Organizers Cancel L.A. Meet

Unable to resolve a dispute over the amount and schedule of payments from their title sponsor, organizers of the Powerade Indoor Track and Field Championships canceled the meet Wednesday, another setback in the sport’s recent struggle for local success.

Tickets for the Feb. 11 event at Staples Center, which was also to feature a high school meet, will be refunded at the point of purchase. Tickets purchased through Ticketmaster’s phone or Internet outlets will be refunded to the credit card used for the purchase.

“This thing has driven a stake through my heart,” said Skip Stolley, chairman of the Los Angeles Track and Field Organizing Committee, the event’s promoter and producer.

“It’s an absolute mystery to us how this could happen. Looking at the body of information, we’re just dumbfounded that there could have been any misunderstanding or miscommunication.”

The LATFOC contends Coca-Cola--Powerade’s parent company--agreed to pay $250,000 a year for three years, with the first $250,000 due Jan. 24. However, the LATFOC said its marketing director, Damon Haley, was told by a Coca-Cola representative 11 days ago it understood its obligation to total $250,000 for three years.

Coca-Cola then proposed paying $150,000 this year and $100,000 each of the next two years, but the LATFOC deemed that insufficient to meet its “curtain-up” budget of $250,000 for the first-time meet. After an unsuccessful search for new sponsors--and facing a deadline today to pay athletes’ appearance fees and fees related to a Channel 4 telecast--the LATFOC pulled the plug.

Scott Williamson, a spokesman for Coca-Cola North America, said his company was unfairly portrayed by meet organizers.

“We were frankly shocked when we got the news today the LATFOC had canceled the event,” he said. “From Coca-Cola’s perspective, we remained committed to a high level of support. Despite the rhetoric of the [LATFOC’s] press release, we stand by the offer we made Jan. 29 of $350,000 over three years, and we would welcome the opportunity to work with the LATFOC again if the opportunity arises. We regret they were unable to get the funding they need. . . . I can’t speak to how our offers may have been interpreted or misinterpreted.”

Craig Masback, chief executive officer of USA Track and Field, said he put organizers in touch with potential sponsors but could not provide direct support because of the timing and big shortfall.

“Track meets and sports events are very complicated business ventures,” Masback said. “Los Angeles, a city that can’t support an NFL team, is a particularly challenging city in which to operate.”

Stolley said the LATFOC intends to proceed with its purchase of the $840,000 track built with 11 lanes for Staples Center. The track will be stored in Long Beach.