Sport needs complete overhaul to gain U.S. fans

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rainbowgirl28
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Sport needs complete overhaul to gain U.S. fans

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:21 am

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_6193389

Sport needs complete overhaul to gain U.S. fans
Article Last Updated: 06/21/2007 05:06:49 AM PDT

THIS IS U.S. track and field's big week of the year on the home turf, not that most of America is likely to notice.
The USA outdoor championships will be staged at Indianapolis beginning today, with athletes hoping to secure bids to this summer's World Championships in Osaka, Japan. NBC and ESPN2 will televise five hours of action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The sad truth is the TV networks could run outtakes of "American Idol" and get 10 times the ratings.
Who's at fault for that? Certainly not Paula Abdul.
Track and field remains its own worst enemy, especially in America, where fans have so many other options and the sport cannot seem to outrun the ever-looming specter of drug scandals.
Track once was a big deal in America, but it is nearing niche-sport status, except during the 16 days of the Olympic Games every four years. It's a shame, because while the rest of the world certainly has closed the gap, America remains the world's best.
With the national championships set to begin, USA Track and Field boss Craig Masback will give his annual state-of-the-sport address today. Quite likely, he will address the successes track has had in the doping wars and try to highlight America's many young stars.
What the sport in America needs is an overhaul, not more good intentions.
Here is our four-step proposal:
-1. Make "Zero Tolerance" a literal policy. The USATF in 2003 adopted a "Zero Tolerance" drug policy that was by far
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the toughest in sports, and in spite of that its biggest star, Justin Gatlin, co-holder of the world record for 100 meters and an outspoken critic of drugs, was busted last year for steroids. This is a killer. USATF has put more teeth in its policies by imposing penalties on coaches and agents, but it's not enough.
Here's what needs to be done: If you get caught cheating, you get a hearing and a thorough chance to appeal. But if you're busted for a major performance-enhancing substance you're finished. Not for two years, four years or eight years. But for good.
-2. Develop more ways to make the sport appealing to the non-track fan. Track has tried to do this, and TV has helped, streamlining meets to fit neatly into their broadcast windows. Again, it's not enough.
Casual American fans don't understand many track events, and it doesn't help that everything is metric. The world is metric, so that's not going away, but here's a compromise that maybe the rest of the planet could swallow: Replace the 1,500-meter run with the mile.
Everyone from Kalamazoo to Kenya understands the mile and can relate to the 4-minute barrier broken a half-century ago by Roger Bannister. USATF should lobby international track and Olympic officials to make this one small concession to help lure more American fans.
-3. Create a U.S. detour to the international tour. Track's primary season is the midsummer European Grand Prix circuit. Stockholm, Helsinki, Zurich, London, Rome â€â€

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