I suggested May just so you can require the top athletes to compete in the top American meets. Have it in July and the athletes still disappear to Europe before and after nationals. The month after the national meet is when meets can best be marketed with the current top americans competing. Casual sports fans don't care if an Olympic gold medallist from 4 years ago is competing. Sports are all about "what have you done for me lately." To the casual fan, they do not care if so-and-so has won Modesto, Penn, etc this season. They know what US CHAMPION means. Get the current top athletes in the meets and there will be more interest from the casual fans.
--- Ed and Dana Parrot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Also, I've always felt that US Nationals should be at the first of > MAY. In > > addition of finishing in the top 3, in order to keep your spot on the > > national team, you must compete at the 3 current US meets, Pre, Oregon > > Track Classic, Palo Alto. No exceptions. > > Obviously that all but eliminates collegians. And runners who don't > like to > race 4 weekends in a row. And anyone who, having been forced to peak 3 > months before the meet that matters, decides they might actually want to > train from 3 months out to 2 months out rather than race. And of course > anyone who competes in an event not conducted at those three meets. And > most who who peaked for indoors. And most who don't train to peak every > three months (impossible to do anyway). > > Have nationals towards the end of July, as people have suggested before > - > the same time the Europeans have their nationals, during the European > break. > That way we can be sure our national teams will actually be in shape at > worlds and Olympics. That way we can be sure our elite athletes will be > well into the swing of the European season and well on heir way to being > in > peak form. Our emerging elite athletes will have spent the previous 3 > months progressing from the relay meets to the invitationals to either > European meets for a few or local and regional meets for the rest, with > some > spots from regionals going to nationals. We will lose some collegians > in > this scenario, but we will also be less likely to send people to worlds > who > can't stay in shape for two more monthsafter a long collegiate year. > > - Ed Parrot > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
