USATF Meeting

This is incredible. Follow along: https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23USATFMeeting

I was loving it until now there's no substance cuz they cut everything off. Can't wait to hear what ends up happening!!!

Agreed. Wondering the same thing myself. The live feed was cut off.

Of course there is no substance. That's the problem with the organization. There is no there, there.

Flotrack has a good comprehensive feed going on right now. Very easy to follow all the drama...

Live feed was a surprise to the meeting, they thought it was closed or something similar. 100s of tweets; trying to wade through to get a sense. Apparently, some of the sponsors walked out of the meeting.

I think no one knows what the hell is going on.

Someone was trying to bring me up to speed via gchat.

The athletes need to be better organized as to what their goals are.

I was asking someone today whether the rule can even be changed at this years USATF convention or not. I thought I saw something that it can't.

Can someone please send me a link to the current rules?

Actually the guy gchatting me sent me this link which shoes the size restrictions:

http://www.usatf.org/About/Privacy---Other-Policies/Uniform-Guidelines.aspx

It's my understanding that a) only shoe companies can technically have logos on athletes jerseys at USATF meets and b) there are restrictions on the size of logos.

(I still need the link for the rules on shoe companies).

That is what we/athletes are fighting over.

Rule a) should immediately be changed. I can't see any rational on why it matters whether it is a Nike logo or a Powerbar logo. All that is doing is screwing over athletes. I can't evens see why USATF would care if it is GM, PowerBar or adidas on the logo. Stupid rules should not exist. Can anyone explain the rational for this rule?

If the rule can not technically be changed, the athletes association should just say "We're not going to follow this rule." EVERY athlete then should say they are going to wear a 2nd logo of a non-shoe company or it could just say, "Athlete Rights" or something to get the point across.

The last thing USATF wants is negative publicity on a stupid rule.

Getting the athletes and meets to agree what is ok on logo size restrictions is a different matter. Looking at tennis or golf or some other individual pro sport is a good starting place. I don't think they'll get that agreed to here.

I think that is a good starting point but the athletes do not seem very organized as to what they're goal is.

My understanding was that the meeting was originally supposed to be "open" but the Nike rep walked out in protest of the live camera feed. The feed was then shut down by USATF, and things got ugly after that. Athletes were scolded and condescendingly told to act "professional." Athlete rep Ann Gaffigan was asked to leave at one point, but I think she was ultimately allowed to stay. Things are relatively quiet now, but I'm sure more news will come out later this evening.

And if someone is at the meeting and wants to recap what is going on email me

weldonjohnson@letsrun.com

The other thing I think athletes should have pushed for is set field sizes for track events at USATFs.

That should not be too hard to get enforced but it has to be made a priority by the Athletes Association.

Obviously it's okay to have a big club logo, like OTC Elite, though, right?

Great point made by someone on Twitter:

"Logo/uni debate a distraction. Symptom of bigger problem: no interest/revenue and inept/unaccountable/opaque organization"

Wejo - Can't change something that is not in the rule book. This is just shit the National Office made up. Call me, I can get you up to speed faster over the phone.

I was trying to watch the video (difficult)-- it sounded like one guy said the USATF "uniform rules" were never actually voted on/approved? Was that correct?

I was just about to email you. I started looking into this and saw you posted on like every thread.

LRC needs someone in the know to talk to.

And someone post a link to the shoe restriction rule. I think technically the rule is the "manufacturer" of the uniform can only be on it. I remember thinking "well I 'll just say LetsRun.com" makes the jersey.

Hell Nike technically doesn't make its jerseys. Some outsourced factory does and Nike puts its log on it. So if I took a white jersey, put a Ford logo on it, couldn't I say what was a Ford jersey?

The suits are trying to make the argument that they need uniform restrictions on logos because having too many logos will diminish their value. They are saying that the sponsors require such rules.

This doesn't make sense to me. If Nike is a title sponsor of a track meet, why would they care of Tyson Gay has several logos in addition to his Adidas logo? And if Nike is the title sponsor, they could write into their athletes' contracts that their athletes are not allowed to have any other logos. What is the purpose of USATF having a rule?

get ugly wrote:

they could write into their athletes' contracts that their athletes are not allowed to have any other logos.

This is what will happen going forward.

I can't believe that someone hasn't staged a coup and thrown Stephanie Hightower out on her ass.

nikeman wrote:

I can't believe that someone hasn't staged a coup and thrown Stephanie Hightower out on her ass.

I can't believe someone hasn't stood up and called those in charge of USATF Nike shills. Nike props up USATF. If it wasn't for Nike, USATF would be a dead organization...which wouldn't be a bad thing. Of course Nike gets all angry and John Cap storms out of the meeting in protest. The guy think he owns the sport. Honestly, if some friend of an athlete wants to take on a new case, charge USATF and Nike with collusion for squelching the opportunities of athletes.

If Nike is a sponsor of the track meet say they get the swoosh on the bib.

They do this realizing Tyson Gay will only be able to have one small logo that isn't a swoosh. If Gay can have a huge adidas logo, or 2 adidas logos, or even an adidas logo and a EAS logo, Nike is going to have less of the total sponsor real estate so in theory they'll pay the race less to sponsor it.

Athletes who get more from sponsors than races won't care too much if the race gets a little less from its title sponsor as they'll hope to make more from their sponsors.

If you get more money from races than sponsors you might care.

You don't see NBA players complaining about logo restrictions on their jerseys. Why? The teams (ie the meets) are paying them a ton of money.

And of course Nike will tell Nick Symmonds, "you want other logos on your jersey?" we're going to pay you less. Now, overall Nick could make more money if he can get a second sponsor to make up from how much Nike drops his contract. Nike however just as easily say Nick we're paying you six figures we're the only logo on your jersey. Each athlete will have to see which works best.

Lauren Fleshman was on the cover of Runners World magazine. I didn't see a Picky Bar Logo anywhere on her. Clearly, Nike and/or Runnersworld said, "you want to be on the cover?"