What BS excuse does the USATF use to hold indoor nationals at Albuquerque 5300' every year

WIC is not a major champs so athletes won't budget that much for USA Indoors, and since most of USATF is in L.A. and South Western USA in general. it's best to keep travel costs down for the elites and sub-elites.

My two Cent (not cents) wrote:

WIC is not a major champs so athletes won't budget that much for USA Indoors, and since most of USATF is in L.A. and South Western USA in general. it's best to keep travel costs down for the elites and sub-elites.

THAT makes sense. It's by USATF, but most notably for USATF...not what or who USATF might be, but who it is now and who controlls the purse strings.

(disclaimer: this is just my naively cynical view of things from the outside)

Apparently there are some new cities bidding this year so don't be surprised if the meet moves for 2019 and 2020.

They should move it to Arkansas. Still won't be anyone there, but the venue is top notch.

wait-and-see wrote:

Apparently there are some new cities bidding this year so don't be surprised if the meet moves for 2019 and 2020.

Which cities?

Luv2Run wrote:

Bid is the answer. USATF does not go out and pick cities. Someone locally must bid.

Personally love it in ABQ as I can drive down!

You just nailed it. It is a bid process and they win the bid. What we don't know is the under the table part of that secures the bid.

The facility is nice, the meet is well managed and run in ABQ. But trust me there is more to this than meets the eye.

Pretty much this. USATF makes whatever city is hosting front all of the money for the meet (i think including prize money), making it very hard to break even on hosting. That, in combination with a ridiculous amount of venue requirements to make the meet "official", make it pretty unappealing to host. Albuquerque manages to fill the venue every year, so they continue to host.

1 2 3 wrote:

2 Southern California is close to Albuquerque so it's only a day's drive for hundreds of medalists

It's a 12.5 hour drive from LA to Albuquerque. If athletes driving to the venue is a consideration, most any place else in the continental US would be better.

Not Chip Smith wrote:

The Google has ABQ at 5312.

I was there last year and my watch said it was 5,024 ft.

GPS most accurate........ wrote:

Not Chip Smith wrote:

The Google has ABQ at 5312.

I was there last year and my watch said it was 5,024 ft.

The floor of the ABQ Convention Center is 4,960 ft.

Anyone able to find the qualifying standards for this year?

Not Chip Smith wrote:

The Google has ABQ at 5312.

The real chip smith wouldn't need google....... cuz he's an Albuquerque legend.

notveganboi wrote:

US indoors would fill up in boston.

just saying. Reggie is prepared to host.

Wasn't full a couple years ago. I bought finish line tickets the week of, at no point was the Reg more than 3/4 full. The NBIGP on the other hand is always full, but I would say 75% pay for their seats. Also NBIGP "sells out" because parents pay to watch their elementary/middle/high school kids compete. Also a decent amount of their teammates come and watch. Not saying this is inherently bad, but if they didn't have high school races, that gym wouldn't be as full.

I've raced masters indoors in Boston and Albuquerque. For what it's worth I prefer Albuquerque.

It's near L.A. so that's why I guess why athletes view Albuquerque as a backyard playground. A 12 hour drive away with teammates is a breeze. You can save money for the Euro circuit and not sponge too much more off of Mom and Dad.

Rio Grande Randy wrote:

Awesome city!

Clean air!

Fantastic running trails!

Great Mexican food!

Beautiful women! ?

Ummm yes to trails and food, the other stuff not in a million years

I've heard NYC

here is the RFP I found on USATF.org if anyone wants to read it. Now you know why almost no one bids on this meet

http://www.usatf.org/usatf/files/58/584cce65-97a8-4b2f-9e9b-7ba289b56246.pdf

wait-and-see wrote:

I've heard NYC

here is the RFP I found on USATF.org if anyone wants to read it. Now you know why almost no one bids on this meet

http://www.usatf.org/usatf/files/58/584cce65-97a8-4b2f-9e9b-7ba289b56246.pdf

That's not an onerous RFP. Pretty typical for a mid-size event.

While I don't come on this website often, a good friend of mine said the USATF indoor meet here in ABQ was being discussed, and somewhat dissected. As the person who created the LOC here in ABQ when the meet came here the first time, and who was meet director four four years here are the facts whether you choose to accept them or not.

1. In the last decade very few places have bid on the indoor meet. Some years there was no one other than ABQ bidding.

2. USATF makes it very challenging to host this event. They want the host LOC to front the money (we do not pay prize money) and demand a great deal. Whoever said USATF is challenging to work with is right on the money. They want to be wined and dined, and act like royalty. They have an incredibly condescending attitude.

3. In the first five years of hosting the meet the ABQ LOC lost about $150,000. But the city made about $750,000 per year in direct spending analysis from hotels, restaurants, etc. Plus having the ability to have four commercials showing the city on national TV is worth something.

4. ABQ wants the meet given it is positive publicity for the city and state.

5. Both athletes and officials have consistently rated their experience in ABQ positive. Cheap hotels, reasonable food, great sunshine. Given most athletes are not funded and pay for it out of their own pocket going to an expensive city is difficult.

6. Both athletes and offiicals have consistently rated the hospitality of the local LOC very highly. The people here in ABQ really get behind this event, and work hard to please the athletes and officials. Quite frankly, smaller cities often take more pride in medium sized events like the USATF indoor given large cities have large events.

7. This meet has NEVER had a big attendance. In 2010 there were about 3500 in attendance, which is the most in recent history. Other than that the numbers regardless of where it has been hosted is in the 2000 range.

8. The altitude standing on the track is 4960.

9. Other than the 3000 meter runners the feedback I have received over the years was positive in that the altitude didn't affect them. And many of the 3k runners train at altitude, so for those athletes it does not matter.

10. I hope other sites do bid as we need to build this event up by moving it around.

11. Until that happens ABQ will continue to work hard to do the very best that we can to make the event respected.

And finally to the poster who said there must be something happening in the back rooms to get the meet. That is hysterically funny. There is such a little budget for this meet that other than maybe buying a USATF official a burrito and craft beer thats about all there is. While events like the Olympics do have behind the door slease, the USATF indoor meet is a far cry from that.

Good luck to everyone this indoor season and I hope to see many in ABQ.

RJC