Plan to make Track Popular

I really don't know. I didn't think anyone would pay attention to this topic at all. It has a 0-1% chance of ever happening. I'd just like to see more Track on TV, popularity is needed for that to happen.

I didn't respond to it because its making the assumption that we all think this is such a big issue. I'm not sure anybody really thinks it is. I don't foresee track becoming a mainstream sport in the near future unless some very wealthy people invested in it.

Boston Dog wrote:

I didn't respond to it because its making the assumption that we all think this is such a big issue. I'm not sure anybody really thinks it is. I don't foresee track becoming a mainstream sport in the near future unless some very wealthy people invested in it.

Exactly. To me, the popularity of track will be pretty much stagnant according to how many people are interested in this most basic form of competition. It's a concept that's easy to grasp, and it's been known to the world since society has existed. Of course, I can't be sure that its popularity will always be stagnant, but I feel pretty safe right now, as there are many people equipped with the necessary tools to understand the thrill of competition that you can only find in track. Besides, it is what it is. You can't reform track to mold to entertainment because the entertainment value is only what you get and nothing more. So, I'm just not worried about it. I know there will always be track fans, and I race for me and them, and that's it.

This is pushing a rope. Good luck convincing Roger Goodell and the NFL execs of the benefit to their league of your vision, including the cost of installing tracks, shot rings and vectors, and jump pits in all NFL stadia. You seriously haven't given this serious thought.

This is pushing a rope. Good luck convincing Roger Goodell and the NFL execs of the benefit to their league of your vision, including the cost of installing tracks, shot rings and vectors, and jump pits in all NFL stadia. You seriously haven't given this serious thought.

I thought they could turn the lights off and have some Christmas lights outline the track and the jumper can all jump over the goal posts (really don't care about field)anyone that high jump that is legit and the Pole vault would just need a little help. Jumps wouldn't be so hard. Heck they get a concert stand together they can get a Track meet together. The Benefits would include a more international appeal to football, slightly increased ratings and a non-stop entertainment package for fans.

Any relations to dopers is bad for T&F. NFL is the worst league of all for dopers and drug cheat.

Precisely Watson wrote:

Exactly. To me, the popularity of track will be pretty much stagnant according to how many people are interested in this most basic form of competition. It's a concept that's easy to grasp, and it's been known to the world since society has existed. Of course, I can't be sure that its popularity will always be stagnant, but I feel pretty safe right now, as there are many people equipped with the necessary tools to understand the thrill of competition that you can only find in track. Besides, it is what it is. You can't reform track to mold to entertainment because the entertainment value is only what you get and nothing more. So, I'm just not worried about it. I know there will always be track fans, and I race for me and them, and that's it.

do you think that everyone here thinks the popularity of track will be based on something other than how many people are interested in it? does that mean you think we don't know what the word "popularity" means?

most people have the intelligence to understand that a close race coming down to the finish is exciting. for some reason, tv producers don't believe that, or they don't believe it happens often enough naturally in track, and instead assume that viewers need to be convinced that the athletes are facing larger life challenges than just outrunning everyone else. thus we have nbc's oprah format.

currently, track/running broadcasts in the us have more production in common with an episode of oprah than with other successful sports. this format, i believe, is killing interest in the televised meets, and therefore driving down how much track is televised. it's my personal experience that this has been the format since at least the 1990s. after 20-odd years of the same format in track in field, which doesn't satisfy track fans or the casual viewer, you're telling me it's not even worth discussing a better format. 20 years man! this is the only type of track meet that i have ever seen, and it sucks. i, in my life, have never seen a decent, live broadcast of a track meet. at best i've seen acceptable broadcasts of a single event.

i find track meets to be so poorly produced, that it's maybe as enjoyable talking about a better format with other fans than actually watching NBC perform a partial birth abortion on the pre classic.

One way to increase fan base and popularity might be to issue friendly challenges to the athletes of other pro sports to compete in a T&F event of their choosing. Let them choose their target time/distance and make the prize money proportional to the target. Then select a real T&F athlete capable of the same level of performance and have them go head to head. Winner takes the prize and donates to a charity. It would be interesting. Some athletes might select a tough target performance and get paired up against a high quality collegiate or US pro. Others might pick an easy target and end up competing against a good high school kid. Either way it would be fun to watch. The pro athlete would be defending the honor of his/her sport and a charity. The fans of the pro athlete would pay attention. There would also be a lot of buildup & background stories to make it more TV friendly.

Have the Back play at all Pro TF events it would epic and standing room only

The worst public relations gaffe was allowing Lance Armstrong in run Boston and New York.

Don't make that mistake.

Exclude any athletes from doped sports like football, cycling, UFC, baseball, swimming, golf, tennis, MMA, WWE, etc.

Boycott MLE since the top winners had stomach surgery. MLE is fake.

given the lameness of the ideas given to make track popular - it will never happen.

this is like asking a group of nerds and dorks about their plan to be cool.

B33R G0GGLES wrote:

given the lameness of the ideas given to make track popular - it will never happen.

this is like asking a group of nerds and dorks about their plan to be cool.

yep, it will never happen. just like the nerds and their plan to be cool. said the man posting on an internet message board dedicated to a niche hobby from his personal computer who likely has another personal computer in his pocket. take a moment of self reflection: you're very much interested in what nerds were planning in the last 5 or so decades.

not saying track is going to become popular. just pointing out the irony.