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Marketing the Face of Track and Field
Between 2008 and 2017 many people considered Usain Bolt to be the face of track and field. The athlete that the IAAF built their promotion around. The sprinter they proclaimed to be the “clean” representation of track and field, because the IAAF felt that such a representation was needed. When Bolt said that it was time to retire, Seb Coe basically said, “woe is me whatever will we do.”. Because really the marketing plan for this sport has been centered around the idea of the sport having a singular face! I’m really not sure why, given the diverse nature of the sport itself. Running, jumping, throwing. Men and women. Speed…
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USATF Championships Review
For four days America’s best track and field athletes got together in Des Moines Iowa to decide who would represent the US at the World Championships. Lots to say, some good, some bad, so let’s start with the bad. I’m not sure what the selection process is for championship sites, and I understand that this meet is going to be held in the summer, but how many times have I seen this meet affected by rain? So on Championship Sunday we’re hit by rain yet again. Now we know USATF’s (*cough * Nike’s) affinity for Eugene where it rains most of the year. And similarly Des Moines where it rains…
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Ten Predictions for 2019
I’m going to start the new year right. One, I’ll be posting more. Not as much as I used to because I’m coaching. But a lot more than I have since my illnesses/surgeries. That said, I’m going to start with my predictions for 2019 – the first being that it’s going to be a fun year for track and field. We’ve got a whole lot of new talent all over the track (& field) and many will be competing in their first World Championships. My second prediction is that Doha will be a blast! The performances are going to be crazy good; and the competition is going to be off…
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Six Matchups I’m Looking Forward To in 2019
Ok. The 2018 track season is well behind us now as cross country and marathons dominate the landscape. As a matter of fact, the indoor season is right around the corner, which means that many athletes are already back grinding in preparation for the first of the upcoming three Championships ahead in this next major cycle. While there wasn’t a major championship in 2018, the performances of the athletes – particularly the youngsters, left me salivating for the action that 2019 promises. There were many performances that would’ve garnered gold medals in most Olympics and World Championships! As a matter of fact, there was a lot of altering of all…
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Future NOW
The US sprint corp has been aging for some time now. The world has been mourning the retirement of Usain Bolt, but the truth is that America’s best for more than a decade are right behind him. Consider that our top sprinter last year, World Champion Justin Gatlin, was 25 years old. Remarkably his title came 13 years after his Olympic title in Athens! Our global medal hopes have been in the hands of Gatlin, Allyson Felix, Tyson Gay, LaShawn Merritt, Sanya Richards Ross, Wallace Spearmon, and a few others for well over a decade. Begging the question, what happens when they retire? Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had athletes…