2023 World Indoor Champs cancelled (oh sorry, postponed...)

[NormZylstra]

Doesn't seem to be a problem for soccer's premier event, the World Cup, where the best teams in the world don't play....

Who was the last top-20 player in the world not to compete in the World Cup? Also, there are so many championships that are filled with the top players on the top teams. FIFA makes it rain putting the top teams on the pitch multiple times a year.

[NormZylstra]

To be fair this is no different to the World Champs in swimming, cycling and umpteen other individual sports. Some of these even have a limit of 1 per country in an event.

Yes it's called reality. It works fine as it is.

Please expand on this idea. I'm not sure what you mean.

Yes it's called reality. It works fine as it is.

Do you see the current system's ineffectiveness in growing the fan base as a problem?

[NormZylstra]

NCAA Basketball seems to have solved this problem. No one really cares if the very best do a one-and-done thing,

The schools do not disappear. People support a school, not a player.

[Davidokun]

NCAA Basketball seems to have solved this problem. No one really cares if the very best do a one and done thing,

Seems like an apples-to-oranges comparison. Many, many NCAA fans root for the school, not the player.

[Dave]

How do you keep new fans engaged when their 'stars' disappear every-other season?

NCAA Basketball seems to have solved this problem. No one really cares if the very best do a one and done thing,

[Vault-emort]

"There is no championship this season"? Diminishes the fandom of the sport. We are not helping our athletes become fans. Just the opposite.

I'll forget about the 'US experience' as track and field is a world sport.

Sports like tennis have virtually four World Championships every year with their Grand Slams (five if you count their year-ending-champs). Plus there are events every week of the year where the majority of top 100 players in the world compete.

[NormZylstra]

To be fair this is no different to the World Champs in swimming, cycling and umpteen other individual sports. Some of these even have a limit of 1 per country in an event.

Good point. But, "All these other sports none of your classmates cares about does the same thing." is going to make sense to these youth.

[DET59]

To be fair this is no different to the World Champs in swimming, cycling and umpteen other individual sports. Some of these even have a limit of 1 per country in an event.

Doesn't seem to be a problem for soccer's premier event, the World Cup, where the best teams in the world don't play....

[Conor Dary]

To be fair this is no different to the World Champs in swimming, cycling and umpteen other individual sports. Some of these even have a limit of 1 per country in an event.

Yes it's called reality. It works fine as it is.

[Trickstat]

Equally useless to concoct is an explanation as to why Track + Field never holds a true world championship meet with all the top athletes.

To be fair this is no different to the World Champs in swimming, cycling and umpteen other individual sports. Some of these even have a limit of 1 per country in an event.

[NormZylstra]

I always thought the WC should go back to every 4 years, and move it to two years apart from the OG. This way every other year you have a Global championship, and the years in between can be set aside for rest/euros, commonwealth and any other lesser championships. .

How do you keep new fans engaged when their 'stars' disappear every-other season?

[NormZylstra]

Worst mistake (of many!) WA has ever made!!
We need ANNUAL World Championships, both INdoors AND OUTdoors!!
You do NOT see MLB, NFL, NHL, Tour de France postponing or canceling, nor any other sport their ANNUAL championships!! ONLY T&F

Agreed. From a US American perspective, how do we explain to our high school track + fielders why "There is no championship this season"? Diminishes the fandom of the sport. We are not helping our athletes become fans. Just the opposite.

Equally useless to concoct is an explanation as to why Track + Field never holds a true world championship meet with all the top athletes. Each event OG/ WC gold medalist and DL champion should get a roster spot for all championships the following four seasons. Sponsors know their marketer will be on-site seven or eight championship meets.

We're not association football, no sport will ever match their supporters. Some religions are close, but even they're losing their steam. We need to try a lot harder.

[lonewolf49]

I'd vote for a WIC every year and Outdoor WC every year except the Olympic years.

Athletes' careers are tenuous, often with many injuries and other reasons for diminished form. Every 4 years gives them far too few opportunities. I hate to see a truly great athlete who never wins a major championship despite a long career.

Yes, Fourth the motion.

[KevinR]

I'd vote for a WIC every year and Outdoor WC every year except the Olympic years.

Athletes' careers are tenuous, often with many injuries and other reasons for diminished form. Every 4 years gives them far too few opportunities. I hate to see a truly great athlete who never wins a major championship despite a long career.

This is the most compelling case to be made for holding at least some type of championship, each year. I do not see it as diminishing the importance of any of them.

[Wiederganger]

I'd vote for a WIC every year and Outdoor WC every year except the Olympic years.

Athletes' careers are tenuous, often with many injuries and other reasons for diminished form. Every 4 years gives them far too few opportunities. I hate to see a truly great athlete who never wins a major championship despite a long career.

I agree. There have been too many greats that have never won an Olympic gold, but have won World Gold. And then too many greats that have won neither. A once-every-four-years opportunity is pot luck as much as anything. Paraskevi Patoulidou anyone?

For me, at least every two years makes sense, especially when there is currently no real value to being the DL Champion, which would have been the other option. Until we move to a World Cup format like in winter sports, which elevates the DL & Continental Tour and effectively makes them 'World Cup Champion', then we need a World Championships at least every two years, and I wouldn't be against every year. But....I would want a consistent schedule of events, which all the possible doubles, fixed.