Eugene, Oregon—Stanford University’s Cobb Track & Angell Field will be the venue for this year’s 45th NIKE Prefontaine Classic/IAAF Diamond League meet on Sunday, June 30th.
With the ongoing construction of Hayward Field in advance of the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials-Track & Field and the 2021 IAAF World Championships, an alternate site for America’s flagship invitational meet was required. After an extensive search in Oregon and along the West Coast, Stanford’s facility was deemed the best choice to host the NIKE Prefontaine Classic, the only member of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League series of meets in the Western Hemisphere.
“Stanford provides the best combination of excellent facilities, good weather, and institutional support that we encountered,” said longtime Meet Director Tom Jordan. “Their Athletics Department administration has been exceptionally welcoming, and we anticipate being able to provide the fans in the stands and the worldwide television audience a Prefontaine Classic worthy of the name.”
The 2019 NIKE Prefontaine Classic/IAAF Diamond League will be televised by host broadcaster NBC in the US, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Last year’s Pre was viewed over 12 million times by fans around the globe.
Tickets for the 45th annual edition of the NIKE Prefontaine Classic will be available to the general public in mid-March.
Stanford University has a proud track and field tradition that dates back to 1895. In addition to its 922 All-America honors, 64 Olympians, and four NCAA team titles, Stanford has played host to important meets throughout its history, including the 1941 NCAA Championships, the 1932 & 1960 Olympic Trials, and the epic 1962 USA-USSR dual that has been described as “the greatest track meet of all time.” After the facility was renovated in 1996, Cobb Track & Angell Field has been the site of the 2002 and 2003 USATF Championships and is annually home to the Payton Jordan Invitational, the nation’s premier distance running carnival.