Meb Unable To Reach Deal With Boston Marathon Organizers - May Not Run Spring Marathon

Clearly it's a money issue. I don't know how anyone can read the evidence and not conclude it's a money issue.

I'm sure Boston would be glad to have Meb, but probably not at the price he's asking. And this is late in the game to be asking. The BAA said in their email this week that they were hoping to announce a new/more final elite field before the week is over. This aligns with Meb saying he'll know more by the end of the week.

I agree with the poster who said this is very bad for American distance running if a guy won't do a marathon he wants to do because they don't meet his top-dollar asking price.

Meb the Mercenary should be excited about a fall marathon. With most American competitors ducking them in favor of the trials there should be plenty of appearance fee money available to bring in a guy like Meb. Good luck, Mary Wittenberg.

I believe this situation can be linked to the Edwin Moses QOTD of Monday. The sport is now all about (self) promotion. What happened to just lining up and kicking ass on race day? RD's should screw appearance fees and elite starts. Throw all of the money in a pot, line up and shoot the gun. First one to the finish gets a larger share of the pot than the trickle down cash prize for the number 2-100 finishers. That would also solve the issue of guys like Wesley Korr that is fast enough to compete for the win, finish in top 5 but the RD saying "Sorry dude. You were not an invited athlete. No money for you."

Yes, I know guys have to earn a living and make ends meet. Race faster, get a larger slice of the above pie. And more often. Worked in the past.

Daddy-O wrote:

That would also solve the issue of guys like Wesley Korr that is fast enough to compete for the win, finish in top 5 but the RD saying "Sorry dude. You were not an invited athlete. No money for you."

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It also helps if he has a quality distance agent that knows the right people to get him in the race.

I heard Meb's brother was getting the run around from race organizers staring last summer and in the end no offer was even made from Boston. Clearly, Meb didn't even get a chance to negotiate his terms. This is bad for news if we can't give our fellow Americans fair opportunities. It sounded like bad business ethics on Boston's end if they did in fact give Meb's brother the run around.

Come on. You all know that, like Bill Rodgers, Meb was just not fast enough on the Internets on registration day. He had met the tough Boston QT but he just couldn't get over that last tough hurdle. So, now you've got your four hour marathoners in and our 2:09 guy is left out in the cold, with no pants.

No run around , thats a crock of shit. Boston marathon elite organizers have been at this awhile with the worlds best. Americans are always given a fair shake and are at the top of the list for invites.

The organizers know fair value and market demand of each athlete.

Bottom line here is a out of touch brother who has a false sense of value for Meb. The race directors all are on the same playing field. At certain times they may over pay slightly to balance the field but not the crazy numbers Mebs brother is looking for.

also keep in mind, the same thing happened with Catherine Ndereba....she was a multiple winner of the race, but her agent thought her value was considerably more than what John Hancock wanted to pay, and as such they chose to "go another direction" instead of bringing back a multiple winner. Elites/agents need to be careful---there's not that much competition for your star runner. Burn a few bridges in the running biz, and you can lose 100s of thousands of dollars.

Good point, maybe Boston is the one out of touch with value vs demand. How ironic that another athlete had the same issue. I've never seen this with any other major marathon.

Boston has always operated on the cheap. You will receive about 50% of what you can receive at NY or Chicago or London. The sales pitch is simple. "If you win at Boston you are set for the rest of your life. Appearance $$ are not important."

I am just anxious to see what Meb has to say tomorrow. Meb is one of the nicest guys out there and he usually walks with humility and class. I am just anxious to find out what has pushed him over the edge to come out and speak. My suspicion is that it was not about money but more so about principle. This guy has been around forever and has the most polished resume on and off the track.

Wow There wrote:

He was fifth in Boston just last year. You'd think they'd value him more.

Do go on.

The problem isn't Meb. It's his brother. The dude pissed off every race director of any import over the years, and they all have long memories.

Every time I have heard Meb speak, he complains about not getting "respect". He seems like a nice guy outside of the constant whining, though.

Bottom line, if the money is no good at Boston, he's free to go where he thinks he will be valued more. The fact that he is NOT running London, Rotterdam, etc to me suggests that he thinks he is worth more then he is.

I hate to say this, but the American public (not me, but generally speaking) won't relate to Meb winning Boston. It doesn't matter that he has been here for 25 years or whatever, or that he is an American Citizen. It doesn't matter that he is a product of the USofA. Its not a skin color issue either. Its the fact he has an accent and is "from" Eritrea.

Those facts decrease Meb's market value considerably at Boston.

Throw in the fact that he has never run a fast time (sub 2:06) to add to that Olympic Medal, and the big non-US races aren't going to give a hoot about him either.

Meb should have chased times when he had the chance. An Olympic Silver medalist with a 2:05:high PR would have opened many more international doors (in terms of high appearance fees) then an Olympic Silver medalist with slow times and a bunch of NY podium finishes. He is banking (pun intended) on his American citizenship to pay out in the US Races (i.e. being the first American in X years to win NY, a medal, Boston, etc) but, unfortunately, that value isn't as high as if it were Sell, Hall, Goucher, etc.

Sucks for Meb, but such is life. The market will pay what he is worth. That's the beauty of a capitalist society. It reminds me of that thread asking if runners get what they deserve. Of course they do. On that thread, someone said how baseball and football players are over paid. No they're not. They make what they deserve based on the amount of money people are willing to pay to watch them, based on what is made in merchandise and licensing deals, based on what is made through television networks and sponsorships. If people boycotted the yankees, didn't buy their merchandise, didn't show up at the games, and didn't watch the games on TV, ARod wouldn't be making ARod money. The fact that people DON'T do that, means that ARod makes exactly what he should. He makes what the market and profitability of the Yankees can bear. Seems very clear to me.

Meb is worth whatever someone is willing to pay. Nothing more, nothing less.

2004 Olympic Silver Medal

2009 ING NYC Marathon Champion

20 National Championships

7 World Championship Teams

5 Top 3 finishes in Major Marathons

12 Top 10 finishes in Major Marathons run

Four Time NCAA Champion

Crazy to think he is not headlined much less not invited!

It is crazy... but why do you assume he was not invited? I did not get that impression. My impression is that Meb wanted more then they were willing to pay. Maybe he wanted 500 g and John Hancock offered 250 g. What would you say to that? What value do you place to all those accomplishments? Clearly Meb places more value then John Hancock.

Like I said, if he can get what he wants elsewhere, he is free to do that. If he can't, he is overstating his worth and he needs to reflect on that and readjust his demands.

If that other poster is correct about his Nike negotiations, I think the answer is already out there... Meb values himself more then sponsors and meet directors. Nothing wrong with that, but he has to live with the financial consequences of it.

Well said hytyty. Question for guy posting before you: How much do you think they should pay Meb to run Boston? For all we know your answer might be John Hancock's answer. I would say the folks at Hancock know exactly what they're doing. Meb needs Boston more than Boston needs him.

Meb has done so much for the sport beyond just running. Did you forget the Mastercard commercial running during the Oscars and World Series. Did you forget David Letterman. Running hasn't had that much exposure even with Pre. It sounds like you are a racist and clueless to the facts.

Are you serious! wrote:

Meb has done so much for the sport beyond just running. Did you forget the Mastercard commercial running during the Oscars and World Series. Did you forget David Letterman. Running hasn't had that much exposure even with Pre. It sounds like you are a racist and clueless to the facts.

What does this have to do with how much John Hancock should pay him for the 2001 Boston Marathon? These are business decisions (by both sides), not fan voting for Greatest Guy Who Ever Lived Award. Remember how the field for Boston filled in 8 hours? They'll probably be able to squeak by for another year even if they don't have a guy who was briefly on Letterman 18 months before this year's race.

Tell me about it... wrote:

2004 Olympic Silver Medal

2009 ING NYC Marathon Champion

A title is a title, but:

- the 2004 would have probably been a bronze without "the incident"

- 2009 NYC Marathon was set up for an American to win. There were no WORLD CLASS Marathon runners at the start. They wanted an American to win - although they didn't plan for Meb but for Hall.