183: Is Athletics A Dying Sport? (And Can We Save It)
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges facing athletics as a sport, including audience engagement and athlete valuation.
Following Josh Kerr’s comments that the prize money for breaking the One Mile World Record was “ridiculous” and “appalling”, we take a closer look at the state of athletics and ask a bigger question: why does one of the world’s most popular participation sports struggle to attract the audience and attention it deserves? With low attendances at major events, including this week’s European Championships in Birmingham, and athletes increasingly questioning whether their performances are properly valued, we explore the disconnect between the millions of people who run and the relatively small number who watch athletics. Andy shares his own journey to the world stage, the sacrifices it took to get there, and what success really meant to him. Was it the financial reward, the achievement itself, or the pride of representing your country? We also look at what World Athletics is doing to modernise the sport, attract new audiences and make athletics a more attractive prospect - and ask whether these initiatives can actually secure the future of the sport. The Running Channel Podcast tackles one big topic each episode, amongst helpful tips and light-hearted chat on the latest news in the…
People in this episode
Hosts: Andy Baddeley, Sarah Hartley, Rick Kelsey
Topics covered
- athletics
- sports audience
- prize money
- running
- event attendance
- modernization of sports
Keywords
- athletics
- running
- prize money
- audience engagement
- sports modernization
- European Championships
- Josh Kerr
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: World Athletics
Places: Birmingham
More episodes of The Running Channel Podcast
- 186: HIIT or Heavy Weights: What Makes You A Better Runner?
- 185: The Secret to Running Stronger as You Get Older
- 184: Fuelling Has Become Too Complicated. Here’s What Actually Matters
- 182: Are Trail Runners Happier Than Road Runners?
- 181: The Science Behind Cross-Training: Does It Make You a Better Runner?
- 180: Are Runners Addicted To Racing?
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Running Channel Podcast podcast page.