Christmas is nearing the final countdown, so time for only one more request from Track Santa. After much thought I decided to put in a request for a U.S. bid to host the World Championships.
After all we are LONG LONG overdue. Not a single bid in the 27 years that the event has been in existence. I don’t know what’s worse, that we haven’t seen Bolt & Gay head to head in the deuce since ‘07 or that the U.S. has yet to bid for the World Championships – I think perhaps the bid.
Now this will take a lot of work – we don’t even have a viable site. So this one may not be deliverable this year. I will settle, however, for having the ground work started on a bid in 2011. USATF can put that near the top of the “To Do” list for the incoming CEO – actually it should be near the top of USATF’s “To Do” list.
There’s much to do. For starters we don’t even have a viable stadium to host the event. We also have funding to secure and partnerships to develop. But as the world’s premier track power, putting together a bid and hosting the World Championships is something that must be done.
Given all that we need to do to host a Worlds, I will forgive Track Santa if this one isn’t delivered for a while. But I would hope that we can see a bid by 2012. So until then you will see this item on my annual Christmas list until Track Santa finally delivers!
So, those are my requests this Christmas:
- Hot Rivalries
- Free Live Streaming
- New Uniforms
- Transparency & Fairness in Doping
- A World Championships Bid
I hope that I can see at least half of my list filled this year. Rivalries and Free Streaming should be deliverable – the easiest of the list to fill. New Uniforms, while not a given, should be on the docket anyway – it’s time. The transparency and the bid may take a bit more work to accomplish, but I think they are worthy goals that are attainable.
So that’s my list and I’m sticking to it. I hope that you all get what you have requested this Christmas, and that you have an enjoyable holiday season.