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Lead Stories: Thursday, August 28, 2008

USOC Displays Bad Form in Media Summit

Posted April 18th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, SoundOFF, Columns, Olympics

USOC Logo I spotted an interview titled “U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit Press Conference” that featured Brian Clay, Walter Davis, Lashinda Demus, Allyson Felix, Reese Hoffa, Carmelita Jeter, LaShawn Merritt and Terrence Trammell and it left me scratching my head for a minute. Since the US Olympic Track & Field team has yet to be determined, I thought this might be an error.

I dug a little further and discovered that the USOC’s media machine is acting a bit presumptuously, billing their 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit as “a preview of the 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams that will be competing in China.” The USOC member who wrote the article does go on to call the athletes who attended the conference “hopefuls” but, still, it is a bit misleading, to say the least. Sure, all of the athletes who were interviewed are indeed favorites to make the team, but they haven’t made the team yet.
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NY Times Highlights Nike Running’s Innovative Marketing Strategies

Posted October 17th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Gear & Apparel

Nike is one of the many large marketers that are taking huge chunks of money out of their budgets for traditional media and using the funds to develop new, more direct interactions with consumers — not only on the Internet, but also through in-person events.

You can read all about Nike’s programs and alternative marketing efforts, including their creative strategies to target runners, in today’s edition of the New York Times.

To view an online version of the article, please click here

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Podcast 83: DEAN KARNAZES on the ESPY, 24-hr record, and criticisms from Scott Jurek

Posted September 26th, 2007 at 6:17 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Trail / Ultra

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

Episode 83 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with “Ultramarathon Man” DEAN KARNAZES: the recipient of the 2007 ESPY for “Best Outdoor Athlete”.

In the interview Dean talks about the ESPY award, raising money for charity and his attempt to break the 24-hr. running record in Times Square, and the North Face Ultra-Trail du Tour du Mont-Blanc.

Dean also responds to the critical comments made by Scott Jurek in a recent Endurance Planet interview. Jurek’s comments included: “I’m not winning races and performing, I shouldn’t be gracing the cover of magazines, getting a title, or even being okay with accepting a title such as Outside Magazine’s “America’s Best Outdoor Athlete”. I would feel ashamed to have that title.”

Download the podcast to hear Dean discusses these topics, as well as his continued to efforts to inspire others and hopefully increase exposure and available sponsorship money for trail and ultra running, the conflict between his desire to train/compete and a multitude of marketing and promotional obligations.

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Dean Karnazes
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 12.5 MB | Length: 18:13 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

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Coe sees Olympic lessons

Posted September 8th, 2007 at 7:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

In a video interview by Dan Sloan of Reuters, track legend and London Olympics Organizing Committee Chairman Sebastian Coe discusses the lessons to be learned from the IAAF World Championships in Osaka.

Despite the historic and dramatic races and performances at the World Championships, Coe explains that there is a lot that needs to be improved as he prepares for the London 2012 Olympics in terms of marketing, ticket sales, and media campaigns that can turn runners like Tyson Gay and Bernard Lagat into international heroes.

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