The IAAF Diamond League is an annual series of track and field competitions. Started in 2010, the stated goal is enhancing the worldwide appeal of athletics by going outside Europe for the first time. This year, events will begin on May 3rd and finish on Sept. 6th and different events will be held in various parts of the world. Coverage for the Diamond League is on different channels depending on where you are. If you are traveling, want to watch specific coverage, or do not have access to the broadcast partners, a VPN can help.
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Though it was only created in 2010, the IAAF Diamond League is actually a continuation of the former IAAF Golden League. The IAAF originally founded it in the 1990s as a way to increase the profile of the leading European athletics competitions. As you can see, a variety of countries host the games over 3 months. Let’s take a look at them now.
| Meet | Date | Track | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doha Diamond League | May 3 | Qatar SC Stadium | Doha, Qatar |
| IAAF Diamond League Shanghai | May 18 | Shanghai Stadium | Shanghai, China |
| Bauhaus-Galan | May 30 | Stockholm Olympic Stadium | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Golden Gala - Pietro Mennea | June 6 | Stadio Olimpico | Rome, Italy |
| Bislett Games | June 13 | Bislett Stadium | Oslo, Norway |
| Meeting International Mohammed VI | June 16 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium | Rabat, Morocco |
| Prefontaine Classic | June 30 | Hayward Field | Eugene, United States |
| Athletissima | July 5 | Stade Olympique de la Pontaise | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Herculis | July 12 | Stade Louis II | Monaco, Monaco |
| Müller Anniversary Games | July 20-21 | London Stadium | London, United Kingdom |
| Müller Grand Prix Birmingham | Aug 18 | Alexander Stadium | Birmingham, UK |
| Meeting de Paris | Aug. 24 | Stade Sébastien Charléty | Paris, France |
| Weltklasse Zürich | Aug 29 | Letzigrund | Zürich, Switzerland |
| AG Memorial Van Damme | Sept. 6 | King Baudouin Stadium | Brussels, Belgium |
Competitions for the Diamond League include the standard track and field style events. Those are events such as various distances of meter races, hurdles, steeplechase, long jump, triple jump, high jump, and more. Since the league began, the US has taken the first place victory 9 times followed by Kenya with the silver 8 times and Jamaica with the bronze 7 times.
In 2017, the scoring system for the competitions completely changed. Currently, the committee awards the top 8 athletes at each meeting a descending number of points. However, those points only determine which athletes qualify for the event finals in Brussels and Zurich. The title of IAAF Diamond League champion is awarded to the winner of the final. The overall prize money gets allocated based on the results of the final. That is a similar structure to the former IAAF Grand Prix circuit.
Coverage for these games goes to NBCSN in the United States and the BBC in the UK. There are others, but those two networks offer the best coverage. If you prefer another language, check your local listings. The only problem with using either source is that you need to be in the respective countries. If you are not in either one or are traveling, you would need to use a VPN. That is because they both use geo-blocking technology. When you connect to a secure VPN server in the country of your choice, you trick the software into thinking you are located somewhere else. After connecting, simply go to one of the sports sites and you should be able to enjoy the competitions.
If you enjoy watching track and field events, you won’t have to miss a moment of the 2019 IAAF Diamond League games. You just need to use a VPN to be able to watch from anywhere. Be sure to spread the word so your friends can enjoy the games as well. Follow us @VPNFan for the latest VPN reviews and promotions so you can take advantage of the best deals.