Why doesn't New Balance support American distance runners?

Men think rationally, women are easily persuaded by celebrities. So by sponsoring women, new balance can sell shoes and clothes to women. By sponsoring men, men would know nb makes high performance apparel, but they'd weight what nb makes against all the other brands for quality and price (you see it all the time on here with the cheapskates arguing about $20 being too much for running shorts).

kvothe wrote:

Men think rationally

Are you saying that only women vote for Trump?

Interesting thread, hadn't really thought of it before. Does anyone know what D'Agostino is up to next?

They signed Trayvon Bromell, who is likely to be on the podium in Rio. Maybe the people who normally buy New Balance (fat people with big feet) don't pay much attention to distance "stars," or maybe they've decided to move into other sports or events, like Adidas.

coach d wrote:

They signed Trayvon Bromell, who is likely to be on the podium in Rio. Maybe the people who normally buy New Balance (fat people with big feet) don't pay much attention to distance "stars," or maybe they've decided to move into other sports or events, like Adidas.

He's not a distance runner. Who is the top American distance runner New Balance sponsors?

Jason Simpson?

Make New Balance great again wrote:

New Balance has arguably the most successful and marketable stable of US women distance runners: Simpson, Coburn, Martinez, Brown to name a few.

But they give the shaft to the US men. This has been going on a long time. Back in 2011, the NB890 had a special "Barringer" model for the women. Who was the namesake of the men's model......Britain's Andy Baddeley!

For a brand which the general public associates with "made in the USA" they don't seem to give a care about 1/2 of our pros.

What gives?

Also, Kemoy Campbell has the sweetest gig in track right? Guaranteed to qualify for the next few WC and Olympics, and trains every day with a gaggle of badass ladies.

Giving the shaft? Caring about our pros?

They are in business to sell shoes and apparel. In fact one of their major objectives is to compete at the top tier in apparel. Women buy apparel.

They have clearly implemented a great strategy by sponsoring a group of fast, attractive females.

New Balance has struggled to escape the "old guy, wide shoe" brand connotation. Their current group of marketable, elite women, combined with vastly improved product, has made them much more legit in the running market.

Oh, and for support, I believe they sponsor some major high school championships and world class indoor meets.

So if New Balance has cracked the code on marketing by choosing to only invest athlete sponsorships on middle distance women, then why don't any other brands do the same?

Brooks seem to be heavily male. Nike is about 50/50. Same with everyone else.

All brands sponsor events on some level. That wasn't part of my argument. I am questioning their female-to-male ratio on their pro stable. I actually agree with you that targeting women is the way to go, I just wonder why New Balance is the only one that takes that approach.

Weird too that when they do decide to sponsor a 3:35 or 13:20 guy, it's a foreigner.

I don't know about cracking a code, but they certainly have a compelling group of elite athletes that have legitimate chances to win medals at the Olympic and World level, as well as cultivate interest beyond just track geeks.