Symmonds won't sign contract requiring him to wear Nike at all team functions, threatens to sue if USATF kicks him off WC team

I am a Nick Symmonds fan but I don't see why this is the principle against you want to make your stand.

Of the 30 qualifiers in the 800, 1500, 3000 Steeple, 5000, and 10000, 16 are sponsored by someone other than Nike. So far, only Nick has spoken up against this stipulation.

Maybe more will get together and create a unified front, but to me, when you sign on to compete at the World Champs or the Olympics, you are representing:

1. Nick Symmonds

2. The USA

For that time, you are not a Brooks athlete or a Run Gum athlete. You are an individual and a citizen of that country.

There are tons of noble causes out there to get behind, not sure if I understand this one.

I will say it seems to me like Symmond's tone regarding this is very light-hearted. He is going to bring his Brooks gear and no doubt wear it visibly. I applaud him for that, but a lawsuit would be taking it a bit too far.

C/M Runner wrote:

He posted on Instagram a link to a story that due to him not being a Nike athlete, USATF is trying to kick him off the team and not allow him to compete at Worlds.

"Symmonds will not sign a contract requiring him to wear Nike-branded gear during all team functions throughout the trip -- first to Japan to train and then to the Beijing competition -- which starts Aug. 22. He said signing the contract would violate his own contract with personal sponsor Brooks Running, which he joined in January '14 after leaving Nike. USATF says he is off the team if he does not sign by Sunday."

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2015/08/06/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/USATF.aspx

A few thoughts.

1. The key word for me here is "team functions."

Symmonds doesn't have to wear Nike all the time in China - just to official team functions. Just as a college coach doesn't want a kid wearing his own warmups on the team bus, USATF wants everyone in team uniform.

People are reading too much into the controversy based on the way it was written with the langauge of Symmonds supposedly being told to not even packing Brooks gear.

2. You'd think this would be settled already. What do basketball players do when they go to practice, etc? I remember when the Dream Team played the players threatened to accept their medals barefoot if forced to wear a rival sponsor's footwear.

It is kind of interesting that people are allowed to wear their own footwear but not other stuff.

Does this vary sport by sport? Hoes does USA swimming get money? I'm assuming there people can wear their own individual suits?

3. I think this is a great publiclity ploy by Symmonds. He becomes a champion of athletes rights and gets Brooks some PR.

-Rojo

PS. I merged the separate threads on this together.

I always thought that was an odd thing about sponsoring a track runner.

In the biggest and most viewed event of the year, the sponsored athlete is not usually wearing the sponsor's logo, rather a competitor's logo.

InWyo wrote:

Good for him.

The quote about not even packing anything else makes me think the USATF were anticipating his resistance. I wonder if the same language was given to everyone else on the team?

Of course the same language was given to everyone. Who do you think pays the bills?

Last time I checked Brooks wasn't paying $20 million a year to get exposure at this meet.

There is nothing supposed about him being told to pack only nike and USA gear:

https://twitter.com/NickSymmonds/status/629357671976673280

dkny64 wrote:

He could get MUCH more attention from the national press by staying home and fighting then he could ever get for competing [even winning] in Beijing.

This is the most important point. This legitimately has the potential to turn into the biggest story of worlds.

It's way different in swimming:

http://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/uspw_6449942.jpg

They can wear anything that follows the technical regulations.

Too bad La Mancha isn't sending a team to the WCs.

Footwear , but not gloves , or hats. Compression socks are OK, sock on your feet, no if they have a logo, yes with no logo.

Star wrote:

If Adidas invests $200m to sponsor James Harden, you think they would lobby hard to prevent him from wearing only Nike off the court at the Olympics or something.

It really is insane that Adidas offered to pay one athlete nearly as much as Nike bought USATF for for 23 years. TWENTY THREE YEARS! Honestly Nike bought an entire sport for a song.

Fvck USADA. Fvck Nike.

All hail Nick MF Symmonds!

USATF - not USADA...

get a brain buddy wrote:

InWyo wrote:

Good for him.

The quote about not even packing anything else makes me think the USATF were anticipating his resistance. I wonder if the same language was given to everyone else on the team?

Of course the same language was given to everyone. Who do you think pays the bills?

Last time I checked Brooks wasn't paying $20 million a year to get exposure at this meet.

Correct. And how much of that $20 million that Nike pays to USATF annually is being shared with the athletes who wear the national uniform? I believe the answer is none of it.

Imagine a different scenario in which USATF were replaced by some kind of Assocation of American T&F Athletes that negotiated arrangements such as the Nike deal on behalf of its member athletes and shared the bulk of the revenue from sponsorships with athletes on some kind of proportional basis relating to wearing the national team uniform at competitions.

Andrew Boyle™ ‏@HardBoyledCC

@NickSymmonds now we know why Nike dropped you from the team. All you do is run your mouth 24/7

I see what you are saying, but they are on "Team USA" not "Team Nike". If this were an equitable situation Nick should be wearing a Brooks kit that proudly states USA on it.

Instead because of nepotism and crappy dealmaking, the USATF is effectively owned by Nike and the latter can enforce such one sided crap on to the athletes.

At the end of the day, this only devalues T&F by making it less marketable and more controlled by a single party. Honestly, the Olympics/IOC/USATF was the worst thing to happen to T&F. The whole thing should be dismantled and marketable leagues should be build from the ashes. Right now it just sucks to watch T&F go through this death rattle.

Go MF Nick.

I\'m so happy to see this; really tired of that corporate logo appearing everywhere.

I agree. Nick should shut the F up and put on the USA National team uniform like everyone else. He has done it before. He isn't special. Either wear the USA gear at USA National team functions or stay your whiny ass at home.

Nick has turned into that crazy ex-girlfriend. He reaped the benefits of being a Nike athlete all those years and didn't complain...but after he got dumped (or wasn't presented with a new contract that he felt his "brand" was worth), he pisses and moans about it all the time. Do you think if he wasn't a Nike athlete based in Oregon, he would have as much love and exposure from the Oregon faithful that made him a fan favorite? I mean, KD was a Nike athlete that was killing in the 2000's and wasn't getting the same treatment he was. This isn't so much about athletes rights, this is all about Nick, as he's turning into the Donald Trump of track and field.

(Full disclosure - wear both Nike and Brooks shoes for throughout the week, and own Nike and Berkshire Hathaway stock)

Star wrote:

I'd hate to see him miss out on the chance to compete.

Even a successful suit doesn't get that back for you.

But he's already made 5 or 6 national teams and I agree that it is quit a stretch to think he will medal again.

I agree he would get much more attention if he boycotts.

However, I don't think it will ultimately change much.

Michael Jordan had to wear the Reebok warm-up for the 92 Olympics but draped the flag over the Reebok logo to cover it up when they were on the podium.

Symmonds is no Michael Jordan.

That last sentence says it all. No, "Symmonds is no Michael Jordan," he's more like an Andy Messersmith (Baseball). This is another reason track & field is not more popular. Non-support and apathy. Nick is one of the most recognizable and popular track athletes out there. Everyone wants to complain about the injustices taking place in the sport but not everyone wants to stand up to the giants. Nick does.

Whether he goes to Beijing or not you can bet he's thought it out and will take the hit if he needs to. Future track and field athletes will thank him.