Why isn't Track Popular in America?

buy some tickets and attend a meet.

ShouldBeStudying wrote:

So many people run track in America from little kids to adults, In my opinion as many people run as play some of the more main stream sports.

not true--- also, many kids in school in america hate running because they were forced to run the pe mile, and also they view running as a chore/punishment and that.

even as a current runner in high school, i can remember not liking running so much as a kid (at least not in games like tag etc.). it's almost a cultural thing among kids in america.

there's only so much time in a day

I think it would be more popular if it was set up similar to professional ball sports. Instead of watching individuals running for X shoe company, we should have professional teams for each region competing against each other. Too much individuality, too much focus chasing a standard to compete at WC/Olympics, too little rivalry, and a severe lack of commentary on the rare occasion it ends up on television.

You can practically see the OP and his 14 year old self banging his fists on the computer table in frustration and rage.

Everyone says track isn't popular because its dominated by blacks. Well that sure killed the NBA didn't it?

Everyone says track isn't popular because there are no teams and there is too much individuality. That sure killed the PGA didn't it?

The reason track died is because of the personalities or rather the lack of personalities in track. That's all it is.

I watch NFL wrote:

I think it would be more popular if it was set up similar to professional ball sports. Instead of watching individuals running for X shoe company, we should have professional teams for each region competing against each other. Too much individuality, too much focus chasing a standard to compete at WC/Olympics, too little rivalry, and a severe lack of commentary on the rare occasion it ends up on television.

So how would this work? Could you elaborate? Are you saying there should be teams like the LA Lightning and Texas twisters that have runners from their region all competing against each other in duel meets?

The only way that you can find a distance race interesting is if you are a distance runner yourself. I enjoy watching a 10k, but it is easy for me to see how others might not, as people running in endless circles lacks the drama and entertainment value of something like football to most. As for sprints, while anyone can be impressed by the incredible power and athleticism of the competitors, the races end so quickly, leading the average viewer to not be fully engaged. Track will never be as popular as the major ball sports, and that's okay. The sport is not in any danger of dying, and us runners don't need the validation of others to enjoy it.

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not true--- also, many kids in school in america hate running because they were forced to run the pe mile, and also they view running as a chore/punishment and that.

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This is true but high school track still remains one of the largest teams in most high schools. What do you suggest to get rid of the hatred most kids have for running?

osm wrote:

The only way that you can find a distance race interesting is if you are a distance runner yourself. I enjoy watching a 10k, but it is easy for me to see how others might not, as people running in endless circles lacks the drama and entertainment value of something like football to most. As for sprints, while anyone can be impressed by the incredible power and athleticism of the competitors, the races end so quickly, leading the average viewer to not be fully engaged.

NASCAR, anyone? Or, maybe, soccer? People love watching that crap. Golf?

People are (generally) drawn to a sport because of the personalities of the athletes. T&F has a personality like Usain, and he runs maybe half dozen times a year? It shouldn't surprise anyone that the sport doesn't generate a high audience viewership.

The sport was MUCH better when there were guys like Lindgren, Pre, Viren, Cram, Coe and others who actually HAD a personality. At least, Mo Farah has some form of a personality that is helping himself out in GB.

Also, there needs to be a direct switch in how distance running is portrayed. There are two states of how the sport is being portrayed right now:

A) Jogshow on the roads

B) Sideshow to the rest of track and field, most of which is an absolute joke right now.

the European feed makes any event over 1500 an absolute joke because of the field events and its even worse with some feeds which have shown a throw or jump in events as short as 400m. At least, CTV during the Olympics made sure if it was an event with a Canadian that it was broadcasted entirely with reasonable advertising (went as long as 5000m without an advertisement and it was kept reasonably in the 10000m)

I would focus a lot more on how the sport is being portrayed more than anything else.

Note to Mods - Posts commenting on the race factor in track aren't racist. Posts that are portraying a race in a bad way are.

Wtfunny wrote:

osm wrote:

The only way that you can find a distance race interesting is if you are a distance runner yourself. I enjoy watching a 10k, but it is easy for me to see how others might not, as people running in endless circles lacks the drama and entertainment value of something like football to most. As for sprints, while anyone can be impressed by the incredible power and athleticism of the competitors, the races end so quickly, leading the average viewer to not be fully engaged.

NASCAR, anyone? Or, maybe, soccer? People love watching that crap. Golf?

People are (generally) drawn to a sport because of the personalities of the athletes. T&F has a personality like Usain, and he runs maybe half dozen times a year? It shouldn't surprise anyone that the sport doesn't generate a high audience viewership.

You love to watch the most incredibly boring "sport" on this planet - baseball. Talk about crap...

I think mainstream media would have to want to sell it. Basketball and other mainstream sports are a easy sell. Power sports like 100m. It's is just raw display of strength. Distance running is more nuanced. Plus I think all the talent that running could have has been diverted to other sports. NFL gets all the best runners seems like to me. At least potentially if they stayed in our sport.

Track isn't popular not only in America.

Except for Kenya, Ethiopia, Jamaica and Japan...track is not popular in the entire world.

Average Joe's knowledge of American track and field is the big problem. Even the TV Sports broadcasters.

In fact...Larry Rawson knows more about track than 95% of the so called "sports experts".

If you ask 10 XC HS runners who Galen Rupp is...probably 4/5 of them are going to answer you "Galen who?". They don´t care about pros.

Same with the local road races. How many joggers noticed who won the race at your local 5K turkey trot? how many joggers know about Mo Farah or Geoffrey Mutai? They don´t care at all. They care about the photos, the finisher medal, the t-shirt, the new shoes...etc.

Betting and beer will make things better.

I love watching track, but even I get annoyed.

Runners are constantly dodging each other, dropping out, and switching events in the last minute. It get's really frustrating sometimes. If you ask for a rabbit, freaking go with them.

In the sprints there are the 10 minute rituals before getting into the on your mark position, and the dreadful "I want to thank God for making everyone else lose to me" post-race interviews.

TV specific:

The cut-aways mid-race for commercials or other events are unbearable (you seriously cannot find somebody to sponsor the olympic 5k/10k commercial free?). Switching the camera angle to watch the finisher be exhausted instead of watching the field cross the line. No split screen if there is a leader and chase pack. And there is just no good way to cover field events.

Every once in a while a "perfect storm" will hit and there is an awesome race (or if you're really lucky a whole meet) that makes it worth it, but it's really hard.

Just accept it for what it is. At least the 800 rarely disappoints, that's an event I can always count on to be exciting.

i could be famous wrote:

Betting and beer will make things better.

This

Estr wrote:

Everyone says track isn't popular because its dominated by blacks. Well that sure killed the NBA didn't it?

Everyone says track isn't popular because there are no teams and there is too much individuality. That sure killed the PGA didn't it?

The reason track died is because of the personalities or rather the lack of personalities in track. That's all it is.

Perhaps the sprints aren't popular because most of the sprinters are black, but that isn't necessarily the case for American distance runners.

I suspect that people who don't like to run and never ran track are the ones who think it is boring.

Its popular in Eugene. But, the American collegiate and high school system is a double edged sword. Organized competition disappears when an American turns 22, maybe 23 (read 27 for Mormons =p). Once you graduate college there are no more practices, no preseason camps, no travelling to meets with teams. You're on your own paying $50 to run a road 10k and $150 to race a marathon. You have to buy all your own shoes and gear. Americans value work; its considered more honorable to work 60-100 hours a week and be 150 lbs over ideal weight than it is to work 35-40 and compete in a sport. Ever heard someone cut the amount of working so they could get in shape? Furthermore, track is not televised much in the US.