Why Track and Field is DESIGNED to fail and is it corrupt | Ready Set go with Justin Gatlin

Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green dive into why the sport needs change and what can be done to help improve the sport. Was an opportunity missed by not capitalizing on the Usain Bolt era?

[@kennethwoods6525]

Any time women's golf beats out the USATF National Champs for t v. coverage, you know something is terribly wrong.

[@TheGreatness-gg1jx]

You can't say someone is "underpaid" when they're paid. The problem with track is historic in its roots, namely that it only mattered during the Olympics, and in between that it disappeared literally and figuratively. This was the basis of track remaining an "amateur", non-paid, sport until 1997! Track was so far behind the BIG American sports and soccer internationally in terms of air rights, sponsorships, marketing, and it still has no branding other than the Olympics. Thank God Social Media has at least given a platform to a few of the top athletes so sponsors can pay them. But the fact that the so-called "international bodies" that sort of run the sport STILL haven't figured out a way to put various meets on the internet FOR FREE with ads and large prize money shows how clueless they are. I have no idea how much NBC pays for the various Diamond League events but it must not be much OR are the events keeping the bulk of the proceeds? Idk. But you can't just say "they're underpaid". The better description is the pay structure of track is embarrassing compared to similarly demanding professional sports.

[@ATHLETE.X]

SprintSpeedMedia’s idea about a 1 v 1 sprint circuit is a good idea.

[@courtneyunorthordox6031]

The problems are; 1. Being a fan of the sport vs fan of an athlete.
Fan of the sport: You'll enjoy 2hrs of the event.
Fan of an athlete: You'll enjoy 10s-15mins of the athlete's performance.
2. The commentary needs to be exciting and invigorating .
(Example) Ato Bolton and the British commentators.
3. Better build up (promotion) towards upcoming events and the athletes.

[@dragonmcgregor8007]

true there are alot of ways to promote but alot of people arent a fan of athletics just specific catagories within it

[@ianditwin7443]

Good point!

[@StGCfiLife]

I doubt that the ENTIRE budget of the Zurich Welklass is more than $8m.

[@AidanHolland]

I wonder has world athletics had any contact with the Saudi's at all.