ESPN to Televise TrackTown Summer Series

ESPN to Televise TrackTown Summer Series
ESPN has signed a
multi-year agreement with TrackTown USA to televise the launch of the
TrackTown Summer Series beginning in 2016.
The TrackTown Summer
Series is a new and innovative domestic circuit of scored track and
field meets featuring competition between top teams of elite athletes in
cities on both the East and West coasts. The Series will culminate with
a championship meet at historic Hayward Field on July 29, to be
televised on ESPN or ESPN2.
‰ÛÏThis is outstanding
news for our sport,‰Û TrackTown USA President and 2016 U.S. Olympic
Men‰Ûªs Head Track & Field Coach Vin Lananna said. ‰ÛÏWe look forward to
continuing to explore fresh and creative ways to spark interest in
track and field in the U.S.‰Û
Added ESPN Senior
Director of Programming and Acquisitions Doug White: ‰ÛÏESPN is proud to
work with TrackTown USA and to televise the new TrackTown Summer Series,
which will showcase some of the best athletes in the sport.‰Û
The TrackTown Summer
Series was designed to give American track and field athletes
world-class competitive opportunities on U.S. soil during the summer.
The agreement with ESPN will shine a spotlight on those athletes and
provide viewers with a spectator-friendly window to watch their
extraordinary performances.
Allyson Felix, one
of the most decorated female sprinters of all-time, was enthusiastic in
her praise of both the TrackTown Summer Series and the broadcast
agreement with ESPN.
“I am always looking
for great ways to connect and engage with the fans of track and field,‰Û
Felix said. ‰ÛÏTo be able to do that at home is incredibly special and
I’m excited to see more track televised in the U.S.”
‰ÛÏI‰Ûªm really excited
about this new series of meets,‰Û added Oregon Track Club Elite‰Ûªs Ben
Blankenship. ‰ÛÏBesides the obvious advantages of being able to compete in
the U.S., the fact that ESPN has agreed to televise the series is truly
amazing for the sport of track and field.‰Û
The idea for the
TrackTown Summer Series first surfaced with a trio of High Performance
meets at Hayward Field (2006, 2007, 2008) leading up to the 2008 U.S.
Olympic Trials. It was followed by the highly successful Run TrackTown
High Performance meet held in conjunction with the 2014 IAAF World
Junior Championships.
‰ÛÏWe are excited
about providing expanded competitive opportunities in the U.S. during
the summer for our high-end athletes as they peak for major global
championships,‰Û Lananna said. ‰ÛÏThis kind of national exposure is hugely
valuable for our athletes, fans and the entire sport.‰Û
About TrackTown USA:
TrackTown USA, Inc.
is a non-profit organization committed to setting a standard of
excellence in the sports of track and field and running by hosting
premier events, creating a supportive environment for elite athletic
performances, improving facilities, being a leader in sustainability and
inspiring the next generation of track and field athletes and fans. The
organization is responsible for organizing the 2014 IAAF World Junior
Championships, the 2015 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, the
2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, the 2016 U.S. Olympic
Team Trials‰ÛÓTrack & Field and the 2021 IAAF World Championships.
About ESPN:
ESPN, the world‰Ûªs
leading sports entertainment company, features more than 50 assets ‰ÛÒ
eight U.S. television networks, ESPN International, ESPN Radio,
ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC,
Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent
by The Hearst Corporation.