It's difficult to believe they couldn't find a better time slot for the Saturday session in Miami. Not only is it the same day as the Kentucky Derby, it is the exact same time block as the Kentucky Derby.
That means NBC is not going to be touting the track meet heavily at the expense of one of its signature events of the year on the main network.
Otherwise it's a good situation for Grand Slam Track. I thought NBC might get involved because no doubt they have commentators and other personnel who are still under contract and have primarily been assigned to track and field in recent years.
Re your 2), what makes you think GST didn't have to buy this slot / pay for service? Did anything indicate that GST truly "bought the rights?" Seems hard to believe that NBC Peacock would pay for this, and much more likely that GST got the best deal for amount they'd have to pay and whatever amount of promotion, but are still paying.
12 events each for men and women. So 24 races over three days or 8 per day. I guess it’s not as sparse as I was imagining it, but it’s going to be tough to get people into the stands for three days in a row.
Agree, it's not ideal for every meet to be three days. Even with the doubling and keeping all the events they want, they could cut it down to two days. The athletes could handle it. It's not about fast times anyway, it's about winning. Fri-Sat or Sat-Sun. makes it a lot easier to be a fan. Hopefully they realize this and make the change for next year
1) The three days is a huge ask for the in person fans. No one else in this country can get a decent crowd for a pro track meet for more 1 day outside of Prefontaine. Smaller venues in Miami and UCLA are a good idea so that it won't look small on TV.
Take a PGA tournament. I bet most fans don't go more than 1 day even if the tournament if 4.
I've said I thought huge 1 day meets would be the easiest route to go but maybe that isn't as financially sustainable as you have 4 days of TV vs 12.
But then again currently their not making $ from this TV setup. I personally would have tried 4 huge 1day meetings and then expanded if viable. But that knocks out the doubling which is a big part of this.
2) Wonder what it would have cost to buy time on NBC/ESPN.
3) Was thinking about it this weekend watching NBIGP. The lane fillers are so overpaid in this thing. But a lot of money will go to them. But I guess that happens in a lot of successful sports leagues.
4) A 30 minute recap show for European visitors might be a nice thing for someone to host. I should offer our services but instead will take credit for this idea someone else gave me. Track can be packaged very well in highlight fashion.
Point #1 is the big one. The double concept was such a poor starting point for the league. It complicates everything else in the league. That, and the sport’s main rivalries (Kerr/Jakob) (Lyles/Tebogo/Thompson) (Bol/SML) (Benjamin/Warholm) (SCR/Alfred) aren’t going to be represented there. I’ll watch. But I’ll give the league two years.
It's difficult to believe they couldn't find a better time slot for the Saturday session in Miami. Not only is it the same day as the Kentucky Derby, it is the exact same time block as the Kentucky Derby.
That means NBC is not going to be touting the track meet heavily at the expense of one of its signature events of the year on the main network.
Otherwise it's a good situation for Grand Slam Track. I thought NBC might get involved because no doubt they have commentators and other personnel who are still under contract and have primarily been assigned to track and field in recent years.
This all smells like Carr-Hughes, which is a third party production company that NBC and ESPN subcontracts many of their domestic meets to, will do all the technical stuff for The CW/Peacock.
No. The real reason? US cities aside from maybe New York are a pain to get around and lack density. Basically, going out and doing anything is a chore--driving and parking. That's fine for big, one-off events with massive draw (NFL, concerts, etc.). It's not good for fringe events trying to grow. Also, people in the US don't go out as much to just "be out"--they stay at home with massive couches and TVs. Most of those other places you mentioned have lively street/city life, are very dense, cheap to get around, and so why not pop into a track meet on a random night and chill with friends for a reasonable cost. In short, the barrier is lower there than here. Friends can meet up at a stadium and watch.
Good point. And even in NYC, the track at Icahn Stadium is one of the least accessible parts of the city and has no density whatsoever. There is no subway and has a single public bus line that connects it with Harlem. It is literally on an island in the East River with nothing other than high school athletic fields, a wastewater treatment plant, and a psychiatric institution.
Good point. And even in NYC, the track at Icahn Stadium is one of the least accessible parts of the city and has no density whatsoever. There is no subway and has a single public bus line that connects it with Harlem. It is literally on an island in the East River with nothing other than high school athletic fields, a wastewater treatment plant, and a psychiatric institution.
I love this meet. I can just walk right there after my shift.
Bol vs Sydney is not a rivalry. You can't be a rival when you've never beaten your opp. Syd vs Paulino and the other girls in the 400m it's more interesting as well as the other rivalries you mentioned.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
12 events each for men and women. So 24 races over three days or 8 per day. I guess it’s not as sparse as I was imagining it, but it’s going to be tough to get people into the stands for three days in a row.
Why are the days three hours long with only eight events? They should be able to get it done in two.
12 events each for men and women. So 24 races over three days or 8 per day. I guess it’s not as sparse as I was imagining it, but it’s going to be tough to get people into the stands for three days in a row.
Why are the days three hours long with only eight events? They should be able to get it done in two.
If GST somehow gets 5000 people in the stands at Franklin Field each day it will look so sad on TV
Leaders' Editorial Director James Emmett and Content Director David Cushnan share what’s worth knowing in the global sports industry this week.
They’re joined by Steve Gera, President and COO of Grand Slam Track, the new athletics series fronted by Olympic legend Michael Johnson. Gera shines a light on this week’s US media rights announcements for the first season, starting in April, and the calendar of Slams, beginning in Kingston, Jamaica and then moving to Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
1) The three days is a huge ask for the in person fans. No one else in this country can get a decent crowd for a pro track meet for more 1 day outside of Prefontaine. Smaller venues in Miami and UCLA are a good idea so that it won't look small on TV.
Take a PGA tournament. I bet most fans don't go more than 1 day even if the tournament if 4.
I've said I thought huge 1 day meets would be the easiest route to go but maybe that isn't as financially sustainable as you have 4 days of TV vs 12.
But then again currently their not making $ from this TV setup. I personally would have tried 4 huge 1day meetings and then expanded if viable. But that knocks out the doubling which is a big part of this.
2) Wonder what it would have cost to buy time on NBC/ESPN.
3) Was thinking about it this weekend watching NBIGP. The lane fillers are so overpaid in this thing. But a lot of money will go to them. But I guess that happens in a lot of successful sports leagues.
4) A 30 minute recap show for European visitors might be a nice thing for someone to host. I should offer our services but instead will take credit for this idea someone else gave me. Track can be packaged very well in highlight fashion.
Point #1 is the big one. The double concept was such a poor starting point for the league. It complicates everything else in the league. That, and the sport’s main rivalries (Kerr/Jakob) (Lyles/Tebogo/Thompson) (Bol/SML) (Benjamin/Warholm) (SCR/Alfred) aren’t going to be represented there. I’ll watch. But I’ll give the league two years.
Completely agree... they really shot themselves in the foot with this stupid double thing. They are going to have massively empty seating even in the small stadiums, I bet the atmosphere will be so flat. Four elite 1500m guys competing in an 800m with 120 people cheering them on lol... god forbid they bring in a real 800m runner as the challenger, it will be a complete joke.
Are you familiar with Philadelphia at all? Franklin field is an easy 5 minute walk from one of the biggest train stations in the US (30th Street Station) which also has stops for all the regional rail lines, and the Market Frankford Line, not to mention the trolleys and busses that run through University city. Franklin Field is not a place to drive to at all.