Why track and field meets aren't becoming popular despite featuring some of the best athletes in the world? A look into the intricacies of the sport

Track and field has been struggling, leaving fans across the globe frustrated. While the sport has more than its fair share of impressive athletes and performances, its popularity has stalled due to a lack of promotion.

The story has been the same for decades, but there was a brief glimmer of hope back when Usain Bolt entered the sport. With his record-breaking times and eye-catching celebrations, the Jamaican drew fans in huge numbers to the stadium as well as the screens.

However, that stint of glory was short-lived with the following and hype falling once again when Bolt decided to hang up his shoes. Unfortunately, even after the Olympic legend called time on his career, track and field has seen plenty of extraordinary athletes, all now competing in relative anonymity.

Fans have expressed concerns about the lack of promotion of track and field sports. While most popular games see plenty of social media ads, physical banners, announcements and overall hype surrounding any event, track and field doesn't seem to have any of this.

Noah Lyles, five-time World Champion, recently complained that he hadn't seen a single ad for the upcoming USATF Olympic Team Trials, writing on X (formerly Twitter),

“I haven't seen one commercial for the T&F Olympic trials. Is that just me?”

Plenty of track fans expressed their frustration in response to Lyles' tweet, saying that apart from the almost non-existent advertisements for the event, it was also difficult to find any information about the trials, in general, online.

Noah Lyles and his mission to transform track and field

While track and field has indeed been struggling, Noah Lyles has been outspoken on his intent to transform the sport. The American has been a consistent force on the track, becoming the first sprinter since the legendary Usain Bolt to clinch the revered sprint treble, winning the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at the 2024 Budapest World Athletics Championships.

However, in a rare feat, Lyles has managed to live up to his name off the track as well. The 26-year-old has gained widespread popularity for organizing NFL-inspired walk-ins for fellow athletes, delighting fans and drawing a new crowd to the sport.

Lyles has also been the driving force in a Netflix documentary centered around him and fellow American sprinters and also hosts his podcast. With the track and field's biggest event, the Olympic Games, fast approaching, fans will hope to see better marketing and promotions increase the popularity of the sport.