Logan outlines Plan for 2012 Success

[Marlow]

excerpts from home-page-linked article (underlines mine)

Recommendation 1: Hire a General Manager of High Performance

Recommendation 2: Create a transparent, criteria-based Team Staff selection system

Recommendation 3: Restructure the composition of Team USA staffs

Recommendation 4: Shorten the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Track & Field to five days
. . . . It may be five consecutive days; five days of competition spread over a longer length of time, or a different length entirely. One option we will strongly consider is to host six competition days over two weekends with a youth meet in the intervening down days. . . . The short-program format of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Track & Field will be finalized by July 1, 2010.

Recommendation 5: Terminate the National Relay Program

Recommendation 6: Establish a comprehensive 2012 team preparation program
. . . I propose a $15,000 bonus for athletes setting a personal best at the Games, and a $5,000 bonus for a seasonal best. . . . The linchpin of the Task Force's 2012 preparation plan is the establishment of a long-term training base in Europe, for six weeks or more, in 2012. . . I strongly agree with adding some Olympic tune up meets that would be nation-based, team competition. . . . Televising these meets domestically, as well, will give our athletes an even higher profile. I will negotiate and secure two such events in Europe in 2012, while also providing a tune-up meet for athletes in the United States prior to the London Olympic Games.

Recommendation 7: Target technical events for medal growth and develop those events
. . . The Project 30 Task Force recommended a nationwide network of High Performance Training Centers to provide group-based training and career development for athletes. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, USATF will develop two (2) High Performance Training Centers (HPTCs) in the United States each year. The two initial HPTCs will be locales that emphasize the development of jumps and/or throws. . . . . . USATF will invest $450,000-$500,000 to host developmental events at no less than eight domestic track meets in 2009, including funding targeted events at the Mt. Sac Relays, California Relays, and several other meets. All event groups will be covered, with immediate post-collegians who have already achieved the World Championship "A" qualifying standard being the focus of development funds to provide travel for athletes to these meets.

Recommendation 8: Create a well-defined Professional Athlete designation
. . . . Unlike other professional sports, USATF has no contract with its professional athletes. Having a Professional Athlete designation would put such a contract into place and would create responsibilities on both . . . The first tier is to develop a "rookie contract" signed by all newly declared professional and/or post-collegiate athletes. It will bestow upon an individual the Professional Athlete designation and will enumerate the duties of a Professional Athlete in the sport of track and field, including but not limited to completing "Rookie training," competing clean, fulfilling contracts, abiding by a code of conduct and supporting the sport through public appearances and media events

Recommendation 9: Establish a more stringent anti-doping reinstatement system.

[Marlow]

Recommendation 4 is brilliant. I was just thinking how I'd like to fly to Eugene from Atlanta on Thursday watch 3 days of T&F and then fly back to Atlanta for 3 days OR hang out for 3 days in Oregon not getting paid. Then I'll watch 3 more days of T&F and have to take a red eye back to Atlanta so I can actually earn a living. Good to see Doug is thinking of fans with these recommendations. If you're going to go to 2 weekends expect that you're going to cannibalize your traveling fan base.

Disagree. There's plenty of cool stuff to see and do out there. Nice to have a little down time between exciting weekends. Splurge and take 10 whole days off from work - it the US Olympic Freakin' Trials!

[bad hammy]

Recommendation 4 is brilliant. I was just thinking how I'd like to fly to Eugene from Atlanta on Thursday watch 3 days of T&F and then fly back to Atlanta for 3 days OR hang out for 3 days in Oregon not getting paid. Then I'll watch 3 more days of T&F and have to take a red eye back to Atlanta so I can actually earn a living. Good to see Doug is thinking of fans with these recommendations. If you're going to go to 2 weekends expect that you're going to cannibalize your traveling fan base.

Disagree. There's plenty of cool stuff to see and do out there. Nice to have a little down time between exciting weekends. Splurge and take 10 whole days off from work - it the US Olympic Freakin' Trials!

Disagree. Give me the same four-day format we will use this year to choose the WC squad. I was already in Eugene for ten days last year for the OT and would prefer to use my extra vacation time and $$$ to visit other parts of the world.

[bhall]

You miss my point. If I'm going to the west coast for a T&F I expect T&F. Period. I don't expect to have to pay additional ticket or travel prices because T&F isn't part of the package for several days. I have a career where I can splurge.

Prices for tickets will go up if there are fewer days of action but the same number of seats in the stadium. I'll bet you today $100 that is the case.

4 off days will kill the vibe. Atlanta Trials were bad in the empty stadium. Two weekends does what good? How about someone actually layout a decent schedule that meets the athelte's needs *today*?

[bhall]

I'll take 5 consecutive days. But not 6 days over 2 weekends. And maybe the fields should be smaller to facilitate this? I expect anything that impacts the $$$ for USATF and the LOC will be problematic or prices will go up and we'll continue to hurt the live sport.

[lonewolf]

I think most people attend the OT for the track. Sightseeing is an added bonus that can be accomplished pre or post meet at individual convenience.
There is a lot of downtime in a ten day schedule, actually twelve with travel, and it is a strain on the time and $$$ of both spectators and officials.
Limit entries to top 16 pre-OT performances, no prelims for distances above 800 meters. There is no reason for OT to take more than four days, Thursday-Sunday. Employed people can miss only two to four days work if that is an issue.

Obviously, the local economy will have fewer days to exploit the event but I don't believe the gate will suffer tremendously. I think people will willingly pay higher admisson for four full days (you could have two sessions daily)of meaningful action/finals than for eight half days of sometimes/usually blah prelims. It would condense TV time and provide more hours of worthwhile viewing that, hopefully, would attract more amateur fans.
There, that is settled. :?:

[gh]

As much as the business (aka tours) side of T&FN will castigate me for saying this, the wants and needs of a couple of hundred hard-core fans' travel needs are totally irrelevant here.

The business side of T&FN will hate me? So will some of you here who are lucky enough to have the ability to travel to the OT in whatever form, and I apologize for pissing all over your parade, but as much as I harp on the need to make all meets (not just the OT) spectator-friendly, the success or failure of the OT as a business venture--which is what it boils down to in the end--matters not one whit about out-of-towners. It's made or broken by the locals.

And for the health of the sport it depends on its TV-ability. And I--rightly or wrongly--remain firmly wedded to the belief that two weekends trump a single one every time, hands down.

[Smoke]

The trials time frame is a hot topic. Glad to know it. Now here is the elephant in the room, the needs of the athletes on the track, not in their wallets. Is it safer to have the trials over 9 days or 5 days straight?
The ass kicker is the 6 days over two weekends is exactly the same physical requirement on the athletes. So what are we really talking about here?

I am pleased with Logans letter, i think he came up with some sensible things. However, there is a fatal flaw, this is all about the Games. USATF matters every year not just when the Games and the USOC matter. Project 30 talks about 2012, meanwhile we have 2 World champs to get through first. The World's Greatest track team is not called that just because we do well at the Games.

[Marlow]

And I--rightly or wrongly--remain firmly wedded to the belief that two weekends trump a single one every time, hands down.

I gotcher back here, buddy. You and me against the world! 8-)

[tandfman]

What puzzles me a bit about this whole subject is that I've never heard of its being a problem before. IIRC, we've had the same 8 or 9 day format for quite a while--has anyone ever complained about it?

[bad hammy]

What puzzles me a bit about this whole subject is that I've never heard of its being a problem before. IIRC, we've had the same 8 or 9 day format for quite a while--has anyone ever complained about it?

Yes.

[tandfman]

Athletes/coaches or fans?

[Marlow]

Athletes/coaches or fans?

D. all of the above

[dl]

Now I know why it's called Project 30. We're going backwards 30 years in time to the old days of the AAU when the federation called the shots on where/when athletes could compete:

"USATF has the right to select our national team and the right to place obligations on those representing the country. USATF's and the USOC's current Statement of Conditions is signed by athletes after they select themselves through place finishes. This new Statement of Conditions will require an athlete's signature prior to being accepted as an international team member. It will stipulate that the athlete, should he or she make the national team, will agree to conditions such as wearing the Team USA uniform in any public appearances, participating in official team activities, abiding by a code of conduct, consulting with USATF's Managing Director on their competitions prior to the Worlds or Olympics and other matters pertaining to preparing for competition. Refusal to sign the contract will jeopardize the athlete's selection to the international team."

[Smoke]

Athletes/coaches or fans?

This coach looks forward to the 9 days every four years. It is an event and fun. For doublers it is heaven. No fer of cramming 6 rounds into 4 or 5 days but able to spread the effort out.
The 2 weekend issue is a decent idea but the travel plans of the athletes is paramount. Asking an athlete to fly from NC to Oregon twice in a week is a lot. Most sit and train in the city and I will guess this will not change. So what we are looking at is 2 more days of nothing on the track.
The five day format seems the most appealing in terms of change. Otherwise, leave it as is. 2 weekends is what we have now in theory, you are just moving the finals to Saturdays and Sundays.