Consortium of meet directors announce new pro track series for 2021...

 

Action in the 2019 Portland Track Festival, one of
the participating meets in the new domestic pro circuit
debuting in 2021 (Paul Merca photo)

LOS ANGELES--A consortium of meet directors announced the formation of what hopefully will be a successful attempt at a domestic professional track & field season with the newly created 2021 Pro Track Series.

The series initially consists of seven meets, staged by the directors of Sound Running, Portland Track, Drake Relays, Music City Distance Carnival, and the Ed Murphey Classic, beginning with the Track Meet on May 14th & 15th in Los Angeles.

It then moves north to Portland on May 29th for the Portland Track Festival, followed two days later by the Iowa High Performance Meet in Des Moines.

The first half of the series concludes with the Music City Carnival in Nashville on June 4th & 5th.

After a break for the US Olympic Trials, the circuit resumes with the Under Armour Sunset Tour I on July 10th, followed by part II a week later, both at an undetermined site in Southern California.

The series concludes after the Olympics on August 14th with the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis.

Athletes will compete against each other for prize money through a point system at six established meets and one new event—the Iowa High Performance.

According to an article published Tuesday on the Runner's World site, the goal with this new series is to create equal opportunities across event groups. By providing the same amount of competition offerings for distance runners, sprinters, jumpers, and throwers to earn points and prize money at each event, the meet directors hope to generate more excitement, not only within individual event groups but also with a unique competition in overall series standings (which will include an additional prize money structure).

Former Seattle resident, Brooks Running sports marketing executive and current Sound Running owner Jesse Williams is one of the driving forces behind the new circuit, along with another former Seattle resident, Dave Milner, the meet director of the Music City Carnival.

“We need an actual formal season, and we need it to be convenient for athletes, something to build a fan base,” Williams told Runner's World.

“It’s pathetic that all the best athletes in America go to a different continent for most of their racing," said Milner.

“We are excited to bring to track & field athletes and fans a collection of meets that will attract the country’s best talent. The Series will also focus on entertaining the fans attending and all those watching at home,” said Craig Rice of the Portland Track Festival.

The TrackTown Summer Series run by TrackTown USA was the last attempt at a pro domestic summer circuit in 2016 & 2017. while the American Track League, run by agent Paul Doyle, made an attempt in 2014-2016.

The consortium's press release is available here, while an in depth interview with Williams and Milner promoting the circuit is available here.

NOTE: Sound Running, the Music City Carnival & Runner's World contributed to this report.

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