Pro Runners Salary

$6.50/hour

actually, in california, they can't make less than 6.75 and hour, that's why all the road whores are coming out here. that and playing Goofy four days/week will barely make rent in southern compton.

a lot of them...no more than $5000. Honest to god, I know a couple and they are all on more or less that amount. All have to work full/part time jobs.

Salary?? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but having a salary makes it sound like there's some pro-running-corporation that employs runners and puts them on the payroll. As far as I know, there's two ways to make money at running, either getting a sponsorship and that's going to be a somewhat negotiated sum, which'll be measly unless your name is Tiger or Lebron, and then the other way to make money is winning race prize money and/or getting appearance fees when you're really good.

Salary?..ha..that's a good one.

Ok, let's take a quick look at what was just said: "either getting a sponsorship and that's going to be a somewhat negotiated sum"... Now I don't have all the answers in life, but I am on salary, and my bosses seem to think the aforementioned arrangement IS salary. When you sign a contract to work for someone, be it running or typing financial reports, you are agreeing on what you are expected to do and how they are expected to compensate you. Granted some runners have "apparel deals" where they get the gear and some travel money, but most runners that you see going pro: Webb, Lukezic, Willis, Brannen, etc. are all getting a regular bi-weekly or monthly check, I guarantee you.

Also, I frequently use this argument for soccer, but there is a large world out there where people in far, far away lands pay big bucks to see track meets. How much money do you think Nike is willing to pay to have a swoosh on the best runners' chests? People in those countries could care less about Lebron, Tiger is the man and everyone can appreciate that though.

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bump

someone above had it right. most endorsement contracts are not big bucks. $2-10k is pretty standard. lately the top americans have been demanding higher stipends because of some name recognition value to the retail public but to make $50k is a LOT unless you're one of the top five in a marquis event. much of the money comes from winnings, performance bonuses, or their full time jobs.

funny wrote:

Now I don't have all the answers in life, but I am on salary, and my bosses seem to think the aforementioned arrangement IS salary. When you sign a contract to work for someone, be it running or typing financial reports, you are agreeing on what you are expected to do and how they are expected to compensate you.

I guess it seems like too much of a misnomer to call a runner's pay "salary". In the world of DOL, IRS and ERISA type laws, just to name a few, salary is a specific type of compensation. And my guess is companies like Nike, Reebok or whoever, get around tons of employment laws by actually calling runners pay "sponsorship" regardless of whether it's paid weekly, monthly or annually. I'm sure runner's aren't entitled to unemployment, worker's comp, social security match, pension plans and the like, or maybe I'm wrong and they are, but a sponsorship contract is going to be in a whole different world than an employee's salary it would seem to me.

If you are a top flight American marathoner with name recognition, then you are probably collecting @ $100,000 in appearance fees for every elite marathon you run, over and above your shoe contract and prize money. This is just a guess inferred from what the top foreign marathons pay out though.

are the top guys employees of Nike or independent contractors? I'm guessing independent contractors - they're basically self employed. A lot of the youngs probably make 25-50k, not that they can drive much in the way of sales now, but because Nike sees the potential they have and the possiblity they could medal at the Olympics. Spreading 25k around to several people hoping that one will strike it big and be in the [insert shoe brand] fold is worth it to them.

Of course many of these athletes are being paid. All of these camps provide housing (year round). Even traditional sports do not receive this. I spend $1000 a month for a small house. That is $12,000 a year. Now I spend about $2,000 a year on equipment. I also travel to 2 major marathons a year and that costs me about $2,000 including travel meals and lodging. Some of these athletes are also receiving health insurance and access to medical which costs an additional $2,000 a year. So if that means that someone is receiving $16,000 worth of stuff that I am currently paying for I VIEW THEM AS PROFESSIONALS. That is if they don't win any prize money or if they don't have an type of incentive bonuses available. I think that there are several americans that are way overpaid. Take a look at the Rosters of Hansons or Team Minnesota or Team Big Sur and tell me if you think they deserve all of that.

Agent for Change wrote:

If you are a top flight American marathoner with name recognition, then you are probably collecting @ $100,000 in appearance fees for every elite marathon you run, over and above your shoe contract and prize money. This is just a guess inferred from what the top foreign marathons pay out though.

I really only see Meb and Deena as the only Americans making this type of cash in marathoning...maybe Culpepper?...but I really don't think our other top marathoners are even getting close to that in appearance fees. Maybe I'm wrong, I certainly am curious though what the top American marathoners are making.

Does anyone know what the elite field get for fees at races like Chicago, NY, Boston, Los Angeles?

For athletes that finished from 4th - 10th at the 2004 USA marathon trials were getting b/n 10k - 20k apperance fees later that fall at A list marathons.

You get a salary if you have a contract with a shoe company or some other entity. Most folks make more money in appearance fees and money for finishes. Contracts with shoe companies are there as a safety net and help with getting gear and that sort of thing, but as I understand it you can make it okay without a deal from Nike or Adidas or whatever. I have a friend that was recently dropped from his shoe company and hasn't gotten a deal with anyone else but as far as I know he's doing okay money wise, he just has to run every meet he can.

Is Ryan Shay your friend?

no they were not

Road Dawg wrote:

I really only see Meb and Deena as the only Americans making this type of cash in marathoning...maybe Culpepper?...but I really don't think our other top marathoners are even getting close to that in appearance fees. Maybe I'm wrong, I certainly am curious though what the top American marathoners are making.

Does anyone know what the elite field get for fees at races like Chicago, NY, Boston, Los Angeles?

Fair enough, but what other top-flight marathoners do we have right now that can go 2:09, 2:21??? Pretty much nobody. If someone could pop two sub-2:12s per year, they could make pretty good moolah.

isaiah wrote:

For athletes that finished from 4th - 10th at the 2004 USA marathon trials were getting b/n 10k - 20k apperance fees later that fall at A list marathons.

How do you know this? Is this public information that is listed somewhere?

If this is correct then basically the guys below were getting at least 10k in appearance fees? Hmmm, I guess I could see that. All these guys are pretty well known in the running community so I suppose it is realistic that they could get up to 20k.

4 Trent Briney 2:12:35

5 Clint Verran 2:14:37

6 Scott Larson 2:15:03

7 Josh Cox 2:15:18

8 Peter Gilmore 2:15:44

9 Jason Lehmkuhle 2:16:27

10 Keith Dowling 2:16:50

Big nosed walking duck wrote:

Is Ryan Shay your friend?

No, my friend isn't a distance guy.