El Keniano wrote:
It took an outsider to organise an event that got casual fans and people who know nothing about running at all, excited about the sport. This event got more mainstream media coverage than IAAF World Championships. Killing distance running isn't the way, Lord Coe.
The thing is this:
Most people on this message board are too young to remember when running was actually popular.
When ABC showed the NYC Marathon they said it got higher ratings than any baseball games except the world series and more than any regular season football games.
There were 10k's sprinkled throughout the year on network TV.
One difference (I think) was that more Americans ran in the road circuit (usually 10K) races.
They were at the post race party, often mingling with the rest of the runners.
The major marathons were a mix of nationalities not 5+ Kenyans/Ethiopians then the rest.
The Dream Mile from Oslo was always on ABC.
Check out the Ryan/Liquari Mile from Franklin Field in 1971 on YouTube- the crowds, etc and it was Network TV.
I remember the evening news showing Bayi's WR 1500 at the Commonwealth Games.
We would be hanging out in our high school library Boston Monday and the librarian would let us put the radio on to hear updates.
It COULD be popular again.