Changes to make distance running more spectator friendly.

Road racing seems to be doing ok

They will show a marathon for hours on tv, but a 10,000m goes on too long

Have a track race similar to the cycling scratch race. Every lap the person in last place gets pulled off the track until there are only say 3-4 runners left. At that point, one more lap battled out by the remaining runners. Make it a three mile (total) race with 16 runners. Or if you want more then that, pull the last two runners each lap.

You could even add a Keiran element, meaning for the first mile or 2k, no one is allowed to pass the designated pacer. That way you don't have someone just crushing it off the front from the gun.

Start to consider the 100 meters and 200 meters races as distance races. There you have it. Now distance running is popular and they get paid the most of any track athlete.

We're talking about an American problem here. Running is still popular in Europe and Asia with sold out stadiums, even in countries where they have no competitive athletes.

I don't know what Hayward is like but Icahn has worse facilities than the average dog track, the greyhounds wouldn't even eat the food they serve. High schools have more professionally run events.

We need professionals running the sport who have a vision and know how to execute it. Even Mary Frickin' Wittenberg does a better job than the USATF.

wccelder wrote:

Have a track race similar to the cycling scratch race. Every lap the person in last place gets pulled off the track until there are only say 3-4 runners left. At that point, one more lap battled out by the remaining runners. Make it a three mile (total) race with 16 runners. Or if you want more then that, pull the last two runners each lap.

You could even add a Keiran element, meaning for the first mile or 2k, no one is allowed to pass the designated pacer. That way you don't have someone just crushing it off the front from the gun.

agree, it would be really cool, every home straight would be a massive sprint,

the problem for the last runner would be, that it would take probably another 25 seconds (200 m) until the slow motion showes who the last one was and until he can be notified to step away from the track...

add lions

oab wrote:

TV people have to believe someone wants to watch a race for 13 minutes at a time without interruption. As you said, NASCAR has this figured out.

50 minutes without a break for soccer.

runn wrote:

You make some good points. I believe that in Europe there are races where there is the mass races then the pros run loops in front of a very large crowd.

One problem here in America is the ignorance of the back of the pack.

The average duffer knows The top golfers, does the average 45:00 5ker know Mo Farah and Galen Rupp?

This is an excellent system, but probably works best for shorter distances.

The Silicon Valley Turkey trot used this system for years and it was fricking great! They had the community 5K and 10K races then they put on a men's elite 5K and a women's elite 5K road race that ran 4 loops around a big downtown park. They invited, and got, some of the biggest names in running (Rupp, Ritz, Webb, Estrada, Baughs, Chelanga etc). The local USATF hotshots could run with the elites also. Everyone I know, including some casual runners that only ran one race a year (that one), would hang out and watch the elites run. It was like the Superbowl of running if you ask me. Run your shitty 10K, hang out and watch the women's elite race followed by the men's elite race, then go home and pound beers and eat some turkey. Unfortunately they changed the format last year so that the elite races were run DURING the community 5/10K races. SUCK. They badly need to go back to the old format.

Most decent size road races actually have quite a few spectators on the roads and I don't think there's an issue there. Plus if you did a course with laps that would be a huge issue with the masses which in all honesty are who pays the bills. Other than keeping track of laps for the masses people wouldn't want to run New York near as much for example if it was the central park trials course versus the current course. The main area on the roads where improvement is needed is in the television broadcasts. I think this has been beaten into the ground in other threads but in summary the key changes needed; split screen throughout, someone knowledgeable running the broadcast, better running tracking(see tour de france broadcasts for an excellent template).

Tracks another issue. A few changes I would suggest. Sell beer at US meets. Allow gambling like horse racing. More prize money rather than appearance fees on the track.

Tracks another issue. A few changes I would suggest. Sell beer at US meets. Allow gambling like horse racing. More prize money rather than appearance fees on the track.

Yes and advertise appearance money. Shoe companies should also publicize how much shoe contracts are worth.

runn wrote:

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Sell beer at US meets. Allow gambling

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These.

As far as televised track meets go, just start the race from the gun with maybe 5 seconds intro. as to who is in it. If you want to show field events or something else do a split screen. Instead of cutting away from a race for commercials have an ad come up on part of the screen so continuity is not lost.

Show the whole race. Don't show part or none of it and then a sprint finish. Don't keep trying to get me interested in the athletes while not showing the race. If you want to talk about the athletes do it during the race. Announcers should be familiar with who is actually in the race.

Show the men's and women's races in separate programs. The NBA and WNBA aren't shown together.

This might be more expensive, but the camera setup where it goes around on a track alongside the runners gives a great perspective. Also, if you're showing the leaders and want to show the action further back go to split screen or a window .. this is neither expensive nor high tech.

As far as actual meets, why not do like some of the smaller European towns did and seek out venues where people would actually be interested in going to the meet. Plenty of smaller towns support minor league baseball, and if it's a community event people will come. Also, the competition can be good without having to be world record every time. People enjoy a good race. I even enjoyed watching the schoolkids run out at Mt. SAC Relays.

Finally, marketing/promotion has to be there. People will not show up if they don't know about the meet. Horsetrack style gambling would ruin the sport.

Bunhuggers are required for female runners!!!!

runn wrote:

Tracks another issue. A few changes I would suggest. Sell beer at US meets. Allow gambling like horse racing.

This is what is needed for road races.

Allow gambling and set up beer gardens along the course route. Bars are not open at the time of most road races are run.

Here's my sage wisdom after being an athletic (and many other sport) fan over 30+ years:1) Focus on track distance events as the best for spectating; why?2) If done correctly, the distance races are only one of many events occurring at the same time. Good/knowledgeable announcers at live events, and/or knowledgeable commentators, split tv views, and running stats constantly across the bottom of a tv screen can give the true 3-ring circus a meet should be. I'm a stalwart distance fan, but in the middle of a 10k, no reason to only watch that event. In fact, I'd rather keep up on the leaderboard in the shot, or the next round of clearances in the HJ. 3) Take a page out of cycling and F1's team model and format. Teams should be competing against teams for team points as well as individual points in meets. Team USA Nike-Apple should be competing against Deutschland Adidas-Mercedes and so on. 4) Live format/easy scoring for team events so spectators can keep score easily. Imagine halfway through a 5k if the announcers (or a scoreboard the runners could read) gave real-time scores, and how that might convert to strategy in distance races, surges, etc. for points.5) Focus mainly on competition/racing, no rabbits. But give primes for fast times, fastest laps, halfway marks, etc. for races inside races and additional points (think 3-pointers in basketball). 6) Men/Women on same team. May have a women's 3k and men's mile on the schedule one week, and a men's 10k and women's steeple the next - all contributing to one team score.7) Take one final page out of F1's grand prix format and have a real grand prix series, with multiple towns/cities hosting meets, and points/wins are compiled for one champion team, with a final grad prix championship where teams points are doubles and individuals are crowned champions in their respective events (i.e. all grad prix events are held in the grand prix final). I think this model would be very successful from a spectator point of view, and popularize athletics again world-wide if adopted.

Ward wrote:

If you want to increase spectator popularity and subsequently more $$$, these are the changes that should made to distance running.

Road races should be raced in no longer than mile laps. There should be a good viewing section/stadium where runners have to run through (each mile or even 3/4 of mile) so spectators can watch the development of the race. Of course the race would finish in the stadium. You would have to have less runners.

An electronic score board providing information about pace, position, time behind leader, etc. Provide a simple program with a little bio of the best runners.

ekw wrote:

Running events should do the same and run on a track with large stadium seating. Make a weekend of it. Camping in the infields, tailgating, concerts, racing under the lights, lots of beer, etc... There needs to be a legitimate league with an easy-to-follow point system for the 50-100 professional runners on a weekly basis and the one with the most points wins the "cup" at the end of the season and a $500,000 check. Sponsors would start to take notice, vendors would start to take notice, then comes the TV deals, etc.

I'm not sure about the camping but yes get rid of the field events and put the spectators on the infield. Bring the spectators on to the track (lane 4+). Imagine for the 5000m or 10000m running through a tunnel of noise! Getting the spectators up close so they can see how fast the runners are going. Some idea with cross country and road racing. Design the courses so that the athletes can be seen a high % of the race. Reduce marathons to a few loops and loops that allow cyclists to get around.

Get rid of the stupid sponsorship restrictions for athlete uniforms. Allow athletes to make some money and bring some colour to the sport. Maybe some sponsors will develop teams (cycling style). And then the league style thing you are proposing can develop. No sane sponsor will get involved whilst they can't advertise whatever it is they want to advertise.

More talented Americans. Back in the day, many watched Bill and Frank. Same with tennis.

runnerwhoprofesses wrote:

More talented Americans. Back in the day, many watched Bill and Frank. Same with tennis.

Tennis still had millions of prime time viewers and sells out stadiums.

Track ideas.

1. smaller outdoor track. 200 meters flat outdoor track with seating that is right on the edge of the outside lane.

2. less events. sprints=2 events. on 200 m track. so straightaway(50 meter sprint) 1 lap 200 meter dash.

middle distance 2 events. 1/2 mile and mile

long distance 2 events. 2 mile steeple and 3 mile.---keep race interesting have sprint points spread out through race. ie leader at 1 mile gets money etc. or something to bet on.

Field pits= pole vault, high jump.

Field jumps=LONG JUMP

Field throws=HAMMER, SHOT(track to small for jav) all field events in the middle of stadium so people can see. open up SRO on the track and surrounding throws and jumps.

field events is the mid meet breakup between sprints and distance. no races during field events.

3. limit entrants. teams for overall win, individual wins for extra points. your team wins event + individual win. 2 or 3 teams each meet with NO HEATS just the number of lanes on track.. so 6-8.

4.BEER and BETTING!

5. Have a few invite meets like pro bowl or all star meet where it is individuals only going for records and times.