Anyone Go to The American Track League Meet in Indiana Tonight?

And does anyone have results?

That women's 800m looked like a really exciting finish!

Does anybody know what the attendance was?

1,000 according to David Woods.

(2,500 according to Paul Doyle)

Recap here:

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2014/05/02/fans-become-part-action-track-meet/8647767/

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like the guy in the IU gear with his arm around Deedee Trotter is Indiana's starting point guard, Yogi Ferrell.

Hey, on a Friday night, on the same weekend as Payton Jordan and Jamaica Invitational, and one week after 20,000 Jamaicans at Penn, that's not too shabby.

Paul Doyle deserves a lot of respect for trying something new...and maybe pulling it off. We'll see how it goes when he has Diamond League direct competition.

Not even close to a 1,000. maybe 300. Kinda strange with olympians running in the same meet with a little kids 200 and a 40 yard dash. I definitely enjoyed it though.

There were not even 300 fans there.

Was there actually prize money for this?

Many left once the crap band started to play

The Aussies went well, Rory Hunter winning the 1500m and Selma Kajan and Katherine Katsanevakis 2nd and 3rd in the 800m

3.28 football 40 that is at least half a second faster than Bolt would run it!!!!!

iustudent wrote:

Not even close to a 1,000. maybe 300. Kinda strange with olympians running in the same meet with a little kids 200 and a 40 yard dash. I definitely enjoyed it though.

Not even 300, I was there I counted 14 fans.

Why do some of the posters on lets run always downgrade the numner of fans.

2500 to 1000 to 300? Seriously?

Is this technically a track meet with no women's field events and a total lack of throwing events?

I'm going to have to say no.

I was there, and as far as Friday nights in Indiana go I think it was a very good alternative. It wasn't as quick as they tried to bill it; however I think they will go some kinks in the meet flow worked out. I liked the way they had the two field events set up.

They had pole vault and high jump next to each other and would alternate attempts to keep things moving. The very impressive 18'8" slowed the transition to the track events; but once they got that underway it went a bit smoother.

I don't know how many of the people claiming there weren't any fans were actually at the meet, but it started off with very few but as the college kids and some near by high school kids showed up there were surely over a 1,000 people in total.

The athletes were great and super appreciative of the fans and took tons of time with them. Deedee Trotter was letting people hold her gold medal and just spent a ton of time in the stands taking pictures and signing autographs.

Perfect? no, but very nice free entertainment. Side note: I wasn't convinced that the timing on the 3.28 was correct, but I didn't happen to be timing it myself. Someone should have video though.

I am very confused. Did the top five in the pole vault all really not miss a single attempt? This would be the craziest competition ever...

Finals

1 Hollis, Mark United States 5.71m*

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50 5.71

O O PO O O O

2 Francis, Shawn United States 5.40m

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50

O P PO O PPP

2 Coover, Jeff United States 5.40m

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50

P O PP O PPP

4 Scott, Jordan United States 5.30m

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50

P O O P PPP

5 Houston, Scott United States 5.10m

5.10 5.20 5.30

O P PP

I was at the ATL meet last night with some friends and had a blast, despite the cold weather. There were definitely a few logistical bugs that need to be ironed out, but for being the first meet in the series it was a great start and a big step towards making track more-friendly. Props to Paul Doyle and his crew for doing something to better the sport instead of just whining that fans aren't into it more.

2 highlights:

It was pretty awesome to stand on the infield, 6 feet off the runway, when Mark Hollis vaulted 18'8. So cool to be close to the action like that...

Also, I was standing in the front row during the women's 100 hurdles. Lolo Jones - Holy Crap. I've never been a huge sprints fan, but I've never seen someone compete with the level of intensity she brought to that race. Looked like she was about to rip someone's head off during the race and then 10 seconds later she's smiling, high-fiving everyone, and taking pictures with the crowd for an hour in her racing gear in cold weather. Pretty amazing...

As for the band, the Velveteen Playboys were good but the kind of music they play is a swing/pop style and it seemed like only a few of their songs really engaged the crowd. The meet staff blasted top 40 stuff over the PA system in between the band's sets and that honestly seemed to get the crowd into more than the band did. I'm sure the band would hate to hear this, but the crowd would get into it more if they played some covers of current stuff rather than all original stuff that people don't really know.

Overall, the meet was a very positive experience and I look forward to seeing the ATL mature - this series has the potential to better the sport in a big way.

Actually they mostly played covers, but they were a bit older so perhaps you just didn't know them.

statsguy wrote:

I am very confused. Did the top five in the pole vault all really not miss a single attempt? This would be the craziest competition ever...

Finals

1 Hollis, Mark United States 5.71m*

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50 5.71

O O PO O O O

2 Francis, Shawn United States 5.40m

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50

O P PO O PPP

2 Coover, Jeff United States 5.40m

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50

P O PP O PPP

4 Scott, Jordan United States 5.30m

5.10 5.20 5.30 5.40 5.50

P O O P PPP

5 Houston, Scott United States 5.10m

5.10 5.20 5.30

O P PP

I'm guessing some of the Ps are really Xs. There was something weird about passing not being allowed in this meet along with the bar going up when 3 guys clear a height. I'd love to see a corrected score sheet. Either way, looks like an amazing day of jumping for Hollis.