Financial Problems Endanger L.A. Meet

Cash-flow problems and poor ticket sales are threatening the viability of the Powerade Indoor Track and Field Championships, leading organizers to consider canceling the Feb. 11 meet at Staples Center if they can’t fortify its financial underpinnings.

The Los Angeles Track and Field Organizing Committee, which is promoting and producing the meet, secured a three-year sponsorship from Coca-Cola--parent company of the Powerade brand--as well as recent commitments from Time Warner and Wittnauer. Eleven Sydney Olympic medal winners have confirmed their participation, including 100-meter gold medalist and world-record holder Maurice Greene, men’s pole vault silver medalist Lawrence Johnson and women’s pole vault gold medalist Stacy Dragila.

However, LATFOC officials are struggling to balance cash flow and anticipated income against the immense costs of staging the first-time event. Ticket sales were at about 2,000 at last count, an LATFOC executive said last week during a news conference to unveil the $840,000 track manufactured for the meet. Ticket prices are $75, $50 and $25. Tickets for the California Cup High School meet that precedes it are $35, $25 and $15.

“Saying it’s canceled is premature. I’d say that’s possible, but I don’t see it right now,” Rich Perelman, director of communications for the meet and a longtime local track and field official, said Sunday.

“Every meet I’ve ever been involved with has cash-flow problems. The L.A. marathon had cash-flow problems in its early years. From everything I know right now, I can say the situation is fluid, and it’s going to get resolved [today] or Tuesday and, I expect, positively.”

The poor reception for the meet revives questions about why track and field in recent years has failed to win solid fan support in an area that produces so many elite athletes. The 41st L.A. Invitational, held Jan. 20 at the Sports Arena, drew an announced crowd of 6,020, although sources said the paid attendance was probably half that. The Invitational lost its presenting sponsor in 1995 and has not found a new one.

The Powerade meet appeared to have dodged that problem by reaching agreement with Powerade and with Channel 4 to televise the event locally after the NBA All-Star game. Perelman said organizers didn’t expect sales to accelerate until after the L.A. Invitational and after the Super Bowl.