I can understand why so many people dislike Nick as a person. Yeah, he does come off as a douche sometimes. However, I can't understand why so many people choose to write him off as an unimportant or unaccomplished runner. Guy won a silver at World's and has run sub-1:43. Let's not pretend he's slow. He obviously isn't.
Also, I don't understand the hate for this particular action. So he's trying to make a little money. What's wrong with that? It isn't as if Brooks should be his only sponsor. Eventually, track will have to change. Nick is just trying to begin this restructuring process. Why is that a bad thing? Also, who cares if it is a marketing ploy? We're talking about it. He's keeping himself relevant, and getting his sponsor mentioned a lot. He's smart enough to realize that making money isn't just about running fast.