Does Saucony Sponsor Quality Americans

[quote]Boulder Bolder wrote:

Clint Wells in 2002 ran for Saucony and NYAC. He ran under 28:00, which is pretty fast and better than many out there.

HE HAS SEEN THE LIGHT AND IS NOW WITH NIKE.

Someone like Eddy who everyone associates with because he is 42 will sell more shoes than a 28:40 guy who gets 7th every five weeks in a US Championships.

THEN WHY DID NEW BALANCE, A COMPANY THAT SELLS MORE SHOES THAN SAUCONY DROP EDDY?

I will bet that Saucony has 2 people in the top 10 at the Olympic Trials in 2004. Currently with Collins, Hellebuyck, Wehrman, and Mitchell, this team has the potential to be great in the Marathon trials.

ONLY ONE OF THOSE FOUR ATHLETES HAS RUN A PB IN THE LAST YEAR IN THE MARATHON (COLLINS) AND HE WASN'T WEARING SAUCONY WHEN HE DID IT?

IF YOU SCORE THOSE 4 AT THE MARATHON TRIALS THEY WILL LOSE TO NIKE, NEW BALANCE, HANSONS, ADIDAS, AND PROBABLY FARM TEAM.

Dear Sharon

We have dropped Saucony from our store due to the athletes that represented your company. I have spoken to several others around the country that feel the same and are or will be making that decision soon. If you think that I am not speaking the truth, check with your local sales rep.

what the hell are you people talking about. You just love to raise shit.

Look at the facts here.

The fact is, saucony is the ONLY company that has consistently been true to RUNNERS, and TRI-ATHLETES!

Meaning, they don't make shoes that are ugly as hell to sell to people who will never run a mile in them.

What I am saying is, the last time I ran in NIKE, They fell apart after a couple of weeks, and that was when I was in high school running 25 m/p/w.

I was forced to run in BROOKS in college, and as soon as I got up around 70mpw, I was hampered with tendonitis, which has not bothered me since.

You can be JACKASSES all you want, but there are some people who are still Up and Comers and appreciate running for a shoe company. Sorry I am not good enough right now to run for the likes of the great NIKE, though I wouldn't anyway, and I am greatful for the opportunity to run under a Sponsor, instead of "unattached", it makes me feel like I am good, So.............

SHUT THE HELL UP!

First you complain that if you are not one of the top runners in this country you can't get any funding, then you complain when a shoe company throws some gear to people who aren't top 10. and while we're on the subject, what about BROOKS, where are they on the great runner's with PR's scale??

Nasty Girl..If you post something like this again..I am putting you over my kneee and spanking you..this is uncalled for

I originally asked the question, Does Saucony sponsor any elite athletes that have run under 28:40 or 2:15 in the last year? The answer was NO but they have guys that sell shoes. A store owner comes on and says he dropped the line and I hear no response. Let me figure this out Saucony Elite American Athletes do not sell shoes or run fast. It sounds like welfare to me.

The problem with saucony is there product is made for the older generation. You find very few kids with saucony shoes and of the few you do find there parents made them wear them. Saucony doesn't have the shoes that elite athletes like as well. They seem to be bualky and heavy. even there light weight shoes are a little heavy. The only shoe that seems to be nice is there racing flat. Basically the problem is the older generation is changing while saucony shoes are not. So I guess you can say out with the old and in with the new. So what company is going to fill there spot??

The fact is that sponsoring runners does very little to sell product. Saucony's main consumers are female "Gallow walker" types, their men's customers are also the same type of runners. The same is true for all shoe companies. Competitive runners account for a very small percentage of their overall sales. The people that buy the shoes wouldn't know Eddy H. from Eddie the Eagle, Eddie Money or Eddie Munster. No offense to Eddy these people just have no clue and don't know or care about elite runners. It's also like two different sports and the one that we are interested in generates very little revenue for these companies. Having said all of that, it seems that Eddy has done a great job of selling himself and know's his value (x amount of photos in local papers, x amount of photos in national publications). That's why Saucony must want someone like Eddy who is more visible than a 28 flat guy who runs Stanford and Mt. Sac. once a year and that's it. Runners need to get over the " I ran this great time so I deserve to be paid." That's just not the case you don't deserve anything. It comes down to what are you worth to the company you represent.

I've never seen a single photo of Wells racing in one thread of Saucony gear, and that includes racing flats while he was bearing the NYAC vest. What Nasty Girl asked was "Does Saucony Sponsor Quality Americans?" Her question had nothing to do with Saucony marketing or sales or target demographics or any other baloney rationalizations the pro-Saucony crowd has tried to spin to distract from the point the original question sought to reveal.

Shoe Dog....well said!

You have some vaild points regarding sponsorship. There is no question that every solid male/female distance runner is not currently getting help from shoe companies.

Moreover, it does have a certain degree to do with being visible, and "creating value", or worth. Still, some vendors simply do not have tons of money to spend on athletes, events, sponsorship,etc.

Saucony might have made the decision to put togther a small, but visible group of runners/triathletes such as Eddy H. I happen to stumble across the Xterra race series this past weekend and noticed quite a few Saucony logo's.

Again, this may be where Saucony has decided to place some of it's promotional funds. In any case, it would be great to have some sort of a "true" standard to help elite athletes with equipment, and perhaps travel, but I don't see it happening any time soon. I really like the Hansons group, and believe they (Kevin and Keith) are on the right track with encouraging the support of another corporate sponsor (much like the Japanese system).

Eddy is correct about "selling" yourself to sponsors. I suggest making yourself a value to whatever sponsor(s) you are with...stay positive, and be loyal to whatever agreement you have at the time. Sponsored athletes are not always the fastest runners...just look at Wejo. Wejo has run some pretty solid efforts, but lacks a shoe contract (for various reasons). Still, Wejo goes about his business, and remains loyal to his main goal...running even faster...

Mike

Ok, so the answer to the opening question is, "currently, no." But I'm a bit puzzled by the thread. Saucony has identified their market and sponsors a small number of athletes that they think will enhance their sales.

Asics asponsors Deena and what other Americans? Puma sponsors a running club in West Chester County but no "quality" Americans that I'm aware of. Who does Brooks sponsor? So why focus on Saucony? What was the point of the original question?

If you look at the shoe companies experince in the NBA..it tells us that just because someone who is a star wears a certain shoe..doesnt mean people buy that shoe ....a few of the very big time guys have contracts in the NBA but not everybody like the old days..I would think that runners are even less impressed....I wear the Boston Classic because of my taste..I could give a hoot on who or if anybody else wears my shoe...in fact Id rather see shoe companies support h.s. and college x country teams..Pros need support too but its not a right..

In our sport Welfare is spelled WCAP, $40,000 a year for guys to pretend they will be in the Olympic Trials? Yes, that is welfare. What Saucony athletes are on stipend? Does Eddy get cash or not. I heard just equipment and 8 shoes a year plus some travel. He is the top guy. On the other hand there are like 9 guys running for the Army and getting tax dollars while the US is at war and overspending. None of these guys have gone sub 28:40 or 2:15 this year. The 2:15 will never come in that program in 20 years!! Saucony has few dollars and spends them well as the shoes are selling from the Jazz before to the Triumph coming out in September. Grow up Nasty Girl and bust on a sponsor who is truely wasting the money earned by hard working Americans. If you don't like who Saucony sponsors then don't wear the Azura I. It is that simple, little girl. If you want to protest, then protest the West Point Grads getting way over paid to represent the ARMY. If you pay taxes, you pay their salary ($1400-$3,800 per month),over padded room allocation (BAH)($800- 1200 per month tax free) and food money ($180-283 per month tax free). Not to mention the travel and coaching budget that could be better spent in IRAQ today than on anyone in Boulder. Look at it this way, three guys there werwe trained to fight war at West Point at a tax payer cost of over $120,000 each and now cost tax payers over $45,000 each per year to play sports. When have any of the West Pointers (Browne is out of the Army) ever run 28:40 or 2:15, Ah not since Browne did in the real Army in 1999 in Europe (28:18). The Romanian seems like the only one they have who can possibly run the Olympic Standard. Eddy at 42 will break 2:15 at BOSTON, Any takers.

Take It On

Who is wasting money?

How much can shoes at a singlet cost?

Who in Arizona really respects the Natives who should own the whole state anyway? I bet the running store is on Navajo land, you racist!!

Nasty Girl must be White BOY for SURE!

Welfare wrote:

In our sport Welfare is spelled WCAP, $40,000 a year for guys to pretend they will be in the Olympic Trials? Yes, that is welfare. On the other hand there are like 9 guys running for the Army and getting tax dollars while the US is at war and overspending. None of these guys have gone sub 28:40 or 2:15 this year.

Ryan Kirkpatrick ran 28:28 last November to win the USA 10K road championships. Hes also won the USA 10 mile championships in 48 and change . Dan Browne ran 1:00:09 for 20K in New Haven in 2001. And even though he left the program he did run 2:11. Sandu Rubenic(Sp?) Represented at World Cross this year. Guys pretending their in the Olympic Trials? Try they ARE in the trials Mr. Welfare. Why has noone sun under 2:15 or 28:40 this year? Cause its early, for christsakes, if it was November, yea, id say that ARMY hasnt produced alot this year,. but its early, watch what their guys do this June/ August and then see if these guys are just getting alot of Tax dollars to run.

well, here's something for you sweetness! I am going to the Olympic Trials for the Marathon next year, and I have consistently been overlooked by the other shoe companies. I run for Saucony, and I will be faithful to them till the day I die. My first pair was as a sophmore in High School after my Nike's fell apart, my sister told me to run in Saucony, and it's been that way ever since!

I don't know who Saucony sponsors but the Hurricane and Omni Moderate Stability are pretty good shoes.

Anybody remember some years ago when Consumers Report did a running shoe evaluation and rated the old Jazz 3000 a Best Buy...and Saucony was already onto making the J 4000. CR sets out to test products that'll still be around when the pub comes out...but they missed the boat on this one. Saucony tried to retool in a hurry but missed out as it took about 6 months for it to reappear, meanwhile the furor had died off.

The value of elite athletes wearing sponsored shoes, appearing in pics, etc is minimal. Cool ads are what win folks over the best.

Sara Wells, Ja'Warren Hooker, Janelle Kraus, Dan Wilson, Karl Savage, Amy Yoder Begley, Kelly MacDonald, Kara Ormond...

As well as the LetsRun Husband of the Year, Nick Whited.

Nolan Swanson, too.

YOU have ZERO credibility. Everyone is better off just skipping your worthless post.

Dear Mr. Mitchell,

There are numbers in this post that are flat out wrong but are consistent with another letter that I have in hand with the same wrong numbers written by Teddy Mitchell. I am not accusing anyone of anything but I am forwarding this post along with the letter to Saucony and to Runners Den in Phoenix Arizona. I believe that the accusations could be important to both parties. Have a nice day.