Menu
Events and Attractions

IAAF Comes To Oregon Seeking Assurances On Hayward Field Preparedness For '21 Event

An IAAF delegation looking to "connect with local organizing committee TrackTown USA" arrived in Oregon on Monday for the "first of what will be many site visits" in advance of the '21 World Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Hayward Field, according to Chris Hansen of the Eugene REGISTER-GUARD. IAAF CEO Olivier Gers also "came looking for assurances that Hayward Field will be ready to host the meet, scheduled for Aug. 6-15, 2021." A "massive renovation to the nearly 100-year-old stadium was promised when Eugene was awarded the meet" in '15. Hayward Field "must be able to accommodate a minimum of 30,000 fans a day during the meet," which will mark the first time the U.S. will host the World Outdoor Championship. The venue currently has a "listed capacity of 10,500 permanent seats but has reached close to 25,000 when temporary seating was installed for the Olympic Trials" in '08, '12 and '16. Univ. of Oregon Foundation President & CEO Paul Weinhold said that construction is "expected to begin this summer, sometime after the NCAA Outdoor championship meet in June, and last through 2019 with no break." Gers yesterday met with Weinhold and "came away confident the renovation is still on track." Gers: "All I can tell you is on a global basis, we’re not worried." Hansen notes even an "expanded Hayward Field will be the smallest venue to host the world championships" (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 1/18).

ISSUES REMAIN: In Portland, Ken Goe notes the championships are more than three years away, but there are "unresolved issues, such as repeated delays to required renovations of Hayward Field, and a reported FBI investigation into how the championships were awarded." Getting fans in and out of an event at Hayward is a "problem." There also is "little adjacent parking and arterial access is limited." Gers "begged off a question" about the reported FBI investigation (Portland OREGONIAN, 1/18).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/01/18/Events-and-Attractions/IAAF.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/01/18/Events-and-Attractions/IAAF.aspx

CLOSE