Nike seems ALARMINGLY reluctant to support Kiptum

Kipchoge is really good at marketing himself, his running club, and putting himself out there to the public. Pre-Boston this year he had round the clock appearances, and I wouldn't be surprised if that had a negative impact on his race. Nike can build on that and use it for marketing (to sell more shoes). Kiptum barely posts on social media and he mostly trains alone/self-coached. Even Rupp, who had no social media presence when he trained with Oregon Project was part of a group that had a lot of marketing. Whether Kiptum's performances were clean is an argument for another day, For now, Nike has very little to share. Kiptum could very well head back to Kenya and we won't see or hear from him until next spring. The best Nike can do then is post more photos of him running Chicago.

What a stupid post.

Kipchoge is the only thing even close to a household name among active elite marathoners.

IG posts are ads. (You get that, right?)

Of COURSE they place more advertising with Kipchoge's name and likeness than with a runner who was previously unknown to most of their buying audience (and still is).

they supported lance armstrong till the end or close to the end or something like that

It appears there’s a misunderstanding, my friend (read: you're actually the idiot here). The economics of digital content don't scale in the way you’re suggesting. For Nike, or any brand, uploading eight posts incurs no real additional cost compared to posting a single one. It’s the beauty of the digital age - content can be amplified without a proportional increase in expense. While there’s an option to promote posts for broader reach, Nike's extensive follower base essentially renders that unnecessary for every piece of content. The organic reach is significant on its own. Go to bed.

What's the current number of Nike sponsored 1:59 pacers that have been busted in all Nike kit?

Is it 5? Or higher now?

Anyway I'm fine waiting until there is proof before accusations.

WADA seems a little slow though, sometimes it takes half a year which implies to me it's not a technical problem but rather legal or internal politics.

Brigid Kosgei's 2:14 at Chicago 2019 took over four months to ratify, which seems oddly long, they must have been checking everything,

Nike included him in their Alphafly 3 post (ahead of Kipchoge). I think it's safe to say you were overthinking this

I apologize for that post being deleted by one of our volunteer mods. Mods, come on, it's quite clever.

Late bloomer is the last thing I would use to describe somebody who won Worlds at 18/19 years old

Kipchoge doesn't use the internet or at least not for his own social media.

You do realize he has an entire TEAM of people who do the posts, make the photos and videos for him, he does none of that.

Very few pros have public relations managers let alone teams of people.

Anyway he's going to have to retire soon, there's no way he's really only 38 and he will rest rightfully, comfortable on his millions.

Hopefully Kiptum is clean and we'll get another amazing decade.

But what happens next Olympic cycle if they make the shoes another minute or two faster?

Still can't wrap my head around the times this past month.

Millions and millions have been sunk into Kipchoge. Why would they do that with Kiptum right now when he is essentially the same type of "product/athlete" as Kipchoge. It's like when a car company doesn't do a good job of delineating between two cars they make and they are essentially creating two cars that do the same thing in their line. They would be competing against themselves if they did and it would cause confusion within the brands products. Nike seized an opportunity in a market (running) that was largely void of any personality like Jordan. Kipchoge's line of products will likely grow as he moves out of running and into retirement just like Jordan's has. Kiptum in my mind, the timing is messed up with him, with Kipchoge in play still. Nike did the right thing getting him and locking him down though. No other company can steal market share from them now using him.

I think he is one of their not fully sponsored elites. Maybe they get some money for wearing Nike gear but not supported like Kipchoge. I think many Africans elites are that way. Nike also didn't make a big deal when Bekele almost broke marathon WR.

That's not his personality, that's the personality that sells

Kiptum needs to switch to the superior Adidas shoes, and run Rotterdam or something in the spring and go 1:58 high, then switch to the track 10K just to piss everyone off.

It’s all marketing. Kiptum is stern and silent. I believe they plan on having them dual it out for Kipchoge’s last real great one in the next year. They want Kip to remain a mystery a bit until then

He was eighteen. And even more significantly, he outkicked El Guerrouj and destroyed K. Bekele in a fast championship race while doing it. I still consider it as perhaps Kipchoge's greatest single race ever, and even more "off the charts" than a 23-year-old breaking a world record in his third marathon wearing the latest enhancement in the technology wars that have taken over this sport in the last 7+ years.

Everyone saying no are the same type of people to complain how bad US marathoners are

He just set the world record last Sunday. It takes a while to design and mass release Hallmark greeting cards. Give Nike and Hallmark a break lol. Definitely a weak argument. It wasn’t just a few days after Kipchoge first broke the WR that Nike was suddenly putting him up on the highest pedestal. It took time.

Was he 18 though? Still can't decide.

Maybe it's more amazing if he is almost putting 2:00 on the clock after 40.

Image:c8.alamy.com/comp/D3BWDC/dpa-kenyas-el...

They know he's dirty and it may someday come back to bite them!