VISA Indoor Series TV Ratings UP: They Love Us, 22 percent more! by Alfons Juck, Note by Larry Eder

The VISA Indoor Series, which consisted of the Millrose Games (Jan.30), Reebok Boston Indoor Games ( Feb.7), Tyson Invitational ( Feb. 13), and the VISA USATF Indoor Champs ( Feb. 28-March 1) had a nice improvement in TV Ratings.

Jenn Stuczynski broke the AR twice during the VISA Indoor Series! Photo by Photorun.net.

There are a lot of moving pieces in the VISA Indoor series. Thanks needs to go to the sponsors, VISA ( Michael Lynch and his team), Global Athletics ( Mark Wetmore, Rich Kenah and their team, who put on MIllrose, Reebok and Tyson), Nike ( John Capriotti, Josh Rowe and their team), adidas (Spencer Nel and team), PUMA ( Matt Taylor and team), Reebok ( Todd Klein, Jennifer Thomas, Patrick Joyce and team),television crews and talent, USATF Marketing and Communications, the athletes, agents, media and yes, track fans.
Why am I trying to note all that played a part? I remember an interview with Pat Clohessy, after his athlete, Rob de Castella had won a particularly humid and difficult
Commonwealth Games marathon. Pat had his list of ” one hundred”. all of the folks that helped make Rob successful. As a former educator, Pat was trying to show, by example, that no success comes easy.
The sport should be proud to consider, that in this difficult economic time, our sport is actually doing very well. Kudos to Drake Relays ( and their presenting sponsor, ASICS, joing the VISA Outdoor series for a nice ” Relays” weekend.
INDIANAPOLIS (USA): USA Track & Fieldâ€˜s signature series of events, the Indoor Visa Championship Series, in 2009 saw a huge increase in ratings for its ESPN shows as well as a significant bump in ratings for the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Ratings on ESPN, which carried coverage of the Reebok Boston Indoor Games and Tyson Invitational, were up 22 percent over 2008, earning a .50 average rating. Ratings for ESPN2â€˜s coverage of the 2009 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, the finale event of the Visa Championship Series, were up nine percent over 2008, with a .51 rating. ESPN2 broadcasts for the season overall were up 2 percent, averaging .45 for the Indoor Visa Championship Series. Informs USATF. The 2009 Outdoor Visa Championship Series will kick off April 25-26 with “Relays Weekendâ€œ on ESPN2. For the first time, USATF will bring the excitement of both the Penn Relays and the Drake Relays to national television audiences. USA vs. The World at the Penn Relays will air from 4-6 p.m. on April 25, with the Drake Relays on the air April 26 from 2-3:30 p.m.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck.
For more on the sport, check http://www.american-tracandfield.com

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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