Track and field: a sport which actively tries to cannibalize itself

The ought to put razors on the lane lines. Up the stakes a little.

If you don't like the product why are you watching? Are you simple or something?

nobody is watching

Agreed. Lets include marathon coverage/ roads on the tv. 10% of the posts from Tokyo Marathon were about where/how to watching the damn thing. Since coverage of track and the roads (in the US at least)ranges from pitiful to OK (which we celebrate)

"And there off...59 seconds for the first lap... we'll be right back after these important messages for the conclusion of the men's 1500 meters".

vivalarepublica wrote:

Let's DQ people at the World Champs for non-consequential infractions!

Let's not make it difficult for athletes to get to the country where the event is held!

Let's create qualifying rounds that don't let the best performers get in the finals!

I don't know of any other sport that creates a worse product for its athletes and fans. Well done. Just close up shop and turn it back into an amateur so we don't have to go through the trouble anymore.

You forgot:

Lets a message board heavy in trolls and know-nothings remain very prominent for over 15 years despite the people running it doing nothing to improve the trolling and bullshit.

moist wrote:

The ought to put razors on the lane lines. Up the stakes a little.

Any new idea can help at this point.

captain obvious ^3 wrote:

nobody is watching

Yup, nobody who didn’t run track at a high level watches it.

The whole event has become a farce, a shambles and a disgrace and needs to be investigated so it doesnt happen again.

Just ditch all indoor championships. 80% of top athletes skip it anyway, many track-loving populations don’t even need or want indoor tracks, and there are too many silly time conversions and track issues involved. The 60m is the only semi-worthwhile indoor event, because it’s the only one that isn’t just a worse version of an outdoor event.

Maybe have an IAAF Winter Chamionships instead (at a warm locale with an outdoor track). Start to move toward a “majors” style system with multiple meaningful championships in a year.

Personally, I think the DQs make world wide headline news. T & F is really hurting itself by discontinuing the 10,000m, the mile and now the 5,000m at big meets. The meets are too short, they need to take up more air time.

Lets try to destroy one of the most popular and loved track events (Penn relays) by organizing a hokey competitor event.

Did they put the French in charge of officiating?

Joedirt wrote:

Did they put the French in charge of officiating?

Obviously not. Otherwise, we would not have any DQs. All they know how to do is raise white flags, not red ones.

Waterloo wrote:

Joedirt wrote:

Did they put the French in charge of officiating?

Obviously not. Otherwise, we would not have any DQs. All they know how to do is raise white flags, not red ones.

Are we really still making these French jokes?

True tho 100%

Besides NBA basketball track, cross country, and marathoning is my favorite sport to watch, and I literally never watch any of it because I don't know where or how or when to watch.

It's too bad because it's such a pure sport.

Let's get ancient

1. more post race fights

2. more decapitated umpires

3. many, many naked women

4. human and animal sacrifices

It's way too difficult to even figure out how to watch it, and there aren't any videos available afterward, so clearly they don't want to have any audiences except live.

Track announcers are terrible. They talk about the leader and maybe the favorite if it isn't the leader.

Meanwhile, there is often an exciting race going on for 2nd and 3rd. Not only do announcers not cover this part of the race, they often don't even announce who finished in 3rd and sometimes, 2nd. They're too busy showing the winner slowing down after crossing the line.

If you listen to British or Australian announcers, you'd swear you were listening to a different race. They know how to call a race.