How does _____________ still have a pro (running/track) contract?

I hate to say it because I'm a big fan....Chris Derrick. He hasn't done anything on the track and hangs his hat on a couple xc titles. What asset is he to Nike?

Contracts don't necessarily have to reflect recent performances. If an athlete entering a race makes people talk, even if it is just dreamy "what if" talk, then a 5 figure salary is worth it for a 28 billion dollar company like Nike.

Andrew Wheating

brogan1 wrote:

Contracts don't necessarily have to reflect recent performances. If an athlete entering a race makes people talk, even if it is just dreamy "what if" talk, then a 5 figure salary is worth it for a 28 billion dollar company like Nike.

Perfect description of alan webb. He's currently a 17:xx 5k professional athete signed by nike.

Carl Lewis, Bob Kersee, Bruce Jenner

Wowwwdude wrote:

I hate to say it because I'm a big fan....Chris Derrick. He hasn't done anything on the track and hangs his hat on a couple xc titles. What asset is he to Nike?

Get back to us on that tomorrow.

Ryan Hall

40 lbs too heavy to run fast with plans to get even bigger and slower.

http://www.endurancesportswire.com/ryan-hall-run-xterra-trail-worlds-hawaii/

Shocked this story hasn't made front page!!

Ummmm.. ever heard of Jordan Hasay

Marv53 wrote:

brogan1 wrote:

Contracts don't necessarily have to reflect recent performances. If an athlete entering a race makes people talk, even if it is just dreamy "what if" talk, then a 5 figure salary is worth it for a 28 billion dollar company like Nike.

Perfect description of alan webb. He's currently a 17:xx 5k professional athete signed by nike.

Ummm Webb ran a 32 min 10k just a couple weeks ago.

Talent doesn't go away wrote:

Ummm Webb ran a 32 min 10k just a couple weeks ago.

That puts him, what, a mile behind the winners in a good race?

stuffed with turkey stuffing wrote:

Talent doesn't go away wrote:

Ummm Webb ran a 32 min 10k just a couple weeks ago.

That puts him, what, a mile behind the winners in a good race?

30 seconds behind the Greek girl Allexi Pappas.

Gatlin.

Sure he's fast, but he's also an unrepentant doper and everyone hates him. Then again, this is Nike we're talking about.

Should he give the money bacK?

Race performances are just one factor in an athlete's overall value and marketability. Too many LRC'ers think fast times are sole determinant of an athlete's value to a sponsor. Kind of like thinking grade point average is the sole determinant of how much someone will make in the future. Yes, it's a factor, but only one. An athlete's story, likeability, looks, personality, social media reach and yes, times, all factor into potential worth. Bet your ass brand have sophisticated algorithms to calculate athlete valuations.

Drew Hunter, for example, is criticized for not being "worth it." Kid has historical performances running sub-5 in HS, has an amazing story with ties to the American Record holder (Webb), has apple pie good looks and gives a good interview. He fits the ideal persona to be used in the Adidas brand narrative.

Finally, the amount of money involved is .... quaint. Seriously $50k/yr for athlete sponsorship is a rounding error for big brands. They spend that per day on banner ads. And yes you can add a zero for Hunter. So who cares if Chris Derrick hasn't lit things up recently. Guy still over indexes on numerous other factors so in Nike's calculations he's worth it. Good for him. And German. And Jordan. And many others. Good for them all.

Mr. Biggs wrote:

Fill in the blank.

As 2016 starts to come to an end it is time to ask.

How does _____________ still have a pro (running/track) contract?

I will start

German Fernandez

Jen Rhines

One reason is there are agents smart enough to write good contract for their clients. I believe there are contracts that will expire or be renegotiated after the 2017 World Championships thus allowing one more year than the usual post Olympic cuts.

Will Leer

His performance has been crap the past few years and he is a constant embarrassment with his mouth. I rarely defend Nike in athlete disputes but Will was in the wrong in their dispute and Nike was smart to cut ties with him. That anyone picked him up after that was ridiculous.

all really sad..... wrote:

Ryan Hall

40 lbs too heavy to run fast with plans to get even bigger and slower.

http://www.endurancesportswire.com/ryan-hall-run-xterra-trail-worlds-hawaii/

Shocked this story hasn't made front page!!

At 5'10, 170lbs is still not huge. He's got his newb gains and he's excited. He won't sniff 200lbs with any degree of leanness that he's hoping for.

Still bravo for him.

Alan

Most of OTC:

Jordan McNamara

Mac Fleet

Sheila Reid

Pat Casey

Harun Abda

Andrew Wheating

Tyler Mulder

I wonder if any of the above will have contracts after this year. None of them have performed well in a few years. An incredible amount of talent listed above and none of them have made a world championship team or Olympic team since 2012 with the exception of Reid making the soft Canadian team in 2013. Most of the above list haven't made a team at all. Have any of them even PR'd in the last 2-3 years? I imagine Nike will be dropping most of them in 2017 or 2018 depending on when their contracts are up.

For the Oregon Project I can easily see Moser and Levins getting dropped at the end of this year.

For BTC Bumbalough, Derrick, Fernandez, Lomong and Huling have struggled with injuries. They've had a rough last few years. Will any of them have a contract in the new year?

Seb Coe. Hasn't raced in 35 years, but still gets a "stipend". Just for being a straight-up guy.

Yeah.