The Future of Footlocker XC

Beginning with the fact that I know nothing of how Nike and Footlocker go about running these CC events, but since Nike and Footlocker aren't really competitors (I mean you can BUY Nike gear at Footlocker stores) it seems to me the best thing would be for them to combine efforts.

"Nike-Footlocker CC Championships"

Even have an individual race and a team race if they want.

Symbiotic.

Flagpole wrote:

Beginning with the fact that I know nothing of how Nike and Footlocker go about running these CC events, but since Nike and Footlocker aren't really competitors (I mean you can BUY Nike gear at Footlocker stores) it seems to me the best thing would be for them to combine efforts.

"Nike-Footlocker CC Championships"

Even have an individual race and a team race if they want.

Symbiotic.

They tried that. Nike offered to fund the team component back in 2003, Footlocker refused, so in 2003 NXN was started.

The entire idea of Footlocker was Great...

By stressing the top individuals in a region, you not only got to know the sport and the future of the sport better, it became more exciting teamwise as well.

These teams run as a team ALL YEAR.

FOOTLOCKER was "something completely different" and really was something to look for at the end of the season.

Now, because of NXN, both are watered down.

three-quarters of the kids running are just average runners and you have to do your homework to figure out who they are and definitely where they are from..

it is only NOT confusing to the participants and coaches.

Footlocker was unique..NXN is NOT.

RIP FOOTLOCKER.

How can a major corporation give trips to kids without jepordizing their elgibility? What happened to not being able to accept anything worth more than $15 in value?

Ah. Thanks for the info. Perhaps they should both try again? Do you know why Footlocker refused? Seems a good match if you ask me.

themanontherun wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

Beginning with the fact that I know nothing of how Nike and Footlocker go about running these CC events, but since Nike and Footlocker aren't really competitors (I mean you can BUY Nike gear at Footlocker stores) it seems to me the best thing would be for them to combine efforts.

"Nike-Footlocker CC Championships"

Even have an individual race and a team race if they want.

Symbiotic.

They tried that. Nike offered to fund the team component back in 2003, Footlocker refused, so in 2003 NXN was started.

Footlocker sells more than one brand and cannot diss other manufacturers as that will poison the relationship.

Business Model wrote:

Footlocker sells more than one brand and cannot diss other manufacturers as that will poison the relationship.

Is that Footlocker's stated reason, or are you just speculating?

Disagree. Various companies have agreements/alliances all the time. Look at the big department stores, e.g., Macy*s. They might have a full page spread in the paper advertising a particular brand/product while still selling competing products. Same for all electronic stores and brands (Nikon, Canon, etc.)As a general fan of XC (follow the pros, NCAAs, but not really H.S., except locally and at the highest level), I really looked forward to FL. It was the one sport that had a true uncontested championship.Not sure who is at fault. We don't know the specifics of whatever caused Nike and FL to go their separate ways. Personally, I like the FL format. While I understand the Nike team aspect of it, there are too few teams that have runners 1 through 5 that deserve to be in a championship race. A team might have that one male runner at 15:30-5k, and the 5th or 6th running 17+ min. While that is very respectful, it does not belong at the national championship level. Sorry.Hopefully this can be straightened out in the next year or two. Nike will not go away, and I don't think FL has the boardroom backing to fight it, unless it picks up another sponsor (Asics?)Finally, as a positive, while the true championship is unclear, it is giving more runners exposure to top class competition.

Business Model wrote:

Footlocker sells more than one brand and cannot diss other manufacturers as that will poison the relationship.

Personally I think Footlocker should keep on doing exactly what they've been doing.

They are the best for the kids, the best cross country championships ever.

Nike is all about money and doesn't care who they destroy, even kids. I think quite a few of the runners are figuring this out already. What NX is doing is horrendous.

This is all the more reason for Footlocker to carry on with their great tradition.

i think people should stop berating this girl... i am sure she feels bad enough about letting down her teammates and then not qualifying anyway.

If you look at the bottom 10 teams at NCAAs, most of them only have one All-American and then just a mediocre 2-5. Does that deserve to be at the national championship? If you ignored the team element of cross country at the college level, then Liberty University would have to be considered the most dominant running program in the NCAA in the past 4 years.

In the end, there can only be one true national championship. Nike is an improvement, which is why you see more and more individuals heading that way.

My issue right now with NXN is the volume of runners already at each regional, which I would expect to increase if NXN cout ntinues to assume dominance over FL.

At the regional meets this year, over 1900 boy runners ran the 8 different regions. That's already about 300 more than the NCAA has running in the regional meets. You can't really argue that there should be MORE regions, but maybe some sort of qualification system for the region meets.

Well said. One minor point - the regionals already have seeding for the qualifying races. Teams thataren't selected for the qualifying race run in the open races, which are already pretty big, and serve as a stepping stone for teams who want to make it into the qualifying race at regionals the next year.

NXN is doing a great thing by motivating high school teams and raising the profile of the sport. I would bet that a large proportion of those who will be top 10 HS runners in a few years found important motivation this year in the pursuit of qualifying for NXN. I would bet that an even larger proportion of the kids who will be top 100 (but not top 10) spent plenty of days thinking about getting their team to NXN (although they knew that they had little shot of qualifying for FL). This sort of thing can ultimately have an impact on participation in the sport and the level of excellence that US runners attain.

Congratulations to Nike for putting their money where their mouth is and providing a meaningful national championship for HS cross country.

Congratulations to the 22 teams who got after it and qualified.

And congratulations also to the 40 kids who make it to FL finals.

Exactly. With 350+ athletes in the "championship" races at NXN, it loses some of its elite-level feel--especially 350+ high school kids. A more rigorous standard for qualifying would make Nike just about perfect--a strong approximation of the NCAA system.

Ideally, I'd like to see every kid have the chance to do what Midwest kids can: State Finals, NXN Regionals, FL Regionals, NXN Nationals, FL Nationals. A big meet every weekend for five weeks. That way, the true elites can still slug it out one-on-one at FL without having to worry about their teams, and everybody can still participate in the Nike meet.

happy for her wrote:

i think people should stop berating this girl... i am sure she feels bad enough about letting down her teammates and then not qualifying anyway.

yeah i am sure she feels terrible about letting nike down and not attending their race

It looks like its a matter of opinion. I like the team concept and asked a regional director why they didn't have a team aspect (this was pre-NXN). He kind of shrugged it off and said they were sticking with individuals.

To me, XC is the ultiamte team sport. If you have a bad day it is clear to see how you may have cost them the victory. You can mess up in other sports (fumble, make an error) and make up for it with a TD or homerun (get my point?).

I just like the team thing and I wish they would combine.

Yea, because Futsum Ziennasellasie couldnt make NXN...

Footlocker IS team.

It's the best of the east against the best of the west against the best of the south against the best of the midwest and it is different...

Plus you tend to follow Footlocker guys alot longer in their careers because they aren't hidden by numbers..

These NXN teams are all over the place..but how can you tell..Paletine? KROY?

Oh yeah, I can figure that high school stuff out I guess, if I really try...

But, it's a matter of taste and the great high school meet that for years capped off a season and was a preview of collegiate days to come....IS DEAD.

Not a good analogy. If you drop the pass, or fumble at the end of the game, you can't make it up. Game over, happens every weekend.It would only be the 'ultimate' team sport if they didn't acknowledge an individual winner.I ran a XC race this past weekend and I didn't have to be part of a team to participate. But I can't go play baseball or football by myself. Also, there have been instances where a school does not field a girls XC team (usually small towns, maybe not happening as frequently in recent years), and she has to run alone in invitationals.But I basically agree with the point that Nike is putting their money where their mouth is, and they (FL & Nike) need to reach an agreement of some sort for the benefit of all.

runn wrote:

It looks like its a matter of opinion. I like the team concept and asked a regional director why they didn't have a team aspect (this was pre-NXN). He kind of shrugged it off and said they were sticking with individuals.

To me, XC is the ultiamte team sport. If you have a bad day it is clear to see how you may have cost them the victory. You can mess up in other sports (fumble, make an error) and make up for it with a TD or homerun (get my point?).

I just like the team thing and I wish they would combine.

My kid ran FL last year and loved it. Friendships were made with kids from all over, especially with those from your own region. No experience with nxn nationals but I'm guessing a lot of the kids just hang with their own teams. Maybe not.

One thing I can say is that it seems like nxn did a much better job promoting their meet this year to the athletes. The elite summer camp. Meet directors for nxn talking up the meet at local state meets. We did not hear anything, zilch, from FL this year even though our kid is a ranked runner and potential returner. We are still sticking with FL but they might have at least sent a letter or something to potential returning qualifiers, knowing there would be stiff competition from nxn.