So we are to believe you are a HS sophomore with top 800m times trolling Letsrun.....everyone knows only single white men who live in their mom's basements post on letsrun.
The whole point of the NIL deals are to sell gear to the masses, nothing more nothing less. The national meets put on by Nike and NB have standards and entry limits so they aren't trying to increase those numbers.
Also New Balance continues to get in their own way, first they stop sponsoring any cross country events and now this year they aren't even hosting nationals at their own facility. Who the hell wants to go run at the Reggie Lewis center?
Also for the casual observers out there, take a look at the "types" of kids each brand is sponsoring, you tell me if you see a difference.
Look at the pathetic number of entries at the Nike Indoor Nationals the last few years and tell me they don’t want to increase those numbers.
NB has figured out that playing a lot of small ball wins. They’ve got a number of very top end American elites, but they’re also lining up the best fields at their meets by throwing little perks at tons of influential HS kids. And every HS kid has to have the backpack no matter how hideous the design is. The fact that the NB meet is crushing Nike despite being at Reggie tells how well their strategy is working.
You can call it a bad take all you want. Take a look at the footwear on the kids toeing the line at the next meet. I bet 90%+ are still wearing the swoosh. Nike is still king in the kid's eyes, regardless of who has the better national meet.
To be clear I don't think NB's approach is a bad one, I think they should keep playing the NIL game too, I just think they should have been a bit more thoughtful when they decided to host a HS national meet and NCAAs the same weekend. Why couldn't the HS meet be moved a week forward or back? Don't try to tell me kids are excited about the Reggie lewis center, cause they aren't!
High school NIL deals are just social media commericals. After a round of NIL signing the running news people say "New Balance gave out 10 NIL deals to high schoolers". BOOM, now you've got people talking about the brand on twitter, instagram, letsrun, etc. Any impact on the actual signee is insignificant. These deals are basically just social media ads with high school athletes instead of paid actors.
It’s a very very cheap way to maybe have a head start with the next big name
Also if it gets more teens wearing New Balance, it’s a gold mine. Win/win
Teens influence other teens more than influencers do. And they’re nowhere near as expensive
Not to beat a dead horse but NB built a beautiful new dedicated indoor facility in Boston. It would seem the easiest decision in the world to have the best kids in america run there for indoor nationals? Instead they have them run nearly the entire meet elsewhere. Freshman and others don't sniff the new facility. Why have it? Easy advertising.
NB didn't "sign" anyone. They literally told a bunch of very good underclassmen they'd give them a bunch of NB gear and do some photo shoot stuff as a NIL "deal". They're not paying the kids anything.
NIL...is an NCAA thing. Not high school. NB makes their $ from hobby joggers and Healthcare workers on their feet all day, along with your old ass daddy wearing those old dad shoes.
It’s akin to giving influencers some free stuff to post and think they have some clout. It costs basically nothing and it gives the brand a path to working with them in the future in the case they go pro one day.
Look at the pathetic number of entries at the Nike Indoor Nationals the last few years and tell me they don’t want to increase those numbers.
NB has figured out that playing a lot of small ball wins. They’ve got a number of very top end American elites, but they’re also lining up the best fields at their meets by throwing little perks at tons of influential HS kids. And every HS kid has to have the backpack no matter how hideous the design is. The fact that the NB meet is crushing Nike despite being at Reggie tells how well their strategy is working.
You can call it a bad take all you want. Take a look at the footwear on the kids toeing the line at the next meet. I bet 90%+ are still wearing the swoosh. Nike is still king in the kid's eyes, regardless of who has the better national meet.
To be clear I don't think NB's approach is a bad one, I think they should keep playing the NIL game too, I just think they should have been a bit more thoughtful when they decided to host a HS national meet and NCAAs the same weekend. Why couldn't the HS meet be moved a week forward or back? Don't try to tell me kids are excited about the Reggie lewis center, cause they aren't!
It's the only weekend the meet can be held. NJ is a huge NBNI draw and their state meets are the week before. The following week is the start of outdoor. Changing the weekend isn't really an option.
Losing the NB facility sucks, but you know what doesn't? Competing Friday at Reggie and staying in Boston for an extra day to watch NCAAs on Saturday. Or better, arriving early to watch NCAAs Friday/Saturday and racing NBNI on Sunday at NB.
Kids who compete at Nationals are fans of the sport. Having NCAAs in the same city as NBNI is great for them.
These deals are pennies and some gear to lock these kids into running their national meets
Some kids cannot afford to go to National meets without a well-earned NIL agreement. And the talented ones are compensated with a lot more than apparel. Don’t pretend to know don’t how much money they earn, because of strict non-disclosure agreements. Not even our son’s coach has a clue what our son earns. Isn’t the primary reason we send are children to school is to prepare them to contribute to society and earn a living doing so?
These deals are pennies and some gear to lock these kids into running their national meets
Some kids cannot afford to go to National meets without a well-earned NIL agreement. And the talented ones are compensated with a lot more than apparel. Don’t pretend to know don’t how much money they earn, because of strict non-disclosure agreements. Not even our son’s coach has a clue what our son earns. Isn’t the primary reason we send are children to school is to prepare them to contribute to society and earn a living doing so?
