Symmonds won't sign contract requiring him to wear Nike at all team functions, threatens to sue if USATF kicks him off WC team

hulksmash wrote:

Seriously? The big deal is that Symmonds and all the other athletes don't see any of that money.

Exactly where do you think the Nike money goes? You think the USATF just pocketed it all? Some of you are idiots.

Since we are all idiots could you map out for us how Nike's dollars get dispersed to the athletes that make up the team?

Substans wrote:

hulksmash wrote:

Seriously? The big deal is that Symmonds and all the other athletes don't see any of that money.

Exactly where do you think the Nike money goes? You think the USATF just pocketed it all? Some of you are idiots.

CowardswithGunsRCool wrote:

Since we are all idiots could you map out for us how Nike's dollars get dispersed to the athletes that make up the team?

Substans wrote:

Exactly where do you think the Nike money goes? You think the USATF just pocketed it all? Some of you are idiots.

Prize money at USATF events (which has gone up, and is going up, significantly)

USATF High Performance direct funding for Tiered athletes.

Travel/hotel/per diem for USATF High Performance events (Mt. SAC, Oxy, Payton Jordan, etc.)

I'm not saying this is all worth it, but these are a few of the examples of how USATF money makes its way to athletes.

Well, obviously some of nike's USATF-sponsorship money is still going to the athletes, just not as a direct payment to them. I mean, anyone who makes the team gets a FREE nike uniform. So that's like a hundred bucks right there. Plus, the athletes get a FREE hotel room. I think they even get the fun of sharing this shiny, special hotel room with another athlete, which is basically FREE athlete bonding time.

In all seriousness, I will never understand why sports fans take the side of the organization/ owners/ league/ etc. against athletes under the justification that the athletes are spoiled or something. Yes, Symmonds gets paid to run. And USATF employees get paid to process paperwork allowing him to run (sometimes they even do this job correctly!). Plus, they book hotel rooms. That's never easy.

Good point about the per diem. You're totally right. Symmonds gets a week or two of meal money. Case closed.

Nike is always right wrote:

Well, obviously some of nike's USATF-sponsorship money is still going to the athletes, just not as a direct payment to them. I mean, anyone who makes the team gets a FREE nike uniform. So that's like a hundred bucks right there. Plus, the athletes get a FREE hotel room. I think they even get the fun of sharing this shiny, special hotel room with another athlete, which is basically FREE athlete bonding time.

In all seriousness, I will never understand why sports fans take the side of the organization/ owners/ league/ etc. against athletes under the justification that the athletes are spoiled or something. Yes, Symmonds gets paid to run. And USATF employees get paid to process paperwork allowing him to run (sometimes they even do this job correctly!). Plus, they book hotel rooms. That's never easy.

I'm not taking any sides. I'm just pointing out how idiotic it is to condemn Nike and the USATF without even knowing where the money is going. None of you have even attempted to guesstimate an annual expenditure value vs the annual Nike contribution.

Doesn't matter unless it is eye-popping huge. Symmonds claims to have had someone bug him about not wearing nike crap when Symmonds was getting a morning cup of coffee in the hotel. How is that not ridiculous? Come on, man. Again, if USATF is giving athletes a considerable amount of their nike stash, then okay. Somehow I really doubt that. I'm sorry, but with USATF's record of late, I really think the burden is on them to prove that they're not morons, not the other way around. And I will continue to think this so long as they have a drug cheat on their payroll as a coach. Maybe that's unfair, but history matters, and USATF's isn't good.

I just watched the German ARD so it the Nike money that does not go to the athletes, goes right into the pockets of corrupt operations like Kenya Athletics to pay for doping.

What Nike does not understand is it is good for the sport to have other brands involved. But no, Cap and his goons would rather crush everyone because this is "war" to them. Nike is always going to "win" because they have the most money. But why do they NEED to be the only show in town? They bully, they threaten, that is how that business works. Nike needs to clean house with that sports marketing group.

If USATF/Nike wants to own the athletes for 2 straight weeks, then they should pay their salary for 2 weeks.

I really hope what Symmonds is doing works and the sport is better off.

One compelling line of reasoning for how we know USATF money isn't going to the athletes is that one of the athletes (a six time national champ) is saying he won't agree to the branded logo policy, at risk of his position on the team, because doing so would negatively affect his livelihood.

monkeymoney wrote:

He;s just ticked he got dropped by Nike and has to always complain about it, even though for years he got a pay check from them and never had an issue with them. Grow up and act like an adult not a clown.

Exactly. What about the people who weren't sponsored by Nike when Nick was? They wore the uniform. If Nick was really doing this for the sport as a whole (which I'm sure he feels that way about this), he should have brought up this "injustice" earlier. Okay, Nick, now that you aren't sponsored by Nike, suddenly the veil is lifted and now it's a problem?! Give me a break. Eat a piece of humble pie for once. You're a runner, I only look at what shoes you wear...I know wearing a Brooks/Nike/Adidas/Mizuno/Asiics/Hoka tshirt won't make me a better runner. Better looking? Maybe. Faster? No. P.S. Run Gum won't either.

Why do some of you allow for no room for anyone to change his mind, to get more annoyed with a given policy as time goes on, etc.? We don't all just come out of the womb with our beliefs fully formed.

So he's making a stink out of something this year that he didn't make a stink out of last year or the year before. Dude, so what?

If you look at the economics, it makes complete sense why he wouldn't complain about this when he was a Nike athlete.

You know, you're allowed to dislike the guy's antics but still realize that he may have a point.

Although I will say that I don't know why anyone thinks Nike or any other company should want to not do everything they can to get the biggest market share possible. They're a private company. Welcome to America. No, Apple does not like Microsoft. Sorry, but it's true.

USATF doesn't even provide their athletes all of the items they specified in their kit letter, according to some tweets from multiple athletes.

Three interesting tweets:

Nick Symmonds ‏@NickSymmonds 22m22 minutes ago

Looking through the kit @usatf sent me and half the items they demand I wear are not even included! You seriously crazy USATF.

https://twitter.com/NickSymmonds/status/629699199219597312

And this conversation:

Shayla Houlihan @ShaLayla

Thank you @NickSymmonds!! Standing up 4 what is right is not always the popular thing; future athletes pay attention::http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2015/08/06/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/USATF.aspx?ana=SBD%20Email …

https://twitter.com/ShaLayla/status/629382967371042816

Nicole Tully ‏@NicoleSchappert 21h21 hours ago

Fun fact: The World kit doesn't include sports bras or shorts. I assume this means all training is to be done nude.

https://twitter.com/NicoleSchappert/status/629386744744378368

Shalaya Kipp ‏@ShalayaKipp 22m22 minutes ago

@NicoleSchappert @NickSymmonds @ShaLayla And some of us where told to go out and buy Nike shorts and sports bras on our own dime.

https://twitter.com/ShalayaKipp/status/629699167024078848

hulksmash wrote:

One compelling line of reasoning for how we know USATF money isn't going to the athletes is that one of the athletes (a six time national champ) is saying he won't agree to the branded logo policy, at risk of his position on the team, because doing so would negatively affect his livelihood.

No, that's not a compelling line of reasoning. Nor is it proof that the Nike money isn't going to the athletes. In fact, this is proof of the exact opposite: where did the branded logo apparel come from?

And how would this negatively affect his livelihood? Does he get a bonus from his company for wearing the uniform specifically to worlds? I honestly don't know the specifics of his contract so I'm asking.

It negatively affects his livelihood because he could negotiate a higher salary out of Brooks if they knew that he could do interviews and such in Brooks gear during the championship meets when he is most visible.

Again, LeBron warmed up in Adidas clothes when Adidas was the NBA uniform sponsor, but he was still allowed to wear a Nike t-shirt during interviews the week of the NBA finals.

how it negatively affects wrote:

Again, LeBron warmed up in Adidas clothes when Adidas was the NBA uniform sponsor, but he was still allowed to wear a Nike t-shirt during interviews the week of the NBA finals.

Not so:

how it negatively affects wrote:

It negatively affects his livelihood because he could negotiate a higher salary out of Brooks if they knew that he could do interviews and such in Brooks gear during the championship meets when he is most visible.

Again, LeBron warmed up in Adidas clothes when Adidas was the NBA uniform sponsor, but he was still allowed to wear a Nike t-shirt during interviews the week of the NBA finals.

If this went to court his contract with Brooks would certainly be introduced. All we are is speculating.

how it negatively affects wrote:

It negatively affects his livelihood because he could negotiate a higher salary out of Brooks if they knew that he could do interviews and such in Brooks gear during the championship meets when he is most visible.

Again, LeBron warmed up in Adidas clothes when Adidas was the NBA uniform sponsor, but he was still allowed to wear a Nike t-shirt during interviews the week of the NBA finals.

In the NY Times article he says he is okay with wearing the uniform at "official team functions [which] include competitions, awards ceremonies and news conferences." He's objecting to wearing them at other times during the championships. I agree that the USATF may be going overboard, but how the hell is he going to monetize wearing Brooks gear while getting coffee in the morning? Brooks is not paying him one cent more for wearing their gear to get breakfast. What they are happy with though is his ability to drum up publicity over this absurd controversy.

Okay, I get that you found a youtube video, but you know this isn't the case in other sports. There is no freaking way that LeBron had to wear an adidas shirt as soon as he left his house the morning of Game 1 of the Finals. You have to understand that the policy USATF is enforcing here is a little weird.

You don't need his Brooks contract to determine that his livelihood is hurt. It's a counterfactual, so it can't be proven the way you're talking. You have to just use basic logic. Do you believe that Brooks would pay Symmonds the same money for the following two options: a) he wears Brooks at all times except during world championships and Olympics, b) he wears Brooks at all times and he can also do some interviews or whatnot with Brooks (not at team functions, just on his own in his free time) during world championships and Olympics? Obviously b is worth more money than a. So, yes, the USATF/nike policy is hurting Symmonds' livelihood in comparison to if he was allowed to wear his sponsor's gear while doing an interview or video segment or something during the Olympics. Now, that's just proof that his livelihood is hurt under this scenario compared to another. Whether or not it's fair is another story. If the USATF/nike policy is legally on the up and up, then all's fair and athletes need to do like Symmonds and refuse to sign this USATF contract or whatever if they don't want to be under this policy.

How he can monetize being allowed to wear Brooks crap outside of official team functions: he does a daily video series for the Brooks web site, wearing Brooks gear, showing his preparation for his races while he's in China. That took me five seconds to come up with. I'm sure an actual advertising professional could come up with something better.

Also, yeah, it's weird if female athletes have to wear nike crap but are only given those bikini bottoms from the race kit and no shorts to go for runs in. I have no idea if that's legal or not, but it definitely comes across as weird.