With two world records, four Diamond League records, seven Prefontaine Classic records, seven national records, and eight world-leading marks, the 2025 Prefontaine Classic was nothing short of historic. Fans lined up for hours before the meet even began, eager to soak in every moment, from exclusive shoe drops and buzzing merch tents to the electric atmosphere at the gates. This year’s edition was a track lover’s dream, cementing itself as the greatest single-day meet in history. And now, with the resounding success of Pre-50, organizers have just announced the dates for the 2026 Prefontaine Classic, exciting news for fans everywhere.

The Pre-50 stadium was sold out, with over 12,000 fans lining up to witness their favorite athletes in action. The 2025 Prefontaine Classic proved to be a spectacular success, racking up 98,121 points, the highest ever for a single-day invitational meeting in World Athletics history. Only the two-day 2023 Prefontaine Classic, which doubled as that year’s Diamond League Final, had ever scored higher. With the conclusion of the World Athletics Championships, the organizers have dropped the news 2026 season.

The 51st Prefontaine Classic is set to ignite Hayward Field at the University of Oregon on July 4, 2026, yes, you read that right, on Independence Day! This year, the event promises world-class track & field action, perfectly timed with the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Kicking things off, young talents aged 12 and under can shine at the Oregon Track Club All-Comers Meet on Wednesday, July 1.

TrackTown USA, the organizers of the Prefontaine Classic, announced on its website this Monday that details about tickets and other events will be shared at a later date. They anticipate an even larger audience this year, following last year’s turnout, which saw over 4,000 fans travel from outside Oregon to witness the action. “We’re very happy with how much the community and fans turned out,” said TrackTown USA spokesperson Karen Ramming.

He further added, “Over 4,000 tickets sold were from outside the state of Oregon, which is sick, and just everybody showing up for this five-hour window is incredible. And you know, you saw the line wrapping around the stadium to get in this morning, so I think it’s very safe to say that we are very happy.” Well, next year’s event is certainly expected to be big, but one thing still lingers in the shadows: the broadcasting quality.

NBC faces scrutiny over the Prefontaine Classic broadcast

Let’s Run’s Jonathan Gault has sharply criticized NBC’s track coverage, highlighting a lack of knowledgeable commentators and poor preparation. At the Pre-50, the broadcasters failed to identify top finishers in real time and neglected basic results and context, which was necessary, as many fans don’t know the background of certain athletes. For a race featuring world-class competition, the coverage lacked even fundamental coherence.

Gault pointed out that the women’s 800m exposed the shortcomings, or we could say the intent of NBC to hire better commentators. As Tsige Duguma and Prudence Sekgodiso battled down the stretch, commentator Leigh Diffey did not even mention Sekgodiso. Athing Mu-Nikolayev’s finishing time was also omitted. Analyst Ato Boldon, experienced in sprints, appeared out of place in mid-distance coverage.

Well, that’s not all; the Bowerman Mile repeated the pattern. Dutch teenager Niels Laros crossed the finish line first; however, his name was not announced for the initial fifteen seconds. Gault believes that NBC should be serious about how they broadcast the event. In the meantime, he praised the Diamond League world feed, which relies on expert commentary, wider angles, and prepared analysis. While talking about NBC, he argued that they prioritized familiar faces over expertise, which delivered an ineffective broadcast.