"Yes there are lights and they were on later in the evening. Doesn't get dark until 9! As for the crowd....how many show up anywhere for prelims? Hell, look at last week Pre, half the seats were covered to make it look less bare. In 2008, Drake set the attendance record for NCAA's when half the state was flooded. You elitists from the "major" metropolitan areas are what is killing the sport. Go to a major city and nobody shows up for any minor sport. If you are not there...quit bitching!"
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10/10. You are right on the mark. The folks in Des Moines, much like the folks in Eugene, actually support our sport. Of course the crowd was small for a preliminary day on a Wednesday evening. I was at the last NCAA's in Des Moines, had a great time, and noticed the crowds get larger each day. The difference between places like Des Moines/ Eugene and the Southern Cal locations is in the ambiance. You get the sense that people care, and that they understand the events outside of the sprints. Kudos to the Des Moines folks for putting on this meet in a nice venue with polite and knowledgeable volunteers, organizers and local folks.