Kara: I am a free agent

Runners ARE NOT employees of shoe companies. Most incorporate (at least the good ones) and become independent contractors.

Personally, I would think her best income options at this point would be road racing... appearance fees, prize money, etc. I would also think it would benefit Kara to do at least one marathon a year, if not two. Again, appearance fees. She could sign a deal with Competitor and show up at a series of their events.

Track, at this point in her career, offers very little income opportunities.

living in reality wrote:

Personally, I would think her best income options at this point would be road racing... appearance fees, prize money, etc. I would also think it would benefit Kara to do at least one marathon a year, if not two. Again, appearance fees. She could sign a deal with Competitor and show up at a series of their events.

Track, at this point in her career, offers very little income opportunities.

you're probably right - imagine if she committed to run the NYCM for each of the next 4 years - Wittenberg could form a marketing strategy around her, and would probably pay a lot of money.

And kg will want to write books for money too.

KG obvi wants a shoe company to commit to her, through good and bad, through rio - she knows nike would forget about her if she had a bad year - maybe some company will say 'we're with you thick and thin through Rio.'

TV ad revenue. wrote:

It's simple. Many of those fat guys with beer guts watch tv and buy very, very expensive cable plans. Advertisers pay to put those ads on tv that these people watch. Why? So those fans will buy their products online or in stores.

How much ad revenue does running bring in? Crickets, crickets.

Ok, so the cable companies make money. But Nike is paying $90 million(?) to sell product not for the cable companies to make money. How much Nike product does a viewer purchase? Most of the 40,000 people who run the NYC buy new shoes often with other gear. Kara can reach that market. Does an athlete like LeBron James increase revenue for his company? Or does a company buy his services in order to avoid losing market share. How many 25,000 person marathons are there? She could potentially reach a lot of people who spend a lot of money on these events

Was hoping she had dumped Adam ;)

Buffalo Orange wrote:

Manager? wrote:

Who is her manager, and why would he not have muzzled her before she went and said that in public? It isn't going to help her get better deal from Nike. It will just make them angry.

She didn't say anything that wasn't completely obvious. Her contract is up, which Nike knows, and she's talking to other companies, which Nike also knows, because she hasn't re-signed with them. She didn't say anything negative about Nike, and said she might still re-sign with them. I don't see how anything she said would hurt her chances with Nike or any other sponsor.

lets be honest , her contract expired , they gave her a reduced offer from the prior contract , she was not happy and will look to see if another company can come close to her old deal. I doubt it, she is past her prime , a nice smile and being pleasant is fine , companies need an athlete who can race competitively.

Yeah France wrote:

Most of the 40,000 people who run the NYC buy new shoes often with other gear.

20,000 of them are foreign. Half the rest probably couldn't name a pro runner.

I haven't watched an entire NBA game in my life but I know who LeBron is.

Why are you talking about Kara's looks when talking about her marketability? Nike signed Cain for God sakes, for a 17 y/o white kid she's not cute at all.

And rupp is in the top 10% of ugliest. How can nike make cake off these goblins?

I am not a number, I am a free woman. I will not make any deals with you. I've resigned. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own. I resign.

My guesses: Newton (40% chance) or New Balance (60%)

Nike wants the best. At one point when we were weak Kara was the #2 10,000m runner and popped that fast half against Paula. Nike isn't going to pay her that type of $. She has 2 houses in Oregon to pay for so she should hope that she can get a contract to pay the mortgages.

Having to do appearances, races and public speaking will do nothing but take away from training. She needs to be able to train 10 hrs a day. Why did she ever leave the Nike facilities?

I heard Nike offered her 90k. Which is pretty good in my opinion.

I am not american, don't consider basketabll a "real" sport, and have never heard of Lebron James, nor has anyone I know. Americans need to get over themselves in assuming that everyone knows who their sports stars are - Basketball, American football (as opposed to "real" football) and baseball are regional sports, just as Aussie rules football is in that country. Do Americans know who the AFL stars are, or Cricket stars from Pakistan, India or the West Indies? NO. Why not? Why do Americans expect others to know who these people are - there is television in other countries that does NOT show american sports!! The Super bowl is the one event (and because it is an entertainment event not just a sporting one) that perhaps many people will have watched - the intermission entertainment appeals to many people, maybe more than the game itself (i.e women).

She needs to write (or get a good co-writer) the NOP/AlSal PED tell all. This would be hugely popular. Cash in, retire to trail racing. Done.

TV ad revenue. wrote:

Yeah France wrote:

What is your counter argument?

LeBron has a 90 million contract. Who does he appeal to? Fat guys sitting at the bar that don't buy athletic equipment and high school kids who cannot afford much.

Kara could reach a huge audience that likes to buy worthless gear. Look at all the junk that runners are wearing now: arm warmers, compression socks, hydration packs. I think she could push more additional product than LeBron can. Her audience is wealthier and larger in terms of participation.

It's simple. Many of those fat guys with beer guts watch tv and buy very, very expensive cable plans. Advertisers pay to put those ads on tv that these people watch. Why? So those fans will buy their products online or in stores.

How much ad revenue does running bring in? Crickets, crickets.

exactly

and chicks will wear Lebron jerseys etc., how many Letsrun males will wear a Kara jersey/singlet?

Kara's audience is out on the trails running or working, Lebron's is at the bar buying beer, cable, and stuff for his kids

lesbehonest wrote:

I heard Nike offered her 90k. Which is pretty good in my opinion.

Wow, that low? Is this real? Athletes only make that much? Does that include a health plan? How did they afford that house? I think you're pulling our leg.

Bleu, one of the other many threads said the house went sale pending. It may already be sold.

She'll make coin running RockNRoll events. She's a recognizable name and even won the inaugural Portland RockNRoll Half.

That's good one less mortgage. Hope they got enough out of it. I think they made a lot of money and could afford the house. Although, I believe on the house thread someone pointed out that Rupp's house was significantly modest compared to the two the Goucher's owned.

Yes, she can still make $ running the half series and others but she claims to want to make another team. Jordan and Shalane won't have to road race to pay the bills.