Here’s a fun fact: LSU’s track and field season starts this weekend.Here’s another fun fact: No one cares.The most successful program in LSU history is also one of the least publicized and least cared about. It’s kind of sad, but at the same time completely understandable.The blame lies mostly with the LSU Athletic marketing department.I’ve seen the soccer complex crammed and watched many of the Maravich Maniacs get free T-shirts. But not once have I gotten a broadcast e-mail about anything going down involving track and field. The Athletic Department treats them like the red-headed stepchild of the LSU sports family. And it doesn’t make any sense because they’re probably more like the second prettiest kid there. I’m allowed to say things like that because I dated a red head once upon a time — and a lot of people really look down on Ginger kids. The school does a poor job of publicizing upcoming events and giving students an incentive to go watch them. Since the priority point system was introduced, no track meets have ever been priority point events.The only other sports that also haven’t been point events are tennis, golf and swimming and diving. Guy Gaster, LSU director of marketing, said his organization is working on events to promote outdoor track this season and has had promotions in the past where fans were given free admission with ticket stubs from other sports. But they currently have nothing planned for the indoor meets and haven’t in the past because of space limitations.The Carl Maddox Field House, where indoor meets are held, has a capacity of 3,000, considerably more than the 1,500 of the LSU Soccer Complex or the 1,000 of the old Tiger Park where softball plays. Yet both have had priority point events.None of these sports have had even near the success of the track and field program, so it’s more understandable for them to not get any publicity. But even that’s not a really good reason.The introduction of these point events have helped out many of the LSU sports teams.I’ve  noticed more and more people coming to soccer matches, even when the attendance wasn’t worth two points toward getting football tickets for the next season.Seven of the largest crowds in the complex’s history were from the past two seasons, and in that span, there were only four priority point games. I know nothing about marketing, but I really don’t think it’s hard to make up some promotion so the track and field teams get more face time, especially with the world-class athletes on track and field teams.The track athlete most students probably know the most is senior Trindon Holliday, and that’s only because he also plays football — not because he can run the 100-meter dash in 10.02 seconds. Most students haven’t heard of Richard Thompson, and he won a silver medal at the Olympics in the 100-meter dash, which leads me to believe he’s pretty good. Maybe the general population would have known who Thompson was if LSU had done a better job of publicizing him and his teammates.Perhaps LSU should get its act together and start letting people know how good of a track program they’ve got going here.—-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]