TrackTown USA

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

TrackTown USA connects fans and new audiences to the sport, community, and athletes they love through its digital ecosystem of social media (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X), website, and email. With a combined audience of over one half million across those seven mediums, the team has implemented an effective content and distribution strategy that creates connection through intentional content and messaging creation and modification. 

The digital content strategy does not rely on competition highlights, but instead the moments between the results when real, meaningful connection is made between athletes and fans. The team has been trained to identify when and how to capture these organic moments, as well as when and how to work with TrackTown USA’s media operations team to facilitate even more moments. 

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

A consistent sentiment in the digital marketing world of track & field is frustration around the limited rights for filming and distributing competition highlights. Since TrackTown USA’s revamped digital strategy, the organization has demonstrated that while competition highlights are always great to have, they are far from essential to providing coverage and connection to a sport’s digital audience. 

Over the past three years, we’ve seen key social-first content capture opportunities that TrackTown USA pioneered appear at multiple events around the world: Fashion-forward athlete arrivals, glam bot-inspired studios for medal capture, and a lounge space where Content Creators can create directly with athletes. The execution of these spaces was achieved by integration between the digital and media operations team, proving that a thriving ecosystem is essential for overall success. An ecosystem such as the one that the TrackTown USA social, web, and email teams have created to achieve digital success. 

Objective

TrackTown USA is in a unique position within the world of track & field. As a company, our objective is to host premier track & field events at Hayward Field. However, as a brand, our objective is to represent and foster community dedicated to the sport and its athletes. Our town has been dubbed “TrackTown USA” for decades—long before the world wide web became accessible by the masses. The channel-specific content and distribution strategies applied to our digital ecosystem were created to serve track & field’s global fanbase, and bring the world to TrackTown USA—if only through their screens. 

With the extremely limited competition highlight rights that exist within the sport, the digital team strategizes connection to not be primarily around the athletic performances, but instead all the moments in between. By identifying and executing on these “in between moments” on a regular basis, our TrackTown USA channels were able to carve out an effective niche in an industry where coverage is dominated by results. 

Strategy & Execution

We (and all sports marketers) know that every sports fan is different, and their preferred way of engaging with a sport or athlete is different. Even the bucket of “digital sports fans” can be divided by fan demographic, platform usage, preferred content style, and more.

By creating this ecosystem with channel-specific strategy and content, we strive to meet as diverse of a digital sports fan base as possible without sacrificing quality. Prioritization plays a key role in its implementation, as we also know that not every fan can be met at their preferred place and medium. 

Organizations

• TrackTown USA

Links

•   YouTube
•   Instagram
•   TikTok
•   X

Credits

Natalie Uhl
Director, Digital Marketing and Communications
TrackTown USA

Natalie Baltierra
Sr. Manager, CRM Marketing
TrackTown USA

Maddy Castleberry
Social Media Producer

Kate Walkup
Social Media Manager
TrackTown USA

Annie Boos
Director, Video Production
TrackTown USA

Tyler DeWaard
Creative Producer / Editor
TrackTown USA

Justin McIntyre
Art Director
TrackTown USA

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

Myelle Norton
Social Media Intern
TrackTown USA

Owen Murray
Media Intern
TrackTown USA

Sage Veek-Petersen
Video Production Intern
TrackTown USA

Karen Ramming
Chief Marketing Officer
TrackTown USA

Rian Yamasaki
Photography Intern
TrackTown USA