How Many National Track Meets Will There Be in the Future?

[Mr. Slippery]

I stumbled upon this release last night:

New Balance To Create New High School National Meets

On Thursday, New Balance announced it will be parting ways with the National Scholastic Athletic Foundation

www.milesplit.com

3 main takeaways for me:
1) This year's outdoor national meet in Greensboro, NC is still tentatively scheduled to take place July 16-19. They're using last year's outdoor and this year's indoor performances as a basis for qualification.

2) New Balance will create its own National HS Track & Field Championship meets.

3) It's unclear yet, but I imagine the NSAF will continue to host its own national meets, assuming they can secure sponsorship since the current national meets belong to them, and they handle most of the meet management, i.e. they already have the necessary infrastructure to continue what they're doing with some financial backing.

 

[lane4]

If New Balance keeps it's meets on the east coast(as it sounds like they plan to) that's going to be a real threat to the NSAF meets. Nike tried it when they split off back in 2010, but the Nike nationals only lasted a couple of seasons largely because the meet was in Oregon.

It will be interesting to see who NSAF gets to take over title sponsorship. Brooks is the top running shoe brand by sales in the US, and is one of the few NSAF hasnt burned through yet lol. Would seem a good fit - if they have an interest.

 

[madman]

I think Brooks has already chosen their path regarding HS Nationals with their PR meet.

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I think most truly elite athletes already choose the Brooks Meet over what is essentially an All-Comers meet (NBN) with modest entry standards.

 

[JAVMAN83]

I think Brooks has already chosen their path regarding HS Nationals with their PR meet.

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Shop superior running shoes and apparel for men and women with free shipping and returns. Your search for great running gear starts and ends with Brooks Running.

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I think most truly elite athletes already choose the Brooks Meet over what is essentially an All-Comers meet (NBN) with modest entry standards.

Brooks is a distance-centric meet. Track&field does not revolve around distance events.

 

[madman]

100, 100/110H, 400, 800, 1 mile, 2 mile.... I not sure how that qualifiies as distance-centric.

Anyway, my point was that Brooks could have done a full-scale national meet, but has already decided on a different approach. I wouldn't be looking for them to sign-up as the sponsor of essentially an east-coast post-season meet for hundreds/thousands of athletes.

 

[JAVMAN83]

100, 100/110H, 400, 800, 1 mile, 2 mile.... I not sure how that qualifiies as distance-centric.

Anyway, my point was that Brooks could have done a full-scale national meet, but has already decided on a different approach. I wouldn't be looking for them to sign-up as the sponsor of essentially an east-coast post-season meet for hundreds/thousands of athletes.

NBN is a far more comprehensive meet, both in depth & quality. Weather in June in NC is far more conducive to t&f than Seattle at any time. Only distance runners might dispute that. Anyone involved in the sprints/jumps/field events would NEVER view Seattle as any type of destination spot for their event. Brooks meet is similar to the Stanford distance invite in April each year. Distance-centric with a few token other events thrown in that only attract locals.

 

[lane4]

Anyone involved in the sprints/jumps/field events would NEVER view Seattle as any type of destination spot for their event. Distance-centric with a few token other events thrown in that only attract locals.

Candice Hill broke the US junior 100 record(10.98) there. Christian Coleman also flew in from Georgia to run the Brooks meet. Dior Hall is another alum.

It's a solid elite meet, sprints and distance. But the NASF meet, with it's larger field of athletes and higher (social) media profile, offers more exposure. It's just a matter of if it's worth the money NASF wants for the title sponsorship.

 

[JAVMAN83]

Candice Hill broke the US junior 100 record(10.98) there. Christian Coleman also flew in from Georgia to run the Brooks meet. Dior Hall is another alum.

It's a solid elite meet, sprints and distance. But the NASF meet, with it's larger field of athletes and higher (social) media profile, offers more exposure. It's just a matter of if it's worth the money NASF wants for the title sponsorship.

Good exceptions to the rule, but the rule stil stands. Warm East Coast weather, a title sponsor, and a much larger % of the HS t&f population within 1000 miles of NC vs. Seattle ensures NBN (& NSF now) will continue to rule the day.
As a historical note, early in the 20th century many universities held HS championship invitationals of their own. The biggest & best of them was the Chicago Interscholastic which ran from 1902-1933. The last edition featured Jesse Owens famed 9.4 / 20.7 (straightaway) double. It was unofficially called the National HS championships of that era. I think the reason for its strength was that it was centrally located & easily accessible by rail from all over the country.

 

[madman]

I think the NSAF is in trouble. The New Balance meet will likely take the bulk of the best on the East Coast. Brooks will continue to skim the very best in several events nationwide. The NSAF will be a highly competitive regional meet. I don't see any major sponsors coming forward without a competitive advantage that isn't apparent to me.

 

[Newton's Third]

NSAF is and always has been "the national championship". It is hard to overcome that whether it is Brooks flying kids in or whoever is competing against the NSAF meet. Kids and their coaches want a shot at "national champ" or "all-american" status and will probably continue to their meet until it is clear that another meet has that status. I have seen that Adidas & Brooks are pulling more and more top distance kids so it will happen with sprints and field also and possibly now with the dropped sponsorship.

 

[JAVMAN83]

All these are good observations, but great, WARM weather will always draw the best of the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and throwers. We HATE cold weather.

 

[Newton's Third]

All these are good observations, but great, WARM weather will always draw the best of the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and throwers. We HATE cold weather.

I agree that weather plays a huge role for sprints & jumps but I think they go where the status and competition is first. I believe a national championship in North Dakota would outdraw an all-comers meet in Florida.

 

[JAVMAN83]

I agree that weather plays a huge role for sprints & jumps but I think they go where the status and competition is first. I believe a national championship in North Dakota would outdraw an all-comers meet in Florida.

I think that isn't a fair comparison.