Viral tweet shows how pathetic track and field pay is

I don't know how the viewing was split up, but even if you divide 265 million by the number of diamond leagues then you still have a LOT of viewers per event. Well over 10 million.

The interested pool is not small by any means. Viewing figures for Athletics are good.

ESPN doesn't snap up the Diamond leagues because the IAAF doesn't know how to put on an attractive show that people can get hooked too. A comprehensive league people can follow, maybe with team elements. Big stars in each team.

Marathons should be run like cycling races also. If the Diamond League was made attractive to sports fans, and advertised well, the TV deals would follow, and then more sponsors. Not that sponsors wouldn't snap up the chance to reach a worldwide audience if they could, as Nick showed.

I don't even like watching the Diamond Leagues they are so bad.

You allow athletes to get more sponsors (Like Nick has been trying) and allow more sponsors to put banners up around the track etc. The viewing numbers are the opportunity. Advertisers will take this opportunity if allowed. Right now the sport is suffering financially, not suffering in interest.

The golden league used to have a jackpot of $1 million. There was no more interest then than now.

The whole sport needs restructuring. Athletics fell behind the times and won't change.

Track and field athletes get paid little because the sport makes little. If Nick wanted to be paid like Kobe he should have played basketball instead.

The sport should be making A LOT. Look at symmonds tattoo, or even better, look at how mug money Bolt makes in endorsements.

Honestly I think the athletes may be the problem. If we had more charismatic, and fun guys in our sport like Nick and Bolt, there would be so much revenue. You may not like them, but they do a good of getting people interested.

But instead we have people like Rupp, Webb, Farah etc. that are pretty much just dweebs. Viewers like to get personal with the athletes, and it's hard to get the involved when most of the top runners never show their face and have little personality.

four thirty wrote:

The sport should be making A LOT. Look at symmonds tattoo, or even better, look at how mug money Bolt makes in endorsements.

Honestly I think the athletes may be the problem. If we had more charismatic, and fun guys in our sport like Nick and Bolt, there would be so much revenue. You may not like them, but they do a good of getting people interested.

But instead we have people like Rupp, Webb, Farah etc. that are pretty much just dweebs. Viewers like to get personal with the athletes, and it's hard to get the involved when most of the top runners never show their face and have little personality.

Definitely part of the problem. I was wondering the other day why the diamond league winners are not interviewed. It would add so much more and give a chance for the athletes to connect with the audience.

They just line up, run, go and hide away again. See your stars for all of 2 minutes, never hear them speak.

Believe me. The problems with athletics financially are created by those in charge. Not by the lack of interest in the sport. There is more than enough interest and even TV views to make a killing.

true, not to mention how boring the announcers can be. Look at Billy Mills historic 10k. It was a great finish, but the announcer is what made it exciting. Instead he got fired.

malmo wrote:

Compare that to what the 100th best golfer or tennis player makes.

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.109.htmlhttp://www.tennis.com/earnings/ATP/

Very few track and field athletes make more from the sport (appearance+prize+endorsement) than they would have earned working at McDonalds.

Bass fishing prize money.

Honestly, this just adds salt to the wound. FISHING is not only doing better than T&F, but they are prospering!!! Where does it come from?!

We should not be wondering why our sport is failing financially, but why the others are doing so well.

where do they get it wrote:

Honestly, this just adds salt to the wound. FISHING is not only doing better than T&F, but they are prospering!!! Where does it come from?!

We should not be wondering why our sport is failing financially, but why the others are doing so well.

Well if all of the money the US Bass Fishing Association collected went to outrageous salaries, expensive travel junkets for select employees and their families, and quid pro quo favors for Nike fishermen, then bass fishing wouldn't have any money to pay 50 deep prize money.