While this might be the heart of the track and field season, cross country simply cannot stay out of the headlines. A source close to MileSplit explained this past weekend that Nike Team Nationals (NTN) will be undergoing a name change in 2008 to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). For well over a year rumors have swirled about that Nike would include an individual aspect to their already successful team nationals, and that possibility now seems to be a reality.
While specifics have yet to be released from Nike, an individual aspect would greatly change the dynamics of the fall season. For years the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships have attracted the top distance runners to the group's four regionals, ultimately leading to 8-10 runners from each region taking part in Foot Locker Nationals.
A handful of reported changes will take place as Nike transitions to a team and individual oriented event. For starters, the regional setup that has dominated the event setup for the past four years will change. Wisconsin and Missouri will flip-flop regions, with Wisconsin joining the Heartland and Missouri joining the Midwest. The main reasoning behind these changes is due to geography of the regional championship sites (Wisconsin being closer to Sioux Falls, SD and Missouri being closer to Terre Haute, IN).
One other format change will include a regional championship site move. The Southeast Regional, once held in Hoover, Alabama, will pack up its bags and move to Cary, North Carolina. With so many changes taking place to the NTN process, the overall effects of each decision could create a few concerns.
One of the chief concerns of adding individuals to an already crowded team competition deals with the course. Since its inception, the Nike Team Nationals course at Portland Meadows has received criticism in regards to course layout and how incredibly bad course conditions get with the wet and cold elements the Pacific Northwest consistently shows that time of year.
The addition of individuals may create extra logistical problems, but we're assured those are being taken into consideration. Our source explained that one of the plans to alleviate course congestion will include moving the starting line further back, allowing for an extended opening straightaway.
With a Nike announcement coming in the next few weeks, it will be interesting to see how the cross country community responds to the changes. Last year's implementation of NTN Regionals seemed to go smoothly, but adding another element to the process may be cause for concern.
Additionally, 2008 is the 30th anniversary of Foot Locker Nationals and reports from the Foot Locker camp indicate they are going to go all out with their five events in terms of promotion and meet extras. As further word comes out on the NTN-NXN change MileSplit will continue to keep the high school cross country community posted.