Powell and Fraser sign up for Reebok Grand Prix

[jamaicantrackfan]

http://www.reebokgrandprix.com/news/26/ ... rand-Prix/


Tue, Apr 28, 2009
A Melting Pot of Medalists Sign On For 2009 Reebok Grand Prix
NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 28) – Jamaican sprint stars Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser and Kenyan distance specialist Micah Kogo, along with America’s pole vault standout Jenn Stuczynski and top sprinter Allyson Felix, will compete at the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix, organizers announced today.

The Reebok Grand Prix is the fourth stop of USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series and will be held at 3:00pm on May 30, at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.

Jamaica’s Powell, 26, held the 100 meter world record from June 2005 to May 2008 and has consistently broken the 10 second barrier in competition while running under 9.80 more times than all other sprinters combined. The two-time Olympian won a gold medal and broke the world record in the 4x100m Relay as the anchor of the Jamaican team in Beijing.

Powell’s teammate, Shelly-Ann Fraser became the first Jamaican woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100 meter dash when she bested her fellow country women at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Fraser's winning time of 10.78 seconds was a personal best and 0.20 seconds faster than her Jamaican teammates.

[jamaicantrackfan]

Don’t know about you but somehow and I just not excited by this news.

After Asafa’s injury debacle at Penns and Fraser’s lacklusture performance on the anchor of the womens 4 x 100m, both just don’t get me excited about the meet.

I have been waiting forever to hear if Bolt will be running there but no news yet. As you know, Bolt ran a WR 9.72 beating Tyson at the meet last year. The stadium erupted after this.

Veronica Campbell is expected to be there but with her recent injury, who knows now.

If Bolt and VC are confirmed to be there , then I will get excited again.

[toyracer]

I'm more "excited" by this than the news that Asafa will compete in Doha, as I think that Doha is too soon for his re-injured ankle. Without doubt, the recent doings by MVP in terms of handling Asafa have been chaotic, and that is putting it mildly. And I say that as someone who likes MVP.

[jamaicantrackfan]

Well, if he is running in New York, he better give a good performance to make up for Penn. Jamaicans were very disappointed about Saturday. We wouldn’t want to be disappointed twice. If he is not totally healed or in good shape, he better not run in NY.

So could be see an Asafa versus Tyson in New York since both are signed up for the meet? It would be great to add Bolt to the mix.

[toyracer]

So could be see an Asafa versus Tyson in New York since both are signed up for the meet? It would be great to add Bolt to the mix.

We could, but is Gay signed for the 100 m, or 200 m? I'd certainly like to see Asafa vs Gay.

[TrackDaddy]

Don’t know about you but somehow and I just not excited by this news.

After Asafa’s injury debacle at Penns and Fraser’s lacklusture performance on the anchor of the womens 4 x 100m, both just don’t get me excited about the meet.

I have been waiting forever to hear if Bolt will be running there but no news yet. As you know, Bolt ran a WR 9.72 beating Tyson at the meet last year. The stadium erupted after this.

Veronica Campbell is expected to be there but with her recent injury, who knows now.

If Bolt and VC are confirmed to be there , then I will get excited again.

I wouldnt expect anything close to that this year.

I'd be surprised if Bolt ran at all.

It just seems like JA's intensity and focus is wobbly and the injuries dont help.

[jamaicantrackfan]

Why would you be surprised if Bolt runs? I am sure the meet directors are trying hard as hell to get him there since he is the biggest draw in the sport. Maybe, they cannot come up the the reportedly $200,00 appearance fee he currently commands as per several news reports. That would be their problem and not his.

Asafa’s injury is not said to be serious as per his agent and thus, Doha is still on for him. He should be fine by May 30th for the Reebok met.

VC injury is not said to be serious as she is contemplating running at the Jamaica Invitational on this Saturday and definitely Adidas Track Classic on May 16th.

[shearer39]

What I'm hearing is that he may not have been fully compensated for last year's appearance.

[jamaicantrackfan]

What I'm hearing is that he may not have been fully compensated for last year's appearance.

Okay. who pays for his WR bonus? Is it the meet directors or the IAAF? I believe it is the meet directors.

If he is owed money, he should be able to sue easily for it I think.

[shearer39]

I guess, but i spoke to Peart this afternoon and he said Bolt will not be at the Reebok.

[vip]

See, this is what I'll never understand about track. Why would the absence of Bolt be the meet's loss and not Bolt's? I mean, this is New York we're talking, the media capitol of the world if not the U.S. I'm sure Puma, which is paying Bolt handsomely, would like him to run in NYC for the exposure.

Also, does Bolt understand that he's a track star and not an NBA or NFL star? He needs all the exposure he can get, especially in this, a non-Olympic year. It's not like he's raking in the dough at the rate of stars from the major U.S. sports, and also soccer. By comparison, he's getting chump change. His handlers should beware of pricing Bolt out of the market. If New York can't afford him, then what meet in the U.S. can?

Hell, even Phelps is making more money than Bolt. A swimmer. Imagine that. This tells you how far track has slid in this country, and it's wise for Bolt and MVP to take that into account and adjust their asking price accordingly.

Oh, and by the way, a message for Bolt and MVP: I'm watching the meet whether he runs or not.

[Cojo]

Does anyone know if Bolt will be running in any events in the US prior to Worlds ? I was so hoping he would run in NY because I would be there for sure.

[Cojo]

Hell, even Phelps is making more money than Bolt. A swimmer. Imagine that. This tells you how far track has slid in this country, and it's wise for Bolt and MVP to take that into account and adjust their asking price accordingly.

Yes I do not understand that either. Is it because Bolt runs for Jamaica and not the US or Great Britain. I hear his agent talking about a $10 million a year goal for Bolt. I mean Bolt is both the Olympic champion and world record holder who set his world records on the sports biggest stage. If he can't draw 10 million a year as the top athlete in the sport then track is in trouble - I mean second tier B-Ball players do better. I have long believed that one of T&F's problems is that the sport is too reliant on the Olympics for its 15 seconds of fame. Track needs big annual meets to keep its athletes in the public consciousness every year .

[vip]

Bolt could've broken 3 world records at the Olympics and still wouldn't command more than the sixth man on the average NBA team. It's a matter of demand, no more or less. Nobody is anxious to cough up $500 to sit at the finish line at track meets in the U.S., as they would to sit courtside at basketball or at the 50 yard line in football. Plus, there are only what, five or six big domestic meets every summer? And they draw what, roughly 7,000 fans if that? And TV pays what to televise track, oh, let's suppose a heckuva lot less than the major sports get from the networks.

Therefore, track stars, even the big names, cannot realistically expect huge paydays from meet promoters. Especially in a post-Olympic year. Especially in this economic climate, where people are being very stubborn with their disposable dollars.

What kills me is how some track athletes manage to avoid each other until the Worlds or the year-end meets. There's no reason why Gay, Bolt and Powell should not race each other at Reebok, adidas or Pre. This doesn't help the sport; it hurts the sport. And given where it sits in the pecking order, track needs all the help it can get from the top stars to generate even the slightest bit of interest from sports fans.

[Cojo]

Nobody is anxious to cough up $500 to sit at the finish line at track meets in the U.S., as they would to sit courtside at basketball or at the 50 yard line in football. Plus, there are only what, five or six big domestic meets every summer? And they draw what, roughly 7,000 fans if that? And TV pays what to televise track, oh, let's suppose a heckuva lot less than the major sports get from the networks..

Well I happen to think it is a marketing problem. How many people out there can name two of the fix or six dosmetic meets that you refer to ? I mean the first time I heard of the Reebox Grand Prix was when Bolt set his world record there last summer. The IAAF needs to do a better job of organizing and marketing events where the top athletes compete against each other. This of course means they have to pay the athletes to appear. If the top athletes appear the networks are more likely to carry the meet on TV which is good for the sport since it increases the profile of track. I hope the proposed Diamond League materializes and gives track and field the respect it deserves.