Drake to Host Blue Oval Showcase Presented by Mediacom

The Blue Oval Showcase will safely feature some of the world's top professional talents in a one-day event without fans in attendance.

Blue Oval Showcase presented by Mediacom FAQ

Drake Stadium will host a one-of-a-kind professional track & field competition Aug. 29 with the Blue Oval Showcase presented by Mediacom, Blake Boldon, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays announced Monday afternoon.

Boldon announced the one-time event will feature professional athletes on the Jim Duncan Track, affectionately known worldwide as the Blue Oval. The return of track & field competition to Des Moines will be conducted within safety guidelines recommended by campus, local, and state health and safety officials, and national and international track & field governing bodies.

"For months, our staff has been in constant communication and collaboration with local leadership and USA Track & Field to create an event that returns the sport of track and field to competition safely," Boldon said. "With the health and well-being of the athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and our community of paramount concern, we're excited to be the first significant professional track & field competition to be staged on American soil since March," 

 "We are excited to partner with the Drake Relays on this entirely new and unique event," Mediacom SVP of Field Operations Ed Pardini said. "Mediacom is always on the cutting edge of what's next and this innovative showcase is exactly that."

Safety measures for the Blue Oval Showcase presented by Mediacom include the absence of ticketed fans from Drake Stadium. Only athletes and officials will be allowed on the competition surface and a limited number of event staff and credentialed athlete support staff will be allowed in the stadium seating area. Seating in the first four rows surrounding the Blue Oval will not be permitted and the total number of individuals inside Drake Stadium will not exceed 10 percent of the venue's reduced capacity.

Physical distancing guidelines for all competitors, officials and support staff will be in place as well as mandatory mask usage where appropriate. Through coordination with campus, local, and state officials, the Blue Oval Showcase will also feature protocols for transportation, host hotels, meals, competition areas and a pre-arrival protocol education required for all athletes, officials and support personnel traveling to Des Moines.

The schedule of events for the Blue Oval Showcase includes sprints, hurdles, field events, and the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships. The competitions exclusively occurring inside Drake Stadium are ones deemed low risk by USA Track & Field. The USATF 1 Mile Road Championships, previously scheduled as part of the Grand Blue Mile races in April, will be limited to approximately 10 male and 10 female participants and will finish on the Blue Oval.

Athletes will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms upon their arrival to Central Iowa and events on the track will place competitors in every other lane to maximize the health of participants and officials. Athletes competing in the USATF 1 Mile Championship will be required to provide proof of a negative test before they arrive in Des Moines and will again be tested in Des Moines before competition. If an athlete's first test is positive, they will not be allowed to travel to the meet. If an athletes' test conducted in Des Moines has a positive result, the athlete will not be eligible to compete. They will be provided with local contact information to seek treatment and investigate signs and symptoms.

"While we were disappointed to postpone the 111th Drake Relays presented by Xtream, it was certainly the right decision given the thousands of competitors and spectators that would be on our campus and community during our annual week-long celebration," Boldon said. "But we are excited and confident, with the encouragement of our local partners, that we can host an event such as the Blue Oval Showcase with the safety protocols we have in place."

Additional exciting details regarding the schedule, athletes and information on television and streaming viewing options will be shared in the coming days and weeks.

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