420_Mile wrote:
I'm not sure what the big deal is here. Nike pays tons of $$$ to sponsor Team USA and provide financial support for everything that they do, and Nick Symmonds refuses to wear their gear for what, a week?
Every year I get more and more tired of Symmonds antics outside of the track. Instead of producing more hot air, it would be great if he could produce more medals.
Seriously? The big deal is that Symmonds and all the other athletes don't see any of that money. Not only do they not share in the sponsorship revenue, their own business deals are restricted during the window of time that adds the largest value to the athlete and their sponsors. It's a direct transfer of available earnings potential from the athletes the Federation. In Symmonds case he loses as both an athlete and a sponsor (RunGum). This is not only backwards, it's unethical.
If USATF is going to restrict athletes' business/marketing exposure off the track and outside 'team events' then they better well compensate. There is nothing remotely controversial about this stance.