Track and field may be one of the most-anticipated sports now due to the upcoming Paris Olympics, but for the rest of the season, the popularity has unfortunately been lacking. Several veterans have since commented on how they need to witness a reform in the sport. However, Noah Lyles went a step further and drew comparisons with another sport that caught the public’s ire last year.
In the recent Netflix documentary series ‘Sprint’, episode 6 – “The Double is Alive”, he recalled his bold statement about the NBA during his post-victory press conference. After winning the gold in the 100m category at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Lyles was hyped up for the world to witness.
During the conference, he spoke up about his love for the sport and how he wished to see more of it highlighted in the world. He firmly believed that his medals were a “stepping stone” to contribute more to the sport.
“I think I’ve said a lot of times, I’m ready to transcend the sport. So yes. The medals are first because if you don’t have the medals, then who’s going to want to pay attention to you?”
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Medals helped him capture the spotlight that the world would otherwise not shine on track and field athletes or sports. It gave him the credibility to draw the attention and curiosity of the masses. This acted as a boost for more views.
However, this led to him drawing a clear disparity between the sport he loved versus a sport that was much more popular in a big nation like America. He admitted how it hurt him to see the title of World Champion being misused for NBA players when he witnessed more representation in track and field.
“World champion of what?! The United States?! Don’t get me wrong. I love the US. But that is not the world!”
Speaking in the documentary, he recalled how his animosity wasn’t even directed towards the NBA specifically. He got a lot of hate from people who felt he was targeting another popular sport. Although it wasn’t his intention to do so. Yet, there was a silver lining to the situation that he gleefully pointed out.
“In my mind, all I saw was ‘oh, this is just an opportunity to help push the narrative of track and field.”
Eventually, NBA elites like Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed with the track and field icon and his bold take. Track legend Michael Johnson also added his take on the controversy. He pointed out how Lyles would go the extra mile to talk about the sport and create a conversation. That’s what he also stressed in a recent interview, emphasizing breaking away from some traditions.
Noah Lyles proposed modernizing track and field beyond the Olympics
Now that track and field has been gaining some traction, athletes are coming out and wanting to bring something new. Noah Lyles recently sat down for an interview where he revealed his take on track and field viewership. He also shared his opinion on how he felt one could improve it.
His main concern was for sports fans to break free from the Olympic model that it seemed to follow. Lyles’ take was valid since it was the only time that the sport would witness a boost in views. Innovation was necessary to keep the intrigue and interest surrounding the sport throughout the year. Modernizing could help track and field with a more robust model so it didn’t have to depend on the Olympics all the time.
