Consider this.... wrote:
It sounds like if USATF got their act together by marketing the athletes and the events, they could afford to give bigger prize money. Now would be the perfect time with some of the Olympic stars still on the minds of the viewers.
It is no more USATF's job to "market the athletes" to get them more money than it is USA Basketball's job to market Carmelo Anthony to get him more money.
Track and field is an individual sport that will never have the ease of marketing a team sport has. Last year, it was announced that Verizon agreed to pay the NBA $400 million for a three year contract to be the official wireless carrier of the league. That money is divided up between the 30 teams and gives them more money to pay players.
Three years ago, AT&T renewed its contract to be the official wireless provider for the USOC and all national federations under the USOC for an undisclosed sum, but previously it was around $5 million per year.
How should the USOC use that $5 million per year? If they just gave it out equally to every Olympian, it would work out to a little under $6400 to each Olympian between the Sochi and Rio Olympic Games. On the other hand, if the NBA simply divided up the money from Verizon to all 450 active NBA players, each would net just under $300,000.