Also, as I was so politely reminded, this is a co-ed sport, and I would love to see the same idea with America's top women distance runners. Between Suzy, Deena, Hazel Clark, Rudolph, etc, there are plenty of women who can run with the best of the world.
Mike >From: "Michael Contopoulos" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: "Michael Contopoulos" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: t-and-f: USATF Advertising idea... >Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 09:19:10 -0500 > >OK, why is distance running not popular in the US but fly fishing gets >great >ESPN time? Why can't the general public watch a 13 minute 5k, but I have >co-workers (in NYC, not down south) getting amped to work half a day so >they >can sit on their couch and watch machines speed around a track 500 times? >Its all about advertising. Television advertising. Now, I tried a few >years ago to e-mail Craig Masback about this and all I kept getting in >response was: "USATF's budget is only a million dollars, we can't do >anything about it." > >Well, my first issue is, if USATF's budget is really only a million bucks, >Masback and his crew SUCK! I could probably raise a million dollars given >a >year's time for something much less interesting than the development of >America's Track and Field athletes. Come on! Having said that, once >someone, ANYONE, raises enough money to air commercials for USATF, I have a >great idea to help promote the support. It will help sponsors like Nike, >Adidas and Fila, too, because the whole point of the campaign would be to >get American Distance runners exposure. The more people who know who Tim >Broe is, the more runners who are likely to buy adidas shoes, and the more >likely people are to go watch meets on TV, and the more likely people are >to >pay money to actually go and sit in the stands of a competition. OK... so >here is my idea: > >You take about 7 athletes... > >Krumenacker >Ritz >Webb >Broe >Meb >Goucher >Kennedy > >and you have a split screen on the TV. Half of the screen is the person >from the chest on up talking, the second half of the screen is a clip of >him >in his event... preferably a clip of him winning a race, beating an >African, >setting a record, etc. These are things the general public can relate to. > >The clip would go something like this: > >"My name is Bob Kennedy, I'm 32 years old and the American Record Holder in >the 3000 and 5000 meters. When I'm hot, I can run with anyone in the >world, >Kenyans, Moroccans, American's. Some people think I'm too old to continue >at this level... well, they have a lot to learn." > >"My name is Tim Broe, I'm 24 years old and the American Record Holder in >the >indoor 3000 meters. Bob Kennedy better realize, the torch of American >Distance Running has been passed, only this time, I'm bringing home a medal >in 2004" > >"My name is Alan Webb, I'm 19 years old and the High School mile record >holder. In 3 years time, I'm going to be chasing gold in Greece." > >Etc etc etc. > >I know, perhaps my clips aren't very original or engaging enough, but I'm >not an advertising exec... I just think its a good idea to try and get the >public to know who these guys are and to build up some rivalries even if >they don't really exist. Have Goucher come on and shoot his mouth about >being the best until being dethroned (a clip of him beating Kennedy would >be >a good one). Have them all talk about beating Kenyans and how they have >done it (Ritz at 3k Cross for example, or Webb "chasing down" the WR holder >El G at Pre) a number of times and how they are closing the gap. Steal one >of Nike's advertising geniuses, I'm sure they could put together an >exciting >and somewhat controversial commercial. Something as small as this, run on >a >few prime time stations, would stir up National interest immensely. Why >has >this not happened yet? What is Craig waiting for? And what do you all >think about the idea? > >Mike > >_________________________________________________________________ >MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: >http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
