Every time I have heard Meb speak, he complains about not getting "respect". He seems like a nice guy outside of the constant whining, though.
Bottom line, if the money is no good at Boston, he's free to go where he thinks he will be valued more. The fact that he is NOT running London, Rotterdam, etc to me suggests that he thinks he is worth more then he is.
I hate to say this, but the American public (not me, but generally speaking) won't relate to Meb winning Boston. It doesn't matter that he has been here for 25 years or whatever, or that he is an American Citizen. It doesn't matter that he is a product of the USofA. Its not a skin color issue either. Its the fact he has an accent and is "from" Eritrea.
Those facts decrease Meb's market value considerably at Boston.
Throw in the fact that he has never run a fast time (sub 2:06) to add to that Olympic Medal, and the big non-US races aren't going to give a hoot about him either.
Meb should have chased times when he had the chance. An Olympic Silver medalist with a 2:05:high PR would have opened many more international doors (in terms of high appearance fees) then an Olympic Silver medalist with slow times and a bunch of NY podium finishes. He is banking (pun intended) on his American citizenship to pay out in the US Races (i.e. being the first American in X years to win NY, a medal, Boston, etc) but, unfortunately, that value isn't as high as if it were Sell, Hall, Goucher, etc.
Sucks for Meb, but such is life. The market will pay what he is worth. That's the beauty of a capitalist society. It reminds me of that thread asking if runners get what they deserve. Of course they do. On that thread, someone said how baseball and football players are over paid. No they're not. They make what they deserve based on the amount of money people are willing to pay to watch them, based on what is made in merchandise and licensing deals, based on what is made through television networks and sponsorships. If people boycotted the yankees, didn't buy their merchandise, didn't show up at the games, and didn't watch the games on TV, ARod wouldn't be making ARod money. The fact that people DON'T do that, means that ARod makes exactly what he should. He makes what the market and profitability of the Yankees can bear. Seems very clear to me.
Meb is worth whatever someone is willing to pay. Nothing more, nothing less.