This is rubbish about track never having the possibility of being a mainstream sport. The sport just doesn't keep its own. How can someone put in 4 years of HS track and then not become a fan of the sport? And by the time we have people putting in 4 years of track in college in addition to HS track, and not watching a track meet all year while watching golf on weekends, we should realize what a disaster we have in the sport. By the numbers, more people do organized track in HS than any other organized sport. I will agree with you that the "engaging the youth" concept is misguided.
We need to keep our own, period. If we do that, we will accomplish miracles.