I realize that the LA Indoor meet has a rich history which you spelled out, but, particularly as a midwesterner, I find the notion of an indoor meet in sunny and warm Los Angeles somewhat absurd. Am I the only one who feels this way?
And while on the topic of track in LA, what's attendence been like the past several years at the big Spring meets? -------------------------------------------------------------- | Bob Ramsak --------------------------------------------------------------- | Cleveland, Ohio USA | [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerald Woodward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Michael J. Roth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "T&F Listserve" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 1:52 PM Subject: RE: t-and-f: 42nd annual Los Angeles Invitational > It is really a shame to see how far down T&F has fallen in the L.A. area. I > was fortunate enough to run in the first L.A. Invitational meet at the L.A. > Sports Arena, and have attended all of the meets except for the years of > '65, '66, and '67 when I was living and working in the Central California > area and working weekends so I couldn't get down to the meets. Upon > relocating to Southern California during the summer of '67, I again started > attending the the L.A. Invitational and the L.A. Times meets in 1968. I > haven't missed a meet since. > > L.A. used to support two very successful indoor track meets, the L.A. > Invitational (originally called the Sunkist), and the L.A. Times meet at the > Forum in Inglewood, pluys the Coliseum Relays, Compton Cup, etc. The meets > were always a sellout. The downhill trend started when "big name" athletes > would sign up to participate and then become no-shows. Many people (not > true T&F fans) started thinking that this was just pre-meet hype to get them > there, became disenchanted and stopped attending. > > The Coliseum relays and Compton Cup died for lack of support and then the > L.A. Times dropped their meet; and Sunkist dropped their participation and > support of the L.A. Invitational. It was canceled for one year and then Al > Franken and his son were able to get enough support to bring it back. Due > to reduced funding there is a lack of advertising and promotion and the > crowds have dwindled each succeeding year. this year was the worst, in > terms of attendance. It is a shame because it is still a good T&F meet, it > is run very well and deserves more support. > > As a Track & Field fan, I would hate to lose this meet, but with a lack of > attendance I don't see how Al Franken can continue to put on this meet. The > people attending this meet are the true T&F fans as I see these fans at all > the local HS, College and Invitational meets such as Arcadia Invitational, > Mt. Sac Relays, West Coast Relays (now Bob Mathias relays), Pasadena Games, > etc. > > I know there are more hard core track fans in California and the surrounding > states than I see at the meets. We just have to find a way to motivate them > to attend and support these meets or they will go by the wayside. > > Gerald Woodward > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Michael J. Roth > Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2002 8:30 AM > To: T&F Listserve > Subject: t-and-f: 42nd annual Los Angeles Invitational > > > http://www.frankenenterprises.com/lai02results.htm >
