The Amateur
Tracksmith
Early 2022, we talked about what presence Tracksmith could have at the World Championships in Eugene, OR (held on US soil for the first time). Tracksmith’s CEO/founder, Matt Taylor suggested a newspaper. “Give them away for free outside the stadium. People will love it,” he said. Matt’s an enthusiastic and earnest individual – he wasn’t joking.
We had no official presence in town. Our editorial team was made up of two people. We went to work.
We had no official presence in town. Our editorial team was made up of two people. We went to work.
As editor, I commissioned a team of 20+ freelance writers, photographers and illustrators to produce three editions of The Amateur, a classic tabloid newspaper. (Some highlights included commissioning a track-themed crossword from New Yorker crossword compiler Adrienne Raphel).
I found the nearest newspaper printing press in Eugene (Oregon Lithoprint Inc., 60 miles away) and managed print production and newspaper distribution (hiring a team of college students to help on-the-ground).
I found the nearest newspaper printing press in Eugene (Oregon Lithoprint Inc., 60 miles away) and managed print production and newspaper distribution (hiring a team of college students to help on-the-ground).
The newspaper was a romantic way to circumvent the brain fog that comes with scrolling and searching for up-to-date stories on your phone. In a world of social media and email newsletters, plus the myriad of podcasts and digital publications, we wanted to do something different, and getting 10,000+ copies of The Amateur into the hands of track fans felt like a great thing to do.
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Publisher: Matt Taylor, Tracksmith
Editor: Sheridan Wilbur
Creative Director: Rafael Oliveira
Managing Editor: Andy Waterman
Editor-at-large: Liam Boylan-Pett
Designer: Peter Francia
