Brooks CEO: “Running’s not really a sport....Nobody remembers who won the Olympic marathon and what shoe they were wearing”

Sounds like you shop at DSW like me.

Depending on how you look at it, you're either missing a real show or avoiding wasting your time. In my opinion, it's a bit of both. Anyway, my point is mostly that sensationalism seems to be the way to communicate these days, so i don't pay it that much mind either.

For what it's worth, I've purchased and worn more Brooks running shoes--every iteration of the Adrenaline GTS; most recently, the Beast--than every other brand I've owned combined. And I'm speaking as a guy whose first pair of running shoes in 1977 were lime-green Nikes and who raced in Elites for half a decade. I once wore blue leather Etonics. But I love my Brooks.

Great product, in other words. Inarticulate and foolish CEO.

Yeah baby. I'm comin home to ya.

http://www.brightspace-creative.co.uk/images/brightspace-creative.co.uk/mens-royal-yellow-etonic-km-streetfighter-trainers-43KN.jpg

My favorite part of all of this is that if the CEO came out and said "everybody is a runner..." you'd all have just as hilarious of a reaction.

John Utah wrote:

Pappy wrote:

The first management position I took the owner of the company warned me on what I would say. Basically, what ever I said is what the company says. If it was something good chances are no one will hear it. If it was something bad everyone will hear it.

I have not bought Nike in 30 some years because I don't care for Phil Knight and comments he has made. I guess I'll not buy any Brooks for the same reason.

Looks like Nike and Brooks are really suffering from your brave stand.

Wrong. At least this person has the guts to "stick to his principles".

Nick is a cancer wrote:

running4dahigh wrote:

nick symmnonds seems to disagree with his former sponsors CEO's opinion...

Of course he does. Nick makes himself unwanted wherever he goes. Ask Nike if he is welcome back? Same with Brooks.

+ 1

Nick loves Nick!

running4dahigh wrote:

nick symmnonds seems to disagree with his former sponsors CEO's opinion...

Nick Symmonds disagrees with everyone (even God). This is another attempt by Nick to make himself popular.

weird wrote:

hes factually wrong lots of people know who won the olympic marathon and what he wore i assume hes saying that because an athlete wearing brooks has never won olympic gold

He's not wrong. Not even close on this one. Hardly anyone knows who won the Olympic marathon within the running world as it's much lower down the level of importance than the majors.

I agree. Running is NOT a sport. But T&F is, especially the sprints and hurdles.

moist wrote:

Wow. In response to this Deadspin piece dated today (1/5):

https://deadspin.com/high-end-running-shoe-company-apparently-on-quest-to-de-1821804621?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Does anyone care what Sloppy Dennis Young thinks?

He's wrong, of course. Running is a sport.

And I always thought it was a "sporting" game among the shoe companies. Athletes don't care..show me the money.

Funny how people get personally offended when someone comes along and speaks objectively about their OCD-driven exercise routines.

I won't be wearing Brooks anymore. When people ask what running shoes "are good", I won't say Brooks anymore.

I'm only one person, how many are there like me?

1. I've never met a weekend warrior in golf, cycling, running, swimming or even basement weight-lifting who is not at least competing against others in the age group or trying to improve a PR or a season's best even if the competitor is 40 to 50 years out of high school.

2. Anyone who is paying more than 50-70 bucks for a new pair of any brand of running shoe needs to get familiar with a little something called an internet search.

3. The CEO is correct in that the majority of sales are from those who are not athletes but like the looks of the shoes.

Those customers do not need to buy new shoes every 3 months.

People are in a hurry. Go to Dicks Sporting Goods and watch folks drops $150+ for shoes that are available that very minute

on their phones for half the price and lower. He's marketing to his biggest customer base. He might have learned the marketing strategy from the big marathons who had to face the fact that only a tiny percentage of the applicants were hard core, running under 3 hours for men and under 330 for women. Better food, medals and music brought bigger numbers of applincats and higher prices.

Unfortunately, given how the term "sport" is most commonly defined, running is not a sport. It might have been in the 80's when the focus of the typical runner was beating as many people they could, in as fast a time as they could- and maybe even winning. These days, "winning" is not a term used by the typical jogger. I didn't say runner, because actual runners are a rarity these days, and because of that running is no longer a sport. It is a participation event. Good, bad or otherwise, our "sport" has come full circle, and we are basically back to the early 60's when Bill Bowerman wrote A Jogger's Manual. Running was not (yet) a sport then, and it isn't now. Perhaps someday the "sport" we love will undergo some sort of renaissance, but for now we are stuck Oprah-thoners, color runs, obstacle runs, and other themed events - and I can't imagine Rob DeCastella at a 'color run'...

Mike has 8 billion in sales because it’s Nike and has ruled for decades. The CEO’s quote is more indicative of the dismissal of long distance running and the “nameless” Africans that dominate it. Brooks only sponsors Americans. Its sales have to be mostly in North America.

rnrrnr wrote:

How many here have to think quite hard to remember who won the female Olympic 2016 marathon?

Hint: she has already been busted for EPO.

Paula Radcliffe?

Glad I wear Hoka