The Future of Footlocker XC

I disagree that MOST high school kids see NXN as the individual championship. FL still gets the best of the best individuals running and duking it out for an individual championship. The depth behind the top 5 or so does seem to be lacking in the past couple of years, though, so it does appear that you could eventually be right.

It is sad to see the Kinney/Foot Locker franchise losing its luster, considering the history of the event and the names that have come through the process and won it all.

CC Nut wrote:

Runners seem now to be recognizing NXN as both the national team/individual championship and event of choice in the post season now after 7 years of NXN events.

Do you work for Nike? Give me one year the FL champs hasn't been the better runner.

Nike is for teams. Footlocker for individuals. Yes individuals can enter Nike but unless it is different this year the best have been going to FL.

The national attention is on Footlocker. Nike may have to move NXN to a major media market to seriously contend with the media ratings.

I remember someone mentioning earlier in the fall (DyeStat/ESPN Rise ?) that of the top returning 25 men for 2010 more than 65% and especially many more in the Top 10 ran at NXN 2009. Also it seems this year with what has been said on the web and posted to Facebook mentioning that Lukas, Lutz, Rosa, Elkaim, Cheserek, Wills, Gedyon, Moussa and likely several Calif runners after states stating that they would toe the line in Portland wondering how you might think a trend is not developing. No connection to Nike and I did run a FL regional while in HS and it was a great experience, but never qualified for FL Finals in San Diego. So with those stats the stronger men's field ran at NXN in 2009 rather than FL and appears to be continuing for 2010. Just wondering why FL seems to be loosing the race.

What does either FL or NXN have to do with Media Markets? Isn't it about the experience and the race?

The Stache wrote:

I disagree that MOST high school kids see NXN as the individual championship. FL still gets the best of the best individuals running and duking it out for an individual championship. The depth behind the top 5 or so does seem to be lacking in the past couple of years, though, so it does appear that you could eventually be right.

Have you looked at this year's NXN qualifiers (plus remaining regional entries)?

NXN is modeled after the NCAA championship, it is the true national high school championship.

Footlocker has one foot on a banana and the other foot out the door, good-bye.

times change wrote:

The Stache wrote:

I disagree that MOST high school kids see NXN as the individual championship. FL still gets the best of the best individuals running and duking it out for an individual championship. The depth behind the top 5 or so does seem to be lacking in the past couple of years, though, so it does appear that you could eventually be right.

Have you looked at this year's NXN qualifiers (plus remaining regional entries)?

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No, not this year's. I was mentioning the past few years. It seems maybe from some of the posts above, though, that this could be the year that both the depth and the top end are better at NXN... We shall see.

I really would like to see NXN move to an actual Cross Country course instead of that goofy hilly mud pit in the middle of a horse track. Stupid.

Footlocker needs to do a better job of advertising itself. I'm a long time coach and this year for the first time ever they sent no information to our school. It has been much more difficult to get info about the race. NXN, on the other hand, has been all over the place with ads, mailings, etc. Most of my kids know alot about NXN but practically nothing about Footlocker. That is very unfortunate because I really like Footlocker as THE championship race of high school CC.

It's actually on a golf course.

The media numbers are with Footlocker. NXN has to move to Blue Lake Park or Ft Vancouver since Portland Meadows is on the market. Con-Way Trucks or a Wal-Mart has been rumored to be buying meadows to store China shipping containers. UO has already cancelled NCAA XC 2011 because of it. Footlocker's marketing machine is well oiled and dominates the high school XC competitions. Maybe adidas can restart Border Wars. But Footlocker gets so much done in the media with so little money spent compared to Nike since it's been the standard for so many decades since Kinney.

Media Guy wrote:

The media numbers are with Footlocker. NXN has to move to Blue Lake Park or Ft Vancouver since Portland Meadows is on the market. Con-Way Trucks or a Wal-Mart has been rumored to be buying meadows to store China shipping containers. UO has already cancelled NCAA XC 2011 because of it. Footlocker's marketing machine is well oiled and dominates the high school XC competitions. Maybe adidas can restart Border Wars. But Footlocker gets so much done in the media with so little money spent compared to Nike since it's been the standard for so many decades since Kinney.

Is there a set course for the NXN meet or is it still in the works? The Horse Track was joke - so I'm glad it's not there - but seems late in the game to not have a set site/course.

Really?!??!? wrote:

Is there a set course for the NXN meet or is it still in the works? The Horse Track was joke - so I'm glad it's not there - but seems late in the game to not have a set site/course.

It's still at Portland Meadows. About the only truth that guy posted was that Portland Meadows could be sold.

Again, what has media got to do with anything? FL manages one event with 4 regionals so how does it dominate high school XC competitions? Ever hear of Mt. SAC, Great American, Nike South, Manhattan? Do you have the media numbers available. If I recall, the NXN web cast does pretty well with views. My concern here is can FL survive and what can it do to get back on track or is it too late.

Also, UO did not cancel the 2011 NCAA CC champs at Portland Meadows ..... it was the NCAA ruling out the site as it had concerns with the betting component attached to the Portland Meadows Race track along with their OTB set-up. Get your facts straight Media Guy.

UO has already cancelled NCAA XC 2011 because of it.

Is ththe above true?? Was the NCAA actually going to allow Nationals for Cross to be held THERE?

The Ducks are still the host school for 2011 NCAA CC, but now have to offer an alternative site for approval. Issue was not the course layout, but the race track and the image it portrays with student athletes (gambling).

FL = Final Lap

Media numbers? What the hell does that mean? The real numbers, actual participants are with NXN, that is what matters, FL is done, like someone mentioned earlier, FL = final lap.

I'm a high school coach- Nike is seen as the real thing. Footlocker is for runners who can't make it at NXN so the settle for Footlocker.

FL missed the boat when they let Nike take over and didn't go with the team thing.

Anyone who thinks XC is an individual sport hasn't been watching.