L.A. Invitational ends for lack of sponsorship

[MJR]

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Invitational, the second-oldest indoor track meet in the United States, is shutting down this winter because it was unable to get enough sponsorship backing.

The meet had been scheduled for Feb. 8 at Los Angeles Sports Arena.

"There is potential for a sponsor coming aboard to revive the event in 2005," co-chairman Don Franken said Friday.

http://espn.go.com/oly/news/2003/1212/1684882.html

[Guest]

Re: L.A. Invitational ends for lack of sponsorship

Well this utterly bites. At one time this was a great meet. I recall seeing Coughlin set a 2000 WR there in the 80s...

[The King]

Re: L.A. Invitational ends for lack of sponsorship

That's also where Maurice Greene equalled Donovan Bailey's 50m World Indoor record of 5.56s (however both did benifit from a rolling start) in 1999, Maurice's greatest year to date.

[Conor Dary]

Re: L.A. Invitational ends for lack of sponsorship

Professor Positive was right. I wrote back in 1995 in TandFnews that this would happen.

Conor Dary

[Guest]

Re: L.A. Invitational ends for lack of sponsorship

I have been going to that meet since 1965. I will miss it! I moved to Los Angeles in 1964 because of that meet. In the early 60s team-mates of mine, including Bill Crothers and Bruce Kidd, came back to Toronto from that meet with stories of the great Southern California weather. Several of us decided running in the warm sun was better than struggling for months in the ice and snow. It was a great move!

[trackhead]

Re: L.A. Invitational ends for lack of sponsorship

and I believe Peter Snell's 1962 1000y WR.