Seven Reasons to be Excited for the American Track League

Published by SPIKES Magazine on December 16, 2013

With a little help from its founder Paul Doyle, SPIKES gives you seven reasons why the launch of the American Track League – a brand new series of five competitions next May and June – is a great development for the sport of athletics.

1. The American Dream

The USA organises less than two per cent of the 100 or so global outdoor athletics events each year. This five-strong series of events (which could be expanded to seven or eight meets in 2014) offers a great opportunity to showcase the sport in the US.

“I find it absurd that often the top US athletes have to regularly go outside of the US to compete,” says ATL founder Paul Doyle. “I look at one of my athletes like Ty Akins, who is a very solid 13.25 high hurdler. This ranks him seventh or eighth in the US, which makes it hard for him to get competitive opportunities.  Often he travels to competitions and only just manages to cover the cost of his two-way air ticket. Having meets closer to home will help the likes of Ty and other athletes.”

2. More athletes, more athletics

The ATL, in the spring and early summer, should also be a truly global opportunity for many of the Caribbean, African and Canadian athletes based in the US, as well as Europeans athletes.

“The timing is perfect for the European athletes to have competitive opportunities and the chance to earn money over the course of, say, seven weeks,” says Doyle.