Technology has changed the way athletic programs and athletes are publicized and promoted. Most overlooked sports, such as track and field, cross country, swimming, wrestling, and gymnastics have not had the media presence of football, basketball, and baseball. Luckily, the need for media coverage for these sports has been fulfilled.
In 2006, a couple of track & field junkies from Austin created Flotrack – a website (www.flotrack.org) that provided meet coverage, results, workouts, and interviews to be available to the masses. Since ESPN provides minimal track & field media coverage, Flotrack was ideal platform allowing full media attention to be given to cross-country and track athletes and enthusiasts. Flotrack provides coverage from the world championship level, to high school state meets.
Not only does Flotrack give runners a safe haven to explore and retain useful videos and information, but it also gave the coach and athlete a convenient site for recruiting. Coaches (or anyone) can watch meet coverages from all 50 states and a handful of other countries, thanks to Flotrack. Users can also create a profile and upload videos to promote themselves.
The creators of Flotrack really nailed this media idea, allowing athletes to be discovered across the world. Since its popularity in 2006, Flotrack has inspired branches for other sports including swimming (www.floswimming.org), gymnastics (www.gymnastike.org), and cycling (www.cyclingdirt.com).
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I had never heard of Flotrack until I read your blog...thanks for sharing! Technology (social media & websites) may truly change the future of so-called minor sports. Love that track & field finally has a worldwide presence that all can appreciate.
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