2022 Outdoors

[marra]

The American fans on social media Forums that I read especially LR , have said constantly in many posts on numerous occasions that interest in athletics continues to fall in the USA despite there being numerous reasons why it's down to average spectator numbers of about 3000 in recent days at Haywards Field. One of the reason why the major national tv coverage of athletics in the usa is considered by TF Forum members to be rubbish is the tv companies regard the interest in track and field to be of no longer what it has been. -Your views on this topic are no more valid than others,living in the USA or not.

I never claimed my opinions were more valid than anyone's.

However, you keep insisting on talking about the American fans you read and what they are saying. I'm merely pointing out that I *am* one of those fans living in America. You can't say "let's listen to what these people in America are saying" but then ignore someone in America who disagrees with you.

Also, seeing as you keep mentioning Lets Run - here's a twitter thread from one of the Lets Run reporters, Jonathan Gault - https://twitter.com/jgault13/status/1541236751942922240 - about the attendances. You'll see that plenty of the responses to that, and the tweet he quotes, mention the same factors I outline above.

If you want to have a discussion about interest levels in the US, fine. I would agree that the size of the venue for a WC looks painfully small. Hopefully we'll see it crowded every day. If we don't that *is* a real problem.

But choosing this specific meet - with all the other factors surrounding the timing/location of it - to make a wider point is as absurd as saying the Manchester champs attendance this year are representative of the interest in the UK.

And FWIW, I would argue that track and field interest - and indeed tv coverage - is poor around the world. We shouldn't be trying to points score about "this country being worse than us", we should all be worried about the wider picture.

[Ursus]

Some high class spearing in Stockholm. Peters 90+ again while Chopra usurps Helander for the longest PB under 90 with another NR of 89.94. 3 others over 88.50.

[Occasional Hope]

Mary Moraa announces herself as a real medal contender.

[Chafford1]

Below par race by Hodgkinson who got boxed in but Moraa very strong in the home straight.

[Occasional Hope]

Alekna junior Is looking like the real deal, isn’t he?

[Grassmarket]

There are actually two young Aleknas coming up - have been setting age group records for a while.

Just looked it up - Mykolas (this one) & Martinas.

[Occasional Hope]

It was very inconsiderate to give them the same initial

[trickstat]

A pet gripe of mine is when parents do that with twins who turn out to be athletes. Remember Alan and Andrew Graffin?

[Ursus]

69.81 PB in round 1 from Alekna. This could become very tasty.

[Grassmarket]

Duplantis gives the crowd what they’d paid for 6.16

[marilyn1]

I never claimed my opinions were more valid than anyone's.

However, you keep insisting on talking about the American fans you read and what they are saying. I'm merely pointing out that I *am* one of those fans living in America. You can't say "let's listen to what these people in America are saying" but then ignore someone in America who disagrees with you.

Also, seeing as you keep mentioning Lets Run - here's a twitter thread from one of the Lets Run reporters, Jonathan Gault - https://twitter.com/jgault13/status/1541236751942922240 - about the attendances. You'll see that plenty of the responses to that, and the tweet he quotes, mention the same factors I outline above.

If you want to have a discussion about interest levels in the US, fine. I would agree that the size of the venue for a WC looks painfully small. Hopefully we'll see it crowded every day. If we don't that *is* a real problem.

But choosing this specific meet - with all the other factors surrounding the timing/location of it - to make a wider point is as absurd as saying the Manchester champs attendance this year are representative of the interest in the UK.

And FWIW, I would argue that track and field interest - and indeed tv coverage - is poor around the world. We shouldn't be trying to points score about "this country being worse than us", we should all be worried about the wider picture.

Just read a great article on runblogrun by a renowned track and field journalist and you should read it. It concerns the whole issue of attendances at Eugene and the overegging of that track and flash little stadium for so many major meets. That's what Phil Knight demanded of USA tf before he lobbed I'm the cash from Nike The USATF chose Oregon to host the meet and there are other places which can host 17000 max meet.The fact that Oregon is a small town is a total red herring.
There will b more fans happily in 2028 in the Coliseum.

[marilyn1]

Great 3K run by the new boy on the block??? and Kiplimo. 7.29 is worthy of mention, perhaps

[marra]

Just read a great article on runblogrun by a renowned track and field journalist and you should read it. It concerns the whole issue of attendances at Eugene and the overegging of that track and flash little stadium for so many major meets. That's what Phil Knight demanded of USA tf before he lobbed I'm the cash from Nike The USATF chose Oregon to host the meet and there are other places which can host 17000 max meet.The fact that Oregon is a small town is a total red herring.
There will b more fans happily in 2028 in the Coliseum.

You mean this article I presume - https://www.runblogrun.com/2022/06/w...at-eugene.html

You mean the one that says there have been too many meets at that track this year? That the cost of those meets make it impratical for many to make the trip multiple times? Geez, I wonder who else has been saying that?!?

You get that article supports what I've been saying, right? That the attendance at trials was related to the specific circumstances of this year?

And not what you have been saying - that attendance at this meet shows a lack of interest in the US.

[LuckySpikes]

Exactly 12 months ago dos Santos's 46.80 would have been just 0.02s outside the World Record! (Tomorrow is actually the 1 year anniversary of Warholm's first WR).
I really hope dos Santos can beat Benjamin in Eugene. There's something about how, in his interviews shortly after the Olympic final, Benjamin failed to acknowledge Warholm and that really rubbed me up the wrong way. Rather than being gracious he came across as a really bad loser.

Bit concerning about Keely. I was hoping she'd have knocked on to at least 1:57-low by this stage. But, chapeau to The Poster Formerly Known As Philipo for bigging up Mary Moraa a few days ago.

If Gesa-Felicitas Krause doesn't get into top shape by Munich, the Euro Champs Steeple could be a very competitive one with an increasing number of Euro women in the 9:15 to 9:25 range.

In the Men's 3000, Dominic Lobalu from South Sudan officially became by far the best member of the Athlete Refugee Team! Through watching a ton of road racing I already knew about him (one up on Tim Hutchings there!) Speaking of whom, is it time to pension Hutchings off? After his Graversgaard & Jess Hunter debacle at the Manchester Silver meeting and then tonight making multiple ID/naming errors in the last 200 of this 3000, I think he's starting to lose it big time!

Finally, re the Men's 800 ... to paraphrase Jerry Maguire, "Show me the Moula!"

[marra]

dos Santos has been a cut above Benjamin this season, from what I've seen. My real worry is that he might be overraced by Eugene.

[Ladyloz]

I'm not a massive Tim Hutchings fan and his research doesn't seem to extend beyond brief chats with whoever he bumps into at the breakfast buffet.

He's not as bad as Chris Dennis though, who would be top of my list to bin off from the Diamond League commentaries, he was also dire on Eurosport commentary at the Olympics along with Martin Gillingham. I hope Eurosport don't ever use them again.

Definitely time to start trying more commentators out - this has been a good thing about the Continental tour. Hannah England isn't the finished article by any means but she has been good by and large. And hopefully gets more gigs in the future as she gets more experience under her belt. I quite like Kris Temple as well. He really seems to know his stuff too. Jenny Meadows, lovely person but really not suited to commentary at all for various reasons. That's the thing try new people out at a lower level, give them experience, let them make mistakes and learn. Until you give people a chance you never know whether they will be suited or not.

[LuckySpikes]

Talking about being gracious and acknowledging your better opponents ...

Great mixed zone interview in Stockholm with dos Santos - https://twitter.com/Diamond_League/s...06930916655106

He seems like a lovely lad and also a big fan of the sport (not just his own event or just the sprints).

My desire for him to beat Benjamin in Eugene has just doubled, nay tripled down!

[marilyn1]

Talking about being gracious and acknowledging your better opponents ...

Great mixed zone interview in Stockholm with dos Santos - https://twitter.com/Diamond_League/s...06930916655106

He seems like a lovely lad and also a big fan of the sport (not just his own event or just the sprints).

My desire for him to beat Benjamin in Eugene has just doubled, nay tripled down!

I join you greatly in that thought.🙂

[marilyn1]

I join you greatly in that thought.🙂

Thank you , Lucky for your well and sensibly expressed posts. Like a breath of fresh air, balanced and perceptive, compared to the stuff pumped out by certain posters!!