The Prefontaine Classic: The World's Best Track & Field Meet

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The Prefontaine Classic is the world's best professional invitational track & field meet, as scored by the sport's global governing body World Athletics. Originally created in 1975 as a living memorial to distance running legend Steve Prefontaine, the 2025 edition of the meet celebrated its 50th running. From a sold-out crowed, to two world records, to dozens of Pre Classic alumni recognized -- the 50th edition was one for the history books.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

The 50th edition of The Prefontaine Classic set the standard for track & field events not just in the United States, but across the globe. In addition to being the top-ranked single day invitational meet in the entire world, as scored by World Athletics, Pre Classic showed the potential and power of storytelling around athletics events.

Dozens of athletes, both current professionals and retired legends, were intentionally engaged in the celebration and storytelling of the event. Through Pre Classic content, their own channels, and coordinated media appearances, they talked about what it is that makes the Pre Classic so special year over year: The fans and community. We saw this firsthand when said athletes engaged with fans both in-stadium and in our hospitality section. Whether it was a fan getting a photo with the legendary Bernard Lagat, or a fan getting champagne poured into her mouth by reigning Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall (it happened!), the feedback was "that's SO cool -- where else could that happen?"

Pre Classic's social media channels also generated over 70 million impressions thanks to a diverse array of content, from archived photos and videos, to graphics, to written features, to modern-day cinematic and iPhone footage.

Objective

The Pre Classic began in earnest in 1973 as the Hayward Restoration Meet. Bill Bowerman and the Oregon Track Club put on the event to help raise funds for the renovation of the West Grandstands at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. On May 30th, 1975, eight days before that year's meet, American distance running icon, Olympian, and Oregon Duck Steve Prefontaine died in a tragic car accident. Two days later, it was announced that the meet would be renamed to The Prefontaine Classic in his honor.

Fast forward 50 years, and the meet's intention remains the same: To serve as a living memorial to Steve Prefontaine by bringing the world's best athletes and competition to Hayward Field each year. As the years went on, that ambition of being the best expanded to all facets of a live event: Fan experience, hospitality, media, storytelling, content, merchandise -- the list goes on and continues to expand as we strive to better ourselves year over year.

Strategy & Execution

The Prefontaine Classic has evolved to being an event that exists far beyond a track & field meet: It's an all-day fan experience. 

Fans are welcomed by The Marshfield District -- Pre Classic's free fan festival named after Steve Prefontaine's neighborhood. In addition to food trucks and a beer garden, it has photo ops, athlete meet & greets, and exclusive merchandise. It is open for the hours both before and after the meet, so fan engagement extends beyond the stadium.

Fans with a VIP pass have access to the separate VIP area before and after the meet, which includes all-inclusive food, an all-inclusive premium bar, live entertainment, a pre-meet live show (a la College Game Day), a viewing area into athlete warmups, a professional photographer, and even more athlete meet & greets.

Once the meet starts, the athletes truly shine. There is literally never a full minute without live sports action. Additionally, the venue Hayward Field itself was created for the modern sports fan. It is called "a theater for track & field" because there is not a bad angle, so whether the action is viewed in-person, on television, or via a fan's video on social media -- the competition is visible and the obvious focus.

Organizations

• TrackTown USA

  The Prefontaine Classic

  Oregon Track Club

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Athletes who made significant impact on the event in its first 49 editions were honored in-person

• and/or used in the event’s creative elements. 

  Perhaps most notably was the return of Maria Mutola

• the Pre Classic’s winningest athlete of all-time with 16 victories in the Pre Classic 800m and 1000m to her name. Part of the meet’s 50^th edition celebration included the dedication of the women’s 800m to Mutola
• henceforth known as the “Mutola 800m.” Pre Classic flew Mutola from her home in Mozambique to the event
• her return to Hayward Field for the first time since retiring from professional competition. 

  All other athletes listed below were hosted in-person by the meet at Hayward Field

• and/or participated in media surrounding the history of the meet
• and/or appeared in marketing collateral.  

   

  Heritage athletes hosted in-person: 

  • Gail Devers

  • 3x Olympic Champion 

  • Reece Hoffa

  • World Champion and 2x Olympic finalist 

  • Bernard Lagat

  • 5x World Champion 

  • Maria Mutola

  • Olympic Champion and world record-holder 

  • Connie Price Smith

  • Olympian and 5x National Champion 

  • Alan Webb

  • Olympian and 4x National Champion 

   

  Heritage athletes with media appearances on behalf of the meet: 

  • Maria Mutola 

  • Gail Devers 

  • Bernard Lagat 

  • Alan Webb 

   

  Current professional athletes used for Pre50 brand and cobranded product promotion:

  • Cole Hocker

  • Janee' Kassanavoid

  • Sinclaire Johnson

  • Elliott Cook

   

  Current professional athletes who headlined the meet and promoted it through their digital channels and coordinated media appearances:

  • Sha'Carri Richardson

  • Sydney McLaughlin Levrone

  • Julien Alfred

  • Melissa Jefferson

  • Cole Hocker

  • Yared Nuguse

  • Grant Fisher

  • Faith Kipyegon

  • Georgia Hunter-Bell

  • Jessica Hull

  • Tara Davis-Woodhall

  • Jasmine Moore

  • Malaika Mihambo

  • Hunter Woodhall

  • Orla Comerford

  • Noah Malone

  • Joe Kovacs

  • Leonardo Fabbri

  • Rajindra Campbell

  • Mondo Duplantis

  • Sam Kendricks

  • Ersu Sasma

  • Mary Moraa

  • Athing Mu

  • Jemma Reekie

  • Kishane Thompson

  • Christian Coleman

  • Quincy Hall

  • Matthew Hudson-Smith

   

  Current and heritage athletes featured on the meet’s poster

• printed and distributed to all fans: 

  • Steve Prefontaine

  • Maria Mutola

  • Sha'Carri Richardson

  • Alan Webb

  • Hicham El Guerrouj

  • Gail Devers

  • Lance Deal

  • Rai Benjamin

  • Reese Hoffa

  • Brittney Reese

  • Mary Decker Slaney

  • Keely Hodgkinson

  • Connie Price Smith

  • Sonya Richards-Ross

  • Valarie Allman

  • Ryan Crouser

  • Joe Kovacs

  • Jakob Ingebrigtsen

  • Michael Johnson

  • Mondo Duplantis 

   

  Current and heritage athletes prominently featured in fan festival design: 

  • Steve Prefontaine

  • Maria Mutola

  • Mac Wilkins

  • Leann Warren

  • Mary Decker Slaney

  • Joaquim Cruz

  • Lance Deal

  • Sergey Bubka

  • Gail Devers

  • Michael Johnson

  • Liu Xiang

  • Sonya Richards-Ross

  • Galen Rupp

  • Faith Kipyegon

  • Elaine Thompson-Herah

  • Chase Ealey 

   

  Current and heritage athletes prominently featured in athlete hotel design: 

  • Steve Prefontaine

  • Maria Mutola

  • Alan Webb

  • Brittney Reese

  • Connie Price Smith

  • Gail Devers

  • Lance Deal

  • Mary Decker Slaney

  • Michael Johnson

  • Reese Hoffa

  • Sonya Richards-Ross 

   

  Athletes prominently featured in the event’s commemorative printed program: 

  • Steve Prefontaine

  • Maria Mutola

  • Alan Webb

  • Galen Rupp

  • Brittney Reese

  • Bernard Lagat

  • Gail Devers

  • Connie Price Smith

  • Andrew Wheating

  • Hicham El Guerrouj

  • Kevin Sullivan

  • Eliud Kipchoge

  • Craig Mottram

  • Mutaz Barshim

Credits

Jody Smith
Pre Classic Co-Meeting Director
The Prefontaine Classic

John Capriotti
Pre Classic Co-Meeting Director
The Prefontaine Classic

Michael Reilly
Chief Executive Officer
TrackTown USA

Karen Ramming
Chief Marketing Officer
TrackTown USA

John Brewer
Chief Revenue Officer
TrackTown USA

Debbie Grant
Chief Business Operations Officer
TrackTown USA

Megan Robertson
Sr. Director, Entertainment Experience
TrackTown USA

Grant Silverstein
Director, Venue and Sport Operations
TrackTown USA

John Lucas
Sr. Director, Business Operations
TrackTown USA

Eric Peterson
Director, Sport Engagement
TrackTown USA

Makayla Scurlock
Event Coordinator
TrackTown USA

Tasa Leoso
Director of Services
TrackTown USA

Annie Boos
Director, Video Production
TrackTown USA

Tyler DeWaard
Creative Producer and Editor
TrackTown USA

Maddy Castleberry
Social Media Producer
TrackTown USA

Jake Willard
Brand Director
TrackTown USA

Eli Rosen-Duran
Events Manager
TrackTown USA

Aubrianna Lantrip
Competition & Athlete Services Manager
TrackTown USA

Justin McIntyre
Art Director
TrackTown USA

Kennedy Schull
Director, Ticketing
TrackTown USA

Natalie Baltierra
Sr. Manager, CRM Marketing
TrackTown USA

Jeff Oliver
Sr. Manager, Media Relations and Operations
TrackTown USA

Alexis Evans
Sr. Manager, Strategic Programs
TrackTown USA

Danny Bowman
Sr. Manager, Engagement
TrackTown USA

Janet Brown
Development Manager
TrackTown USA

Nathan Woods
Hospitality Manager
TrackTown USA

Natalie Uhl
Director, Digital Marketing and Communications
TrackTown USA

Konner Uratsuka
Sales and Services Manager
TrackTown USA

Kate Walkup
Social Media Manager
TrackTown USA