athletes, I know why they are running it, I care about the outcome (Olympic team!). That is called plot, character, motive, and context. That is what makes something meaningful.
This post was edited 6 minutes after it was posted.
We could try not charging $33 per day for parents and siblings to watch their high school kids (or college freshman). It’s not a pro meet. Imagine dropping $300 just for tickets to have your family (two parents + 2 siblings & a grandma) watch your high schooler run a 10s race one day and 21s race the next day.
how are the water fountains? Is there a normal water fountain yet, or still the same old downward-pointing spouts for if you happen to have a bottle to fill? Bring your bottle or no drink, sucker.
An athletic venue without a proper water fountain is stone age
A lot of events are behind a paywall. USATF is the worst offender, and they are supposed to be promoting the sport.
Also, your favorite runner is likely to disappear from the scene for long periods of time with no explanation. Then slowly over a period of weeks/months bits of info dribble out about what their injury is and how long they might be out. Frankly, a lot of runners just don't want to engage with the media, so no wonder there's not much of a fan base.
A lot of events are behind a paywall. USATF is the worst offender, and they are supposed to be promoting the sport.
Also, your favorite runner is likely to disappear from the scene for long periods of time with no explanation. Then slowly over a period of weeks/months bits of info dribble out about what their injury is and how long they might be out. Frankly, a lot of runners just don't want to engage with the media, so no wonder there's not much of a fan base.
50-50 Hollywood TV and local ticket revenue sharing like the NFL-NBA-MLB has would make it worthwhile for pros to race. As it stands today the union TV cameramen in Hollywood make the same as a Diamond League 1st Place winner.
It will be good to see Lutkenhaus take on some real competition in the 800, but his affiliation is not correct. It has him running for Tulsa. With his kick he may survive the rounds here.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.