pyramid scheme wrote:
I'm shocked Oiselle even makes enough money to be paying all these high-profile females, let alone pay out big bonuses or be in position to have reduction clauses. However, how I heard it works is-- they have several thousand "due paying, sponsored Oiselle Volee" athletes. I heard they pay the elite women they sponsor with this money. Doesn't this seem a bit unethical? They try to come across as a high and mighty company, but I wonder if the Oiselle Volee "sponsored athletes" know where their money is going?
It's not unethical because they are upfront about it. $20 of every $100 membership goes to their elite funds plus whatever Oiselle already has budgeted. I would be interested to see how much of their sales are done online from these "birds" as opposed to in stores by non-Oiselle runners. None of the running stores in our area stock their products and another store near my hometown stopped selling Oiselle after dismal sales. I think it is clear to everyone (especially Sally) that the $100 team membership is a quiet and clever way of encouraging these members to spend, spend, spend.
As far as the suspicious fast time of Duke, it's almost impossible to cheat on the Chicago course, but it's also interesting that I do not think she has run another marathon without bombing or dropping out since.