Breaking: Max Siegel Expose in The Washington Post - It's going to be tough for him to survive this!!

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ruppandroll wrote:

I never realized he was black. Where have I been?

smd wrote:Major newspaper asks organization's spokesperson about incident.

From the details in her response, it sounds like spokesperson checked with somebody on how to answer.

Then the reporter reveals the evidence underlying the original query, and the spokesperson is left dangling and has no additional comment.

Sounds like Geer was lied to, or, less likely, willfully spun a tale without consulting Siegel's office. Neither thing should happen in a well-run organization that realizes that, in 2016, everybody keeps all emails and texts.

Siegel would have known the true answer but he changed his mind about being interviewed by the WaPo and handed the interview off to Geer to be the flak-catcher- presumably after Siegel got wind that he would be asked hard questions.

Apparently, Siegel can only answer interviewer questions when it's a puff piece about him being a "marketing genius."

Now we know that the real "marketing geniuses" were the ex-Nike guys that USATF is going to pay $23 million to for the Nike contract.

Ass-hat needs to go, now! I vote for Vin!

On the lighter side, take a look at his Wikipedia page, apparently written by his PR person.

From someone who has been around the block a few times, this seems like just another taste of the same bile that has been burped up in this sport forever. The answer is not "who should take over USATF". We are past that stage. Yes, someone will replace Siegel. Tweedle dum or tweedle dee--it matters not. The answer does not lay with the Vin Lanannas of the sport--no disrespect to him. The solution sits with the young pros--Alexa Efraimson, Andrew Hunter, Ashley McLaughlin, etc. These young folks should take a l-e-a-p into new territory and *disassociate* themselves from USATF to every extent possible. Compete at the national championships to make teams, but never-ever do publicity for USATF. Begin thinking about a new federation and build contacts with the IOC and the IAAF so that in ten or twelve years we have a cadre of seasoned pro athletes who can form the organization that will *succeed* USATF. USATF cannot be reformed as long as we have people like Siegel and Jill Geer, who will gild whatever turd is placed before them and serve it up as dinner.

Clear that USATF Board is complicit in this in that they don't have any interest in questioning Max on anything. They have signed off on USATF paying double commissions on an inside deal. They have been handpicked by Max, Hightower and nike to keep them in power and will do nothing on this.

Membership must demand an investigation and audit. Now. Don't wait until December.

And Vin for President? Seriously? Is there ANYONE besides Nike pawns available?

Can't wait to hear from that idiot Alan Abrahamson to explain why this is all ok and we just don't understand how lucky we are to be robbed by this regime.

Which now says this:

haha

I don't know what other Execs with comparable budgets are paid, but if the average, as reported, is in the neighborhood of $232,000 for a 35 million dollar budget, then non-profit salaries are a joke. That's pathetic payment for so much fiscal and other responsibilities.

George Hirsch wrote:

The solution sits with the young pros--Alexa Efraimson, Andrew Hunter, Ashley McLaughlin, etc. These young folks should take a l-e-a-p into new territory and *disassociate* themselves from USATF to every extent possible.

Don't you mean Sydney McLaughlin, George?

The article didn't mention Maxy's use of personal bodyguards at the Marathon Trials in LA so he could pimp around with an entourage like he was a rapper.

Tired... wrote:

Clear that USATF Board is complicit in this in that they don't have any interest in questioning Max on anything. They have signed off on USATF paying double commissions on an inside deal. They have been handpicked by Max, Hightower and nike to keep them in power and will do nothing on this.

Membership must demand an investigation and audit. Now. Don't wait until December.

And Vin for President? Seriously? Is there ANYONE besides Nike pawns available?

Can't wait to hear from that idiot Alan Abrahamson to explain why this is all ok and we just don't understand how lucky we are to be robbed by this regime.

I've attended every in-person USATF Board Meeting for the past year and a half. Now that Willie Banks and Bob Hersh are gone, the only person who ever really goes against the flow is Curt Clausen. The majority of the board was carefully handpicked over the years to go along with Max/Stephanie/Steve and not question things. At least not publicly, they do meet in executive session and I can't speak to what happens there.

They did undergo an audit recently, there have been vague reports about it at the Board Meetings.

Your choices for President will probably be Vin Lananna or Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Jackie has been on the Board of Directors for a long time and rarely speaks. I've never seen her take a leadership role. Wonderful person though.

Is Vin a Nike pawn? That's a valid concern. But USATF is so wrapped up in this Nike contract, does that even matter? I don't think he could do anything that makes any of that situation worse. But I DO think he is someone that is more than capable of standing up to Max/Stephanie/Steve if he doesn't agree with something.

A couple of other loose ends that could use some investigation. USATF recently opened a really nice NYC satellite office with only one person in it...for "marketing/fundraising purposes". The lady there gives me her card, which states that she is Operations Manager for USATF.

I look her up after she emails me, and she is literally just a Max Siegel crony. If you look at her Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayana-rivera-80893127) it says NOTHING about the fact that she's at USATF, just her "creative agency" CCA. Upon some further digging:

https://images.indiegogo.com/medias/1271861/files/20140227084417-Ayana_Rivera_Bio_Main.docx?1393519458

"Max Siegel, Inc. became CCA’s first client, hiring the agency as Producer on his NASCAR influenced reality show Changing Lanes which hit the BET Network in 2010. And the following year CCA, Inc. assisted Siegel with the production of Wendell Scott: A Race Story, documentary on ESPN."

How is this sort of self-dealing legal?

polevaultpower wrote:

Is Vin a Nike pawn? That's a valid concern.

If anything, Vin is a Vin pawn. He's just another player in the game he is playing.

Curt Clausen- World Bronze medalist in 50K walk. Keep fighting for us Curt!

I could defend some of the luxury things if they occurred infrequently.

If a few people are flying from Indy to Eugene for a meeting I can see using a private jet. Changing planes is a pain in the ass and cost time. Now how often is that necessary?

The luxury hotels is silly especially saying the hotels were booked. I have negotiated hotel deals and set aside a block of rooms for staff. You know how many staffers are going to be there and the CEO is getting the first room (suite I can be behind). In the case of worlds, I could give him a pass on staying where the IAAF bigwigs are staying. Remember USATF needs to be taking leadership and influential roles in IAAF.

I appreciated Craig Masback's take on the optics of athletes seeing him flying first class. Now I would not begrudge him taking a free upgrade nor should an athlete, but I appreciate that he realizes how it looks.

I would be okay with his pay if he had actually negotiated the Nike deal. I know lots of folks think it is a bad deal, but it is really hard to walk away from a guaranteed deal of $20M/yr for two decades. As I noted at the time, it frees staff to pursue other deals. Yes, other deals are not all that lucrative, but that is pretty common in NGBs. Getting product is often what you are going to get. Also getting a cut of proceeds from sales is not unusual either.

As for the argument that the Nike deal was never put on the open market is a little silly. Does anyone think adidas, Under Armour or Reebok was going to step up with that kind of money? I seriously doubt it. Phil Knight loves track and I think Nike is a net positive.

It is funny that IAAF has put him in charge of marketing when he did not negotiate the deal that put him on the map in the Olympic world. IAAF should have hired the guys from Nike.

Although it is not Max's deal :

Look closely at the Nike deal and the amount of support decreases over the years. Inflation will eat into it buying power so you'll see during the last 1/3 it might only cover executives salaries ( if they don't rise much higher.)

How do you know that without the contract having been bid out? Maybe Adidas would have paid $25MM/year. Maybe UA would have paid $50MM/year for 10 years. Maybe Adidas and UA would have struck deals without the massive commission schedule (money that then would theoretically would go to athletes). The most basic corporate governance rules say you don't blindly sign a contract like this without at least doing a market check.

polevaultpower wrote:

They did undergo an audit recently, there have been vague reports about it at the Board Meetings.

Which I suppose means that this audit is not available to the public or USATF members?

Can anyone name the Board of Directors for USATF?

We really have to thank them for the attention to detail and undying loyalty to the athletes. Without the BoD I'm sure Max would have signed a 100 year agreement withe the Chinese at Nike Shanghai Global Centrale in order to receive 100 years worth or bonus money for himself.