On that note, I’m still surprised that the NYC marathon and BAA will have pros share hotel rooms the night before one of the biggest race days of their careers. I mean a bank sponsoring a race won’t have an issue paying for an extra 10-15 hotel rooms for a weekend.
She wins the marathon gold in epic fashion and doesn't even get to hang out in Tokyo to watch the rest of the meet. Then she's bundled up in eco and now AK decides all medalists will fly home business class - not like she can go back and take the flight again!
That all being said, she's won London, Boston and New York. Just won 60k at the Worlds which probably came with a 50k adidas bonus and she's on six figures anyway from them - she couldn't have splashed out what, 6 or 7k to upgrade and treat herself in business?
Aren't you jettisoning around the planet up front Rojo? Surely you are flying with the plebs back in cattle - a man of your prominence and stature?
Professional athletes have a very small window to make money. She is potentially funding 2 or 3 generations of her family through her income for the rest of their lives.
The Kenyan federation makes money on the back of the performance of these athletes, towns like Iten make tourist money on the back of the performance of these athletes. They deserve some respect
Money from tourism doesn't go directly into the pockets of the Athletics federation, at absolute simplest it'd still have to go through the legislative budgetary process.
People have a tendency to assume that the faceless entity has a lot of money. In reality, we can see that federations and track organizing bodies all across the world are strapped for cash, even in the wealthiest countries. Spending thousands or even tens of thousands extra on flights for trips that don't impact performance is not a great way to spend money. This type spending is how you turn a tight budget into a deficit.
How about they fly all their athletes in business class, in both directions.
Are you crazy?
I guarantee if you ask most athletes - what do you want $3k or a business class seat - most of them would say the money. She's less than 5' tall. The average income per year in Kenya is less than 3k.
I guarantee if you ask most athletes - what do you want $3k or a business class seat - most of them would say the money. She's less than 5' tall. The average income per year in Kenya is less than 3k.
Business class seats are 3k? That is crazy
Yeah, business class is insanely expensive, perhaps especially for flights in Africa. It's a total waste of resources for AK. Anyone who thinks business class is a necessity has gotten seriously spoiled somewhere along the line. I'm a millionaire--maybe even multimillonare--and I would never spend that kind of money for what's essentially just a status symbol.