Diamond League replaces New York with Rabat, Morocco

This is not the way to foster interest in our sport. The AGP was televised nationally on NBC, being one of three track meets that were on NBC last year as opposed to countless other sport games. PLUS, many inner city kids went to see this meet to watch professionals race, when they couldn't go anywhere else because of money, school etc. It is definitely hurting the sport's presence in the inner city esp. NYC.

It's a huge blow for NYC and the sport in general. Any pro meet anywhere in the country can sell out at 3,000 seats but it's not easy to push 10,000 seats, especially when people can just sit at home and watch it on TV. That's about what the Millrose Games was selling the last couple years at MSG.

D34Lyfe wrote:This is not the way to foster interest in our sport. The AGP was televised nationally on NBC, being one of three track meets that were on NBC last year as opposed to countless other sport games. PLUS, many inner city kids went to see this meet to watch professionals race, when they couldn't go anywhere else because of money, school etc. It is definitely hurting the sport's presence in the inner city esp. NYC.

I'm sure you are right, but once sponsoring a professional track meet becomes a charitable endeavor instead of a money-making business proposition, the possible sources of funding get very narrow.

In this case, adidas apparently thought it was being tainted by association with the IAAF's corruption or decided that it wasn't getting a good return on its investment in sales or positive publicity (or a combination of the above). Unfortunately, track's bribery and doping problem makes it a sport that companies may not want to be associated with.

EndofTrack wrote:

It's a huge blow for NYC and the sport in general. Any pro meet anywhere in the country can sell out at 3,000 seats but it's not easy to push 10,000 seats, especially when people can just sit at home and watch it on TV. That's about what the Millrose Games was selling the last couple years at MSG.

Sad but true and to think Millrose used to draw 18,000. Pro track doesn't draw flies and being proud to get 3,000 seems kind of funny and silly.

Does this mean the Dream Mile is dead?

NYC Runner_ wrote:

I went to this event once. It was sad.

The stadium is kind of open on both ends, it was maybe half full (with a capacity of around 10k).

The events were diluted by high school milers and sprints.

They had maybe one super star per year (like Gay, Bolt, etc.)

Hardly any of the Kenyan/Ethiopian runners came there. Maybe because of the long flight (jetlag), maybe because of the doping controls.

Good riddance.

Lol - the African runners didn't come because they weren't invited! You don't just pop an entry form in the post for a diamond league - the fields are closely controlled and contrived by the meet directors who pick and choose who they want/who they can afford and which agents they want to work with.

I agree with you though that it was a very poor meeting and won't be missed.

rojo wrote:The biggest problem with NYC was the weather. Not predictable and rarely good for anything.

Hence why London, Oslo and so on struggle so much...

The meet director was Mark Wetmore (the Boston-based one). He did bring in some of his own Ethiopian clients. And Rudisha raced in NYC a few times.

Has a Point to Make wrote:

The meet director was Mark Wetmore (the Boston-based one). He did bring in some of his own Ethiopian clients. And Rudisha raced in NYC a few times.

Plus Bolt setting the 100m WR there in 2008 before the Beijing Olympics.

snub fore wrote:

Does this mean the Dream Mile is dead?

The press release says they will continue the Dream 100 and Dream Mile.

"Street games" might be a good idea for some events. In the past at the same time as the adidas meet they did stuff like having Jenn Suhr pole vault in Herald Square, which is actually a cool idea.

The Great City Games in Manchester are the same concept.

Pole vault and a Dream 100 might work fine as a street event, but I can't see how you could make the Dream Mile work. I suppose it could be like the 5th Avenue Mile but it really becomes a different event if you move it from the track to the street.

opposite effects wrote:

well, at least it's going to a clean and deserving nation with no history of drug use.

ROFL

Way to go, track! wrote:

Rabat? Is this part of adidas dumping the IAAF?

http://www.athleticsweekly.com/featured/rabat-meeting-to-replace-new-york-in-iaaf-diamond-league-series-39906/

Pretty sad.

Agree, it's another blow to track and field in the U.S. I went to a big Randall's Island meet, driving down from Boston, about 15 years ago, and several big name's were there (Carl Lewis in a tuxedo t-shirt comes to mind). Unfortunately, it was blazing hot and humid in that old concrete stadium and fans were actually passing out and cracking their heads open. (of course, the same could be said for most of NYC) Place sucks. I'd rather be in Rabat, sucking on a hookah or having one suck on me.

NYC Runner_ wrote:

I went to this event once. It was sad.

The stadium is kind of open on both ends, it was maybe half full (with a capacity of around 10k).

The events were diluted by high school milers and sprints.

They had maybe one super star per year (like Gay, Bolt, etc.)

Hardly any of the Kenyan/Ethiopian runners came there. Maybe because of the long flight (jetlag), maybe because of the doping controls.

Good riddance.

Not true, last year both sides of the track stands were full, completely full. Bolt had a lot to do with that.

2014 I would say the main grand stand was 3/4 full and the back stretch stands less than half full. That year had the most amazing men's high jump competition. Each year I was there, the events had studs.

The high school dream mile and 100 m races were exciting to see young up and coming future stars.

rojo wrote:

rhizomes wrote:

Oh no, how is Ben True going to win another Diamond League race now?

Very clever.

Personally I've never believed in the, "We must put track in a big city argument." Put it in an environment where the stands will be full and it will be a big deal. The biggest problem with NYC was the weather. Not predictable and rarely good for anything.

The biggest problem was the almost exclusive presence of adidas athletes. One or two good ones, the rest American standard. Worst ever meet for distance

TrackCoach wrote:

It was certainly equal to most other DL meets, about half of the top U.S. athletes participated each year in addition to many of the world's top athletes.

If you truly belive this, you have little to no experience from proper DL meets.

I agree that the venue and weather was never great.

That said, it is sad. I still vividly remember taking high school runners to the meet and watching Meseret Defar absolutely blitz the field to break her own 5k WR (14:24 I think). There was a large contingent of Ethiopian fans there even though the majority of the general public left after the 100. It was a great moment, and I'm sad that other NYC youngsters won't have the same opportunity.

Has a Point to Make wrote:

Most New Yorkers, even those who can see it across the East River if they tried, have no idea there Randall's Island is.

Agreed. It's a pain in the ass to get to from almost anywhere. I wish event organizers would set up "New York" events in northern NJ or Nassau county just like most pro teams. The city is a pain to get around.

It's not rocket science people adidas doesn't want their name on anything the IAAF is attached too.

mypredictor wrote:

Has a Point to Make wrote:

Most New Yorkers, even those who can see it across the East River if they tried, have no idea there Randall's Island is.

Agreed. It's a pain in the ass to get to from almost anywhere. I wish event organizers would set up "New York" events in northern NJ or Nassau county just like most pro teams. The city is a pain to get around.

Many years ago I went to a meet out at Nassau County stadium just to see Michael Johnson run the 400.It was a good meet and he didn't disappoint but it took me three hours by public trans from north Jersey and let me tell you, Nassau Cty on a hot summers night is scary, creepy. I had no idea it's an extension of the south Bronx.