The US may have won the medals count at the 2009 world athletics championship, but the lack of first-hand coverage of the sport is a warning alarm for track in the States.
Phil Hersh of chicago tribune, Chris Clarey of nytimes/herald tribune, Pat Graham of ap and Gene Cherry of reuters were the only American writers in Berlin working for US newspapers.
Of course newspapers are going through big changes the world over, but to have only 4 reporters at the world championships is a worry for the sport in a nation the size of the USA.
Joking aside, it may also be because the US doesn’t have the marquee athlete of the season: No FloJo, Carl, Michael Johnson or for that matter Usain Bolt to rally around the flag with…
TV coverage in the US was great this year. Over two hours live every morning on cable with nightly repeats. Plus an additional two plus hours of live coverage in high-def each day on the weekends on the standard network channels.
As mentioned newspapers are in dire straights, the lack of print reporters in Berlin is probably due to financial reasons. Papers in the states just go to the “wire” (Associated Press) for those stories.