Colleen Quigley launches new pro group (Team Meridia)

Men make more money because men are the consumers of the sport as spectators and they choose to watch other men, who are the higher level performers in absolute terms.

(Huge simplification and generalisation)

That sucks if you are a women who excels in sport.

It won't change until (many many many) more women take an interest in sport as consumers and spectators.

That needs to be driven by women going to sports events and buying tickets / merch etc.

Will this group help that? Yeah, maybe. If they can get more teenage girls to care and ultimately become lifelong fans of women's running generally.

She's from St. Louis

Tinman for women.

It has all the hallmarks of a team guys, really:

- Each athlete has a separate coach

- Each athlete is sponsored by someone different

There are a few real gems in the FastWomen article press release,

fast-women.org

Colleen Quigley Launches Athlete-Owned Track & Field Club Based in Boulder - Fast Women

fast-women

Founded by Olympian Colleen Quigley, Meridia establishes athlete-owned model with Boulder, Colorado, base.

Open link

:

- Athletes pool their pay and distribute it across athletes. I cannot foresee any problems with this model.

- They're focusing on a "creative strategy" which I'm sure will be extant in 3 years from now.

Thanks for splaining that to me. This thread is about a group of women trying to do something in the sport and maybe also get paid (in a world where not many women get the cash), and posters crap on it. Let's think about that.

That press release is one of the worst things I've read recently, and I read LetsRun. Highlighting the photographer is so unserious.

The first event is a virtual mile. All the virtual racing that happened in Covid basically killed the sport, minus marathons.

BTW, I don't hate women. I hate most people, and babies if they're ugly. /s

The concept isn't terrible, but it's hard to take CQ seriously after so many DNS's from her.

Any guesses as to what the kits look like? Spice Girls look-a-likes?

This is just a website that is supposedly managed by a group of women, but it seems like there isn't a real team or a clear purpose behind it. Honestly, it feels quite chaotic, with everyone working independently and no coherent direction to the whole thing. I don't want to sound negative, but it's hard to ignore the lack of focus, especially from Coleen. She seems a bit all over the place, mirroring the confusion of this so-called "team."

I completely agree with this assessment. It's clear that this website showcases women who are not part of an elite group of professional athletes; rather, they likely have other work commitments outside of running. It's evident that this is not a newly established, high-profile professional training group.

Of course this was announced on Fast women.

Only media that cares.

Why is this in Boulder, BTW? I thought she was in Flagstaff.

For track & field merch, men might make up most of the sales. Then again, Oiselle is still around. Are they interested in sponsoring another team?

The concept is terrible because without a sponsor, this group is dead on arrival. Athletes would have to find their own individual sponsors. Should have found a sponsor before making an announcement. Hell, they don't even have team kits for the pictures on their website. Having only women's middle distance and track distance limits exposure of a potential sponsor. If I was a shoe company, I'm not sure I'd be that interested: Board room conversation: "don't we already sponsor a group at altitude".

Oh and this group's contribution to the community is going to be putting on virtual races - big yawn to any potential sponsor.

Is the start of summer track season really the time to be shopping for a sponsor? This means times this season are going to be do or die for these women.

As a college graduate, I'd know going to this group means I'd have to get a full time job if I train with this group - will limit what kind of talent they can attract.

If they announce a sponsor tomorrow or next week, I'll eat my words, sure, but otherwise I don't think this group will last long.

Colleen Quigley finishes 10th among a strong high school field! Outstanding debut for Team Meridia!

Wish she would retire and shut up, but that’s impossible

sorry to be mean but this idea is so stupid, I can't help but hate on it.

you have a bunch of women in their late twenties running mediocre times getting together fora. marketing scheme designed to nickel and dime fans, who aren't stupid enough to pay.

The whole thing is about the marketing, the whole website is ridiculous, if you want someone to care about you as a runner, you run fast! that's it. you don't build social media, this isn't influencing, it's a whole sport!

the fact that they have different coaches says it all too.

Dude, you won't believe what I just saw. This freakin' website is peddling a one-hour convo with Juli Benson for well over a hundred bucks! It’s as embarrassing as hell. Just when I was starting to believe that Colleen could exit the stage with a shred of dignity intact, she goes and pull this comedy act.

Literally every pro athlete is being pushed as an influencer.

wow. yeah just saw that too. and for 216.00 you can pay for an hour long convo with athletes on the team.

What are they doing? I called this influencing, but this feels even weirder. Literally none of the focus is on running itself just finding ways to sell things. Perhaps pro coaches should be focusing their energy on coaching their athletes not doing 60 minute sessions with random strangers?

They seem so ready to sell that they don't even have a product. Colleen still hasn't articulated exactly what the program or what is "broken" in pro running that she's trying to fix.