which is based on Emma saying at the start of her instagram post, "Since my fueling company dropped me after telling them I was pregnant" https://www.instagram.com/p/DW...
UCAN told Front Office Sports, "The partnership decisions for 2026 were made in September 2025 as a part of regular business planning and before any knowledge of her pregnancy. We made an effort to continue working with Emma under a new agreement, but she ultimately chose not to move forward with that option."
LetsRun.com changed the tile from "UCAN drops Emma Bates due to pregnancy"
She isn’t a UCAN employee, no real protections. If you are pregnant Uber won’t continue to pay you either.
Downvote all you want, but in the US anyone getting a 1099 instead of a W2 at the end of the year is a second class citizen. You are not afforded any protections under the law that employees get. This is a business to business agreement. It certainly could look bad, but there is zero legal obligation unless it is written in the contract.
They likely have an out due to her being a sponsored athlete under a contract with them. As that likely has 1) performance clauses, and/or 2) status as a contractor and not a payroll employee (though this murky), but this is false or at best very misleading given the complexities of employment law.
Businesses broadly speaking cannot "do whatever they want" when it comes to terminating employees and contract who have protected classes (which pregnancy can include).
Well it sounds like her contract expired and they were negotiating renewing it. So yes, they can do whatever what.
Yes, but realize the comment I responded to was operating under the statement:
UCAN dropped Emma Bates bc she’s pregnant,
which is patently different from "sounds like her contract expired"
Businesses are free to non-renew contracts with contractors and vendors; they cannot simply "do whatever they want" (in any circumstance).
Well it sounds like her contract expired and they were negotiating renewing it. So yes, they can do whatever what.
Yes, but realize the comment I responded to was operating under the statement:
UCAN dropped Emma Bates bc she’s pregnant,
which is patently different from "sounds like her contract expired"
Businesses are free to non-renew contracts with contractors and vendors; they cannot simply "do whatever they want" (in any circumstance).
You could have read the post that stated UCAN denied the claims. It was after the post you replied to. Or didn’t a little research. If you were referring to a hypothetical case where they were dropped mid-contract for becoming pregnant, then I misunderstood.
UCAN says they had an offer in September and then it later changed. They say they changed it prior to any knowledge of her pregnancy. They may be lying about the timeline (I don’t think they are), but even if they are, I am very confident they aren’t making up that they were in the process of negotiating a contract. Emma didn’t go into any details. Don’t think she has since responded. We shall see if she does.
I could see a potential scenario where UCAN made the decision to lower their offer and it wasn’t immediately told to bates. They might’ve been finishing final approvals or something. In the meantime Emma announces she’s pregnant and then shortly after finds out about the lower offer.
This post was edited 11 minutes after it was posted.
1 - Bates is no longer a viable option for marketing ROI in my opinion. Not surprised she’s being dropped. (For all the reasons listed in previous posts.)
2 - the company is in shambles right now, look for a buyout.
Read the comments on her IG post. The way people immediately go ballistic without doing one second of actual research should be studied.
I feel like this is borderline defamation, but I'm sure the sponsor won't take action beyond a statement because of the optics that she's pregnant.
This is in no way being insensitive to a woman being pregnant. This is strictly about Emma and how she slanders others for clicks. E.g. she posted a race photo from Chicago a few years back where, in the photo, she is in a sea of 2:25 guys running their own race. She captioned it with a 5000 word essay about men stalking her, and all of those random guys' faces were used for the photo.
UCAN dropped Emma Bates bc she’s pregnant, per IG. Was she done dirty?
This lie has been told before, in both instances the company in question made the decision to drop and or reduce their pay prior to any knowledge of them being pregnant.
The problem is that Nike can/could absorb the negative hit, a small company that relies on endorsements from influencers and professional athletes cannot. This will kill their business whether they are telling the truth or not. The pitchfork mob is powerful and doubly so when they are all angry women. They should 100% sue for defamation.
From the way UCAN words it, sounds like in September 2025 they advised her that in the new year either the renew with a lower sponsorship amount or your free to go somewhere else.
"Dropped" is synonymous with "Not Renewed" in running contract talk.
They likely have an out due to her being a sponsored athlete under a contract with them. As that likely has 1) performance clauses, and/or 2) status as a contractor and not a payroll employee (though this murky), but this is false or at best very misleading given the complexities of employment law.
Businesses broadly speaking cannot "do whatever they want" when it comes to terminating employees and contract who have protected classes (which pregnancy can include).
Well it sounds like her contract expired and they were negotiating renewing it. So yes, they can do whatever what.
Awful move by Bates though. Who is ever going to want to sponsor her again? Especially when it seems like at the very best, Bates is exaggerating a little. At worst completely lying. The fact she has continually disappointed doesn’t make it a great move either. Does sponsoring someone that doesn’t perform well and is going to air dirty laundry on the way out sound like someone you’d want to employ?
This will kill their business whether they are telling the truth or not. The pitchfork mob is powerful and doubly so when they are all angry women. They should 100% sue for defamation.
I don't know about suing, but the sports marketing folks at other brands in the industry definitely take notice of stunts like this. She will not get another contract of any sort (unless she starts running 2:12 or something).
The amount of angry comments from angry women and effeminate men on that instagram post is absolutely crazy. Even when given an reasonable explanation as to what's actually happened from UCAN, they're still out for blood. I hope brands take note and avoid sponsoring crazy people like Emma in the future.
I hope brands take note and avoid sponsoring crazy people like Emma in the future.
Especially whiny, hormonal, pregnant women with a pitchfork mob behind them. Ask any guy who's dealt with a pregnant wife or gf how rational they were during pregnancy. God I honestly feel sorry for UCAN about this.
