Kara: I am a free agent

Who is her manager, and why would he not have muzzled her before she went and said that in public? It isn't going to help her get better deal from Nike. It will just make them angry.

Kara should be the worlds highest paid professional athlete. Look at her fan base. Marathoning is the biggest sport in the world and half the competitors are women. Marathoners probably have more disposable income than any athletes outside golfers. She has got to greatly appeal to women with children too.

She should make the company more money than LeBron if used correctly.

Manager? wrote:

Who is her manager, and why would he not have muzzled her before she went and said that in public? It isn't going to help her get better deal from Nike. It will just make them angry.

well maybe. Or maybe what KG really meant was 'ok boys, better make your offer a good one'

I think she fits the NB 'nice girl' image better than the aggressiveness of nike. I hope she ends up there.

Kara is plenty smart enough to be her own manager.

The more competitors for her value, the better she does.

Speaking up is sensible but also sends a message to other

runners. Free agency? I say good for her.

Mister Potter may not like it but the town will be a better place.

"Free agent"?

It's an individual sport...I don't give a darn who she signs with. I guess if it ends up being the Red Sox or something like that, I'd be super impressed.

Seriously, what's with these top athletes acting like they are employees of shoe companies? They are a sponsor (yeah, I guess coaching issues can confound things sometimes)! You aren't punching a clock!

I'm glad people like Kara (and other lesser known pros) get to do this for a living, but I'm much more interested in the competition aspect than anything relation to $$$ or contracts.

Yeah France wrote:

Kara should be the worlds highest paid professional athlete. Look at her fan base. Marathoning is the biggest sport in the world and half the competitors are women. Marathoners probably have more disposable income than any athletes outside golfers. She has got to greatly appeal to women with children too.

She should make the company more money than LeBron if used correctly.

Good lord, man. She has value and running has fans -- but that's just absurd.

What is your counter argument? LeBron has a 90 million contract. Who does he appeal to? Fat guys sitting at the bar that don't buy athletic equipment and high school kids who cannot afford much.Kara could reach a huge audience that likes to buy worthless gear. Look at all the junk that runners are wearing now: arm warmers, compression socks, hydration packs. I think she could push more additional product than LeBron can. Her audience is wealthier and larger in terms of participation.

Salt Lake City man wrote:

[quote]

Good lord, man. She has value and running has fans -- but that's just absurd.

get back to me when 100 million chinese women know who k goucher is, and when kids line up at stores for her latest issue.

Manager? wrote:

Who is her manager, and why would he not have muzzled her before she went and said that in public? It isn't going to help her get better deal from Nike. It will just make them angry.

If that's how they operate sounds like a petty company.

Symmonds left, now possibly Kara. Nike is losing its stranglehold on the sport.

Sponsored athletes are employees of the shoe companies however you word it.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

"Free agent"?

It's an individual sport...I don't give a darn who she signs with. I guess if it ends up being the Red Sox or something like that, I'd be super impressed.

Seriously, what's with these top athletes acting like they are employees of shoe companies? They are a sponsor (yeah, I guess coaching issues can confound things sometimes)! You aren't punching a clock!

I'm glad people like Kara (and other lesser known pros) get to do this for a living, but I'm much more interested in the competition aspect than anything relation to $$$ or contracts.

"Nike is losing its stranglehold on the sport"

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, hah!

Now that's funny!

Yeah France wrote:

What is your counter argument?

LeBron has a 90 million contract. Who does he appeal to? Fat guys sitting at the bar that don't buy athletic equipment and high school kids who cannot afford much.

Kara could reach a huge audience that likes to buy worthless gear. Look at all the junk that runners are wearing now: arm warmers, compression socks, hydration packs. I think she could push more additional product than LeBron can. Her audience is wealthier and larger in terms of participation.

Salt Lake City man wrote:

[quote]

Good lord, man. She has value and running has fans -- but that's just absurd.

It's simple. Many of those fat guys with beer guts watch tv and buy very, very expensive cable plans. Advertisers pay to put those ads on tv that these people watch. Why? So those fans will buy their products online or in stores.

How much ad revenue does running bring in? Crickets, crickets.

Return to Reality wrote:

Not cute, not hot, stupid as stone, way old

Please post a photo of your wife/GF, her ACT/SAT scores, and her running accomplishments.

Manager? wrote:

Who is her manager, and why would he not have muzzled her before she went and said that in public? It isn't going to help her get better deal from Nike. It will just make them angry.

She didn't say anything that wasn't completely obvious. Her contract is up, which Nike knows, and she's talking to other companies, which Nike also knows, because she hasn't re-signed with them. She didn't say anything negative about Nike, and said she might still re-sign with them. I don't see how anything she said would hurt her chances with Nike or any other sponsor.

petty wrote:

Symmonds left, now possibly Kara. Nike is losing its stranglehold on the sport.

Meb left, too. And Leo. And Lauren.

Moe's Tavern wrote:

Sponsored athletes are employees of the shoe companies however you word it.

No, they're not. They have endorsement contracts with the shoe companies, but they are not employees. If anything, you can call them independant contractors.

People will buy shoes because lebron wears them. Even people who love to run aren't going to buy shoes because kara goucher wears them. Go to your average road race and ask 100 people who lebron is and 100 of them will know. Probably 10 will know who kara goucher is. To everyone else she is just some broad who looks ok and is fast.

All three were cut or offered significantly less $.

Cain and Jordan have replaced the Lauren and Kara. Plus they have Rowbury and a few others. They whole Shalane vs Kara is over and they only need one. Not saying that Nike will cut KG but she will be offered less $ and GASP! less ad exposure.

Yeah France wrote:

Kara should be the worlds highest paid professional athlete. Look at her fan base. Marathoning is the biggest sport in the world and half the competitors are women. Marathoners probably have more disposable income than any athletes outside golfers. She has got to greatly appeal to women with children too.

She should make the company more money than LeBron if used correctly.

You've put your finger on it. She came 3rd in a Marathon that was run in mid-morning, on a weekday, which was widely broadcast on the website of barely watched TV channel in a limited number of major cities. I think she also ran in the Olympics but I can't remember if she finished. Why shouldn't she make more money that LeBron?