RE: Indoor Worlds 2016 to Portland, OR

massively underwhelming response here...not a good sign.

Although selling out indoor track isn't so hard

Official announcement-

http://www.usatf.org/News/World-Indoor-Championships-to-return-to-U-S--in-20.aspx

I think it's great. I may need to make a trip to Portland.

Since 2016 is an Olympic year how does this affect indoors? More or less top level participation? It seems like less, but March to August is pretty good separation from Rio.

Also interesting that it's Track Town USA (i.e., Eugene) doing it in Portland.

Portland will be an awesome host for this. My cousin, who lives in Germany, called me a few hours ago to ask about lodging. He and his wife plan to come with some friends.

First world championship in the US since 1992? That's crazy. Most people who will be competing in 2016 weren't even born the last time there was a world championship in the US.

agip wrote:massively underwhelming response here...not a good sign.

Considering this was just posted, not underwhelming.

It's kind of hard to get too excited yet about a track meet when you don't know who will be in it and indoors doesn't always draw the top athletes but it's still cool.

I hope this is the 1st step to getting outdoors in the US because you know it would draw all the big names who are healthy.

Fluffy wrote:

Nice! I'll definitely go! How much are tickets for World Indoors usually?

Me too, hopefully, long ways off still I guess.

Ticket prices vary too much based on country/facility to get a good answer. But here is this year in Poland:

US is a major media market. You'd be a fool not to participate when given the chance. The best thing that can happen to your career (besides running well) is to be a household name in the US.

I bet if this goes well and Portland bids for outdoors next - it'll be their bid to lose. If you can win Athletics bids - then IOC might just give an olympic bid.

And another thing- if none of the Salazar/Schumacher runners medal in this, NIKE won't be happy.

Track Town USA/Nike will put on a great event. I remember when Portland used to sell out the old Portland Coliseum for track meets. They have lots of rabid track fans in Portland and Oregon in the whole, and they have the money (Nike and Phil Knight) and the organization, Track Town USA/Oregon Track Club/Nike to make a big splash.

Easy pickings , its become a bad meet over the last few championships , lost much of what it used to be. Maybe the Nike money can rebuild it into something that is respected as it once was.

Going to need major prize $$ dollars to draw the big names and depth of field.

Heap plenty of the dopest dope at NOP.

Will Bolt run the 60m?

Probably too far off to talk about TV coverage but you would think being in the US would help make it more attractive for US TV vs. Poland or Turkey. Maybe that, plus easy travel, will at least get all of the top Americans to go.

I think he would if they threw enough money at him

Red Yam Blue Yam wrote:

Will Bolt run the 60m?

How many indoor races has Bolt even run in his career?

I admit that I hadn't even been aware of this until Ken Goe's column in the Oregonian this morning, but exactly WHERE are we hosting this? There are no indoor tracks in Oregon. I have heard that they brought in a board track for some meet that they used to hold, but that's been dismantled and sold.

Bolt would fill up the arena but has Bolt ever run World indoors? I couldn't find a 60m time for Bolt.

You would think his height would work against him but this guy says Bolt's 60m split in 2009 was 6.29, which would be a WR. Maurice Green has the WR at 6.39

http://speedendurance.com/2012/01/30/indoor-60-meters-where-are-the-fast-times/

muddy girl wrote:I admit that I hadn't even been aware of this until Ken Goe's column in the Oregonian this morning, but exactly WHERE are we hosting this? There are no indoor tracks in Oregon.

The three-day meet will be held in March, 2016, at Portland’s Oregon Convention Center (OCC). As configured for World Indoors, the facility will easily accommodate more than 8,000 spectators. A new 200-meter IAAF-certified track will be built and then repurposed as a legacy of the event.

Is this a nice facility? Anything good within walking distance?

Usually Bolt is racing 400s that time of year. With his size I can't imagine him doing that indoor, not that he would win anyways.