Having been to both events multiple times here's my thoughts.
- NXN's organization/itinerary is way more professional than FL's. The kids always know what they are supposed to be doing and where to be. They are not allowed to go roam the streets alone like FL let them.
- NXN feels current while you are there, and the kids feel like rockstars. The presentations at Nike are in a real theater with awesome lighting, sound system, and playing songs that are current. FL hosts their presentations in an old banquet hall with poor lighting and plays cliche songs like Bruce Springsteins "born to run" that makes it feel dated.
- FL feels like the same people have been running it since it's inception and it shows.
- NXN is held on a course and environment that suits those used to running on a sloppy course in cold and wet weather. Individual results can vary widely due to the large field size of high quality athletes.
- FL is held on a course and environment that doesn't favor anybody. Additionally, it suits the strongest athletes because the field size is so small that they aren't forced to get out extremely fast to stay out of trouble. Drew Hunter could have gone through the mile in last place and still won the race. That couldn't have happened at NXN.
- NXN feels like they are pitching Nike to the athletes HARD. It was a great event, but the ulterior motives of making money and attracting top athletes in the future seem obvious.
- FL is not pitching Footlocker or Asics almost at all. It's a feeling of being all about the kids, not the companies.
They both have upsides and downsides from an adult's perspective, but there can be no doubt NXN is what most kids are excited about, for better or worse.