Tuohy's last 3 races were average, not good, and DNS.
That’s two races. When someone is a DNS that means that they didn’t race. But since you’re trolling, you already knew that.
Technically you are correct, but when someone bombs out of a race and then pulls out of a race a few hours later, that is part of a historical record that matters. Particularly when that bomb-out and DNS are at a championship meet.
Valby will earn more than any distance runner in history
I think she will make a lot, but unless she performs at a world class level, which is not going to be easy, there is no way she "will earn more than any distance runner in history". There are athletes like Paula Radcliff for example who are multimillionaires. Being pretty helps, but what you are really being paid for is influence and brand exposure; winning global medals provides much greater influence than being pretty. Btw, the standards for being a world class distance runner are very high and she is a long way away. With that said, if she can get healthy for a sustained period, I think she can make a major improvement. However, I don't see her as ever being better than a national class track athlete.
The whole NIL thing is interesting. I just looked at Alex Morgan's Instagram account -- she has 10 million followers and her tictok account is shows over 400,000. Quigley and the Cavinder twins are nowhere close to that, but still massively more followers than Valby, who has around 30,000 followers for each of her accounts. Valby is not what you could call an "influencer." If Nike is paying significant money, then they're looking to the future for her as someone who can build a brand, but whose brand-building is still "in process." She has work to do if that's what she wants.
Big global brands don't value Instagram numbers very much, they value gold medals and likability. Even if you post very seldom, a gold medal will drive the social numbers. See Mu's 168,000 followers. If a brand runs big global campaigns behind you, the numbers will climb even higher.
That's not to say big social numbers aren't useful. The big influencers are very useful for fashion, jewelry and cosmetics that come across nicely in social posts, but it's not the main driver for leading global brands. They are looking to use sponsored champions in traditional campaigns across all media.
Being pretty helps, but what you are really being paid for is influence and brand exposure; winning global medals provides much greater influence than being pretty.
Sha'Carri hasn't come close to winning a global medal but she makes pretty good money.
Winning isn't everything. Filthy rich Anna Kournikova never won a singles tournment in her entire career.
The whole NIL thing is interesting. I just looked at Alex Morgan's Instagram account -- she has 10 million followers and her tictok account is shows over 400,000. Quigley and the Cavinder twins are nowhere close to that, but still massively more followers than Valby, who has around 30,000 followers for each of her accounts. Valby is not what you could call an "influencer." If Nike is paying significant money, then they're looking to the future for her as someone who can build a brand, but whose brand-building is still "in process." She has work to do if that's what she wants.
Big global brands don't value Instagram numbers very much, they value gold medals and likability. Even if you post very seldom, a gold medal will drive the social numbers. See Mu's 168,000 followers. If a brand runs big global campaigns behind you, the numbers will climb even higher.
That's not to say big social numbers aren't useful. The big influencers are very useful for fashion, jewelry and cosmetics that come across nicely in social posts, but it's not the main driver for leading global brands. They are looking to use sponsored champions in traditional campaigns across all media.
They used sponsored champions who everyone knows and who also have huge followings: think Ronaldo, Nadal, Biles etc.
Most people who run as a hobby don’t know champion runners, Nike often uses normal people or celebs for their running campaigns so yes social media numbers DO matter. A lot for that matter. Having worked in that field it’s the first metric a brand wants to know about. There’s no value in advertising to use a face that nobody recognizes in the hopes that people will care whether or not they won a cross country race. The value for Nike with Valby is her future potential and moreover getting in there first before another brand.
Interesting that she's represented by Kimbia, which has long represented many BTC athletes. I would say this means Valby could be bound for BTC once she goes pro -- except that I can't imagine her ever doing well in the BTC system, given her fragility.
I hate to make this kind of comparison, but if it was just about the looks, they'd go elsewhere because there are legions of better looking women walking around on college campuses every day, whether in FL or elsewhere, plenty running track as well, but they're not getting contracts because the track performances aren't there. Take away the national championship and this deal wouldn't be happening.
Valby will earn more than any distance runner in history
I think she will make a lot, but unless she performs at a world class level, which is not going to be easy, there is no way she "will earn more than any distance runner in history". There are athletes like Paula Radcliff for example who are multimillionaires. Being pretty helps, but what you are really being paid for is influence and brand exposure; winning global medals provides much greater influence than being pretty. Btw, the standards for being a world class distance runner are very high and she is a long way away. With that said, if she can get healthy for a sustained period, I think she can make a major improvement. However, I don't see her as ever being better than a national class track athlete.
NIL is for college athletes. She isn't being paid for her professional running potential. She isn't just "pretty". She has model looks. And she's a front runner. The SEC championship race was just amazing, and it was shown on ESPN. No one gets more face time in a race than Valby.
Someone posted that they hoped she gets 20k. My god, I'd hardly scribble my name on a piece of paper for that. I can't imagine she's getting less than 200k. I realize track is not football. But far more people purchase running shoes and clothes than football cleats. She will make Nike a lot of coin.
Really? I had a boy and girl from my team talk to almost every school in the B10. Both signed with B10 teams but neither got NIL money or even heard about it from any of the schools.
I think she will make a lot, but unless she performs at a world class level, which is not going to be easy, there is no way she "will earn more than any distance runner in history". There are athletes like Paula Radcliff for example who are multimillionaires. Being pretty helps, but what you are really being paid for is influence and brand exposure; winning global medals provides much greater influence than being pretty. Btw, the standards for being a world class distance runner are very high and she is a long way away. With that said, if she can get healthy for a sustained period, I think she can make a major improvement. However, I don't see her as ever being better than a national class track athlete.
NIL is for college athletes. She isn't being paid for her professional running potential. She isn't just "pretty". She has model looks. And she's a front runner. The SEC championship race was just amazing, and it was shown on ESPN. No one gets more face time in a race than Valby.
Someone posted that they hoped she gets 20k. My god, I'd hardly scribble my name on a piece of paper for that. I can't imagine she's getting less than 200k. I realize track is not football. But far more people purchase running shoes and clothes than football cleats. She will make Nike a lot of coin.
She's not ugly but def not a model. Very basic.
I wonder too if she'lll figure out her mystery injury.
You need better reading comprehension skills, Rojo. He's confused that she's saying she's the first athlete, not about the deal's workings itself.
It’s funny how many downvotes this has when it is literally correct about what I was saying. Almost like everyone on this site needs to work on their reading comprehension.
It's rojo's fake troll farm bots downvoting it. Thanks for proving my point.
Nike signed her over tens of thousands of athletes due to her looks. Your preference doesn't matter. They are using the preference of millions of consumers.
Nike signed her over tens of thousands of athletes due to her looks. Your preference doesn't matter. They are using the preference of millions of consumers.
What looks? She looks typical. No one knows her. That doesn’t translate to sales with consumers. She’s not a world renown Tennis pro. I saw photos of Centro in stores. Guess what - no one else notices because he’s some track guy and no one knows anything about track.
I'd say she got good on lower volume, so why would she go into that meat grinder of a program? Infeld is a Nike athlete, and trains with the Bosshard group. Or Union Athletics Club has Emma Donaghu as a 5000m training partner, along with a slate of mid distance speedsters. Nothing about her style or personality say Bowerman to me.
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