Has AJ Acosta signed with anyone?

AJ wants to go back home to Oceanside and train so he'll have dozens of offers I'm sure of.

Scoffed at original $45k/yr offer and now Vin isn't helping.

AJ, and a number of US milers are in a tough spot. There are more quality (re: sub-4) guys still in college and newly turned professionals than ever before. The shoe companies can afford to low-ball the offers and in some sense, they should.

Centrowitz will make big bucks because he won USATFs and medaled at Worlds. AJ ran some great times in college (3:53 mile, 3:36 1500), but I don't believe he ever won an NCAA title and he ran a disappointing 1500 at nationals last year. Nike can afford to tell him to run faster times (although a 3:53 is incredible!) or to win on the international stage.

Other post-collegiate milers who have no national or international title to rely upon will be given piddly offers and told that they have to prove themselves to make more money. Unfortunate reality of the situation.

I agree with everything you say. But when it comes down to it, do you think sponsors really care how many NCAA titles you won? Honest question. I mean, the Irish kid didn't win any right? But he goes over, makes the world finals and boom - contract.

Not saying AJ deserves anything great - I'm just curious how much NCAA titles really matter.

Perhaps I was weighing too heavily on NCAA championships, which I initially didn't mean to. My point about AJ was merely that he basically has no championships at the collegiate level nor does he have major placings at the national/international level. He only has fast times, and while difficult to duplicate, there are several out there who can do so.

He is one heck of a talent and hopefully this spring/summer he will make a strong showing at the Olympic trials.

There's the marketability of the runner to take into account.

I assume the Irish kid you mention is Mad Len, right?

I think he's pretty marketable because he's active in the online world (blog and interviews) and he's pretty hip to that fashion thing going on (mullet and flat-bill hat and talking about drinking before races).

o lionard may not have won any titles but like you said, he made the world finals. that right there is reason enough to give a good sponsor as that means the kid is at least reliable to run well when he needs to. he also ran 3:34. faster than aj's ever run and o lionard trained as a 5k for the majority of his career in college. that 3:34 came out of nowhere from a kid who originally didnt specialize in the 1500m, in a non-euro meet (meaning he could get pulled to a faster time) at a time when people thot he was done from so many injuries and a disapointing ncaa senior meet. to run that fast and then make the world final makes you very attractive to sponors.

that and he isnt american, which means he doesnt get factored into the whole "the U.S. 1500m market is full of potential and its hard to get a contract". as a guy from a country that isnt exactly a powerhouse in track he's very marketable over there and seeing as he's the only irisman that made a final he's one of the biggest (if not the biggest) track stars over there so he garners a lot of attention and is a great runner to sponsor because of that.

if aj hadnt been stupid and accepted that orignal offer from nike then he wouldnt be in this mess, he shouldve anticiapted that with the recent resurgence in u.s. distance and mid-distance running that he would soon lose marketability that he originally had before.

to answer the title question, yes sponsors do care but to a certain extent. wheating made himself a legend with his ncaa double and that coupled with his olympian status made him a very attractive sponsor. it helps to say that you know how to compete when it maters most and a title shows that, it certainly helped lomong's case as well as solinsky's who both had never qualified for a u.s. team before they got sponsored so they needed to rely on the hardware from college to get the money flowing. look at duane solomon, sponsored by a lower tier company like saucony, and he never won any titles. before uceny became the force she is now was originally sponsored by reebok before getting a higher offer from addidas was also never an ncaa champ.

Didnt Reebok (owned by adidas group) transfer her deal to adidas?

AJ should sign with Sketchers.

Don't bash Skechers. They are supporting athletes (Meb) which means they are supporting our sport. If we don't support companies like this, eventually it will just be Nike and Adidas left. I am going to buy a pair and try them out and so should people on this board.

timing evrything wrote:

Scoffed at original $45k/yr offer and now Vin isn't helping.

If this is true that he turned down 45k/yr when he hasn't done a single thing on the pro USA or international scene then he needs to take his head out of his butt.

HE SIGNED WITH CHUCK AND CHEESE FOR 2012...$500 DOLLARS MONTHLY PLUS ALL HE CAN EAT PIZZA FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

He is a PRICK!!

correction, i beleive your right. but still, why transfer then if not for success reasons?

Isn't he busy establishing his own Nation?

I used to think the same thing, simply because i'd heard it from enough sources (mainly here and ppl who knew him only casually).....and then i got to know him pretty well. funny, turns out he's a good kid, friendly, respectful, and not full of himself at all. obviously there are plenty of milers in the US "better" than him, but he has plenty of claim to be a bit arrogant, what with a 3:53 pb....but he's not, and i was pleasantly surprised when i found him to actually be quite humble. kid doesn't even get stupid drunk, which is more than you can say for many young kids on the circuit, something i find very respectable. tough event to try and make his mark, but he has the tools to do well, wish him the best.dude-

True Dude wrote:

He is a PRICK!!

No one is bashing Sketchers, you idiot. I love AJ and think he would be a nice personality to really get Sketchers going, I mean with him having a nation and all.

Whether a prick or not, he at least comes off as a real douche.