In the first part of this series, I described a tiered structure of post-collegiate track and field meets in the United States. This structure is mostly conceptual, with the top tier being those meets with the most wide-felt impact and the impact becoming more local as one drops lower on the “ladder” of tiers (however, perhaps a merit-based USATF Certification could exist which would award meets with a, say, 3rd Tier certification? More specifications for each tier would need to be created, of course). In part one, I placed a big emphasis on the importance of small, entertaining meets with competitive events.
In Chattanooga, Tennessee (I will continue to use this as an example because that is my residence), no high quality meets presently exist. As I wrote in part one, I believe that local, accessible meets (such as the Music City Distance Carnival or New Balance Boston Twilight Series) are a necessity for building a knowledgeable fan base. For Chattanooga, I propose a three part meet spread over, say, five weeks. In order to present the meet in a short, entertaining fashion, I’ve elected to break it into more manageable pieces. In the end, most of the events of a full-length track meet will be contested, but not in one sitting. This accomplishes two main goals: 1) As stated, it keeps the meet short and entertaining, not long and drawn out. 2) It isn’t a “one-and-done” event, and therefore over the period of time you can create a local fan base.
Simply for the sake of example, this might be the series schedule:
Week 1 Long Jump, Discus Throw, 200m, 400mH, 5000m
Week 2 Off
Week 3 High Jump, Shot Put, Javelin, 100m, 400m, 1500m
Week 4 Off
Week 5 Pole Vault, Triple Jump, Hammer, 100mH/110mH, 800m, 3000m
As a companion to the short schedule with the intention of finishing every session in less than three hours, other fashions of entertainment might include a kid’s 100m dash or t-shirts being thrown into the stands. There would also be vendors in the stands selling items such as popcorn, pizza, water, or even beer. A track announcer who clearly knows the events and the distances is obviously vital, as well as a program with more detailed information about each athlete: who has a fifteen race winning streak, what NCAA championship team a high jumper was a member of, etc.
Fans need encouragement to show up to these meets. Although already inexpensive (with $5-$7 gate entry), a meet could give tickets away or maybe a coupon for a free hot dog from the concession stand as part of a local road race “swag bag.” Or if the fans purchase a $10 t-shirt they receive free entry into all of the meets, encouraging fans to return for more entertaining product.
The key to the meet itself is to present it in an entertaining fashion. Everything needs to be brought to “center-ring” at the right moments. Rather than seeming down time between running events, attention needs to be brought to the field events. Even during a race, if an athlete is attempting a huge mark, or a great duel between shot putters is going down, attention needs to be brought to those events. It’s not about field events being marginalized; they’re as exciting as any track race. Through presenting these events in an exciting fashion, even casual fans will get excited about the sport. We’ve seen it happen in soccer. Soccer announcers, unlike many track announcers, present the sport as it should be: one that deserves to be paid attention to. By presenting it in that nature, prospective fans take notice and begin to get interested. Ever watched a poker match on ESPN? If people can get into poker, they can get into track and field. It starts with the local meet, but presentation is equally as important with the major meets, including the Diamond League meets and even USATF Championship meets. Attractive presentation is imperative if you would like to build a knowledgeable fan base.
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