by Larry Eder
The American Track League is set to return to our attention and computer screens later this summer when the distinctive track and field cartel hits Atlanta on August 1st.
They will be teaming up with Flotrack will be airing the exciting and unique meet that will act as a final warm up for this summer’s world championships in China and is expected to attract around 5,000 spectators.
Taking place at the Woodruff Physical Education Track, Emory University, the action will follow the same layout to that which we saw last year and include the live entertainment and fan interaction that was also so popular.
That means that fans can once more look forward to being given the opportunity to get up close and personal to the track activity and the cheerleaders while enjoying the live band and DJ that will be in attendance.
Two field events will kickoff the night’s action before the focus turns to the track for eight elite races. With a number of fan involvement events also confirmed. Although unsurprisingly a full participant list hasn’t yet been released, we can expect to see a number of international stars to be performing on the evening.
Already confirmed to be competing is hurdles star Lolo Jones, who finished third in the 100 meter hurdles behind Kristi Castlin when the competition came to the city last year.
Atlanta is of course the home of both Doyle management and the venue where the competition’s seeds were first planted in 2013 in the guise of the Atlanta Grand Prix, and Doyle says he is delighted to bring the event back to the city for a third year in a row: “Atlanta is where the event began back in 2013 and so I felt that it was important to maintain the city’s interest in the ATL. Especially when we are having a more low key year on the whole. We are delighted to be able to to put on this meet and hope to once more bring you something special.
“The meet will be a prelude to the ATL team launch for 2016 but it will be also be a great stand alone event. Our main goal at the ATL is to give fans an experience that they will have for a lifetime.”
By returning to the track schedule in August it of course means that the ATL will not be taking place in May unlike the five meets that were such a success last year. While it’s a shame, it may be the necessary evil that ensures that the organizers can put the majority of their efforts behind their huge launch of a new team model for the competition in 2016.
Planned changes include having an eight-city track and field league, complete with a draft of competitors to take place next February. Something that is of course an incredibly exciting prospect.
Among the cities currently in discussion to become founding members of the league are Atlanta, Boston, Jacksonville, Richmond, Charlotte, St Louis, Sacramento and Portland.
