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

Brooks makes perfectly fine running shoes but not exactly exciting one. They know exactly what they are doing but maybe struggling with the fact that just slapping a version number and hoping folks will buy the next isn't going to easily cut it anymore Thus, and right up their alley but with some new midsole pizazz they launched Levitate with DNA AMO PU midsole. Heavy but with a pleasing piston like feel. Their fall 2018 shoes do start to jazz things up with knit like uppers, I have tested and reviewed over 50 different run shoes in 2017 and Levitate is something new but not exactly exciting for faster folks. Core basic runners including my few times a week running attorney immediately shelled out the $150 and for his wife too and happily to me so, Speaking of faster folks Brooks has exactly 2 road shoes one could call performance Hyperion and Asteria. Not really changed in several years. That should tell us something that their focus is on the hobby fitness runner and their a racer who races in their trainers, the Launch, or other brands. Nike has Vapor Fly, Zoom Fly, various Streaks and Elites. NB has several flavors of racing shoes to chose. Brooks does have a bunch of spikes right?

Karl Hungus wrote:

This is a very confusing marketing strategy.

Looks more like Sour Grapes. Brooks couldn't cut it on an elite level so the CEO says nobody cares about Olympic performances. I can remember lots of the Olympic marathon winners. Granted I can't remember what shoes they wore except for Abebe Bikila ;-)

fsdfsdf wrote:

Embellished wrote:

Those numbers are greatly exaggerated. Plus his comments didn't change most of our minds.

Only a couple folks speaking loudly.

If the price is right this board would buy Chuck Taylor's. A very thrifty group here.

If I buy a shoe off runningwarehouse for 30% off, doesn't the shoe company get paid the same? When I worked at a running store, the store markup was just under 50%, meaning that runningwarehouse is slimming the margin and relying on volume to stay afloat.

Bottom line: I can be thrifty and still hurt Brooks.

Companies like brooks will "off-load" excess inventory at discounted prices to big wholesale accounts like a runningwarehouse when a model is coming to its end of life ie: new one replacing it, 2016 vs 2017 edition. These discounts are generally not available to specialty stores although sometimes they are but aren't worth it for the store to buy into them because they want to sell shoes for $150 not $89. Usually these discounts are around 35% off the cost of the shoe which is 55% of the retail price. Brooks does loose out if this is how a big online retailer buys their stock, but they are still making good profits off of each shoe.

Sour Grapes Strategy wrote:

Looks more like Sour Grapes. Brooks couldn't cut it on an elite level so the CEO says nobody cares about Olympic performances. I can remember lots of the Olympic marathon winners. Granted I can't remember what shoes they wore except for Abebe Bikila ;-)

I'm not a runner according to LR (which is fine, because I can't do a sub 15 5k, obviously) and embrace my hobbyjogger status, but I'll be damned if some dipsh1t from Brooks tells me that I'm not a runner. He can go f himself with a cactus.

Karl Hungus wrote:

[quote]Sour Grapes Strategy wrote:

.... He can go f himself with a cactus.

He would probably enjoy that.

Have you ever sat down and personally talked with Donald Trump? Don't worry you don't need to, you can form your opinion 100% from reading FIRE AND FURY.

If you support Trump then you realize what a stupid statement that is. But yet you are quick to Judge Jim Weber based on one interview.

100/200/400/hurdles/relays are a sport. The rest should be drooped.

What perfect timing for me to switch from Brooks Adrenalines to Asics GT-2000's.

Embellished wrote:

Those numbers are greatly exaggerated. Plus his comments didn't change most of our minds.

No, it's verifiable. Even if there are some people using multiple devices, there is a lot of traffic hitting the site. Several hundred thousand people will have seen the "Running isn't a sport" quote.

Seriously people, calm down. Running in and of itself is not a sport. Saying this does nothing to diminish anyone who actually competes in running as a sport. You sound like a bunch of overly dramatic teenage girls

"OMG did you HEAR what Becky said about Darlene?"

Put your big girl panties back on and start behaving and processing information like an adult.

histrionics much? wrote:

Seriously people, calm down. Running in and of itself is not a sport. Saying this does nothing to diminish anyone who actually competes in running as a sport. You sound like a bunch of overly dramatic teenage girls

"OMG did you HEAR what Becky said about Darlene?"

Put your big girl panties back on and start behaving and processing information like an adult.

triggered much?

rollolol wrote:

histrionics much? wrote:

Seriously people, calm down. Running in and of itself is not a sport. Saying this does nothing to diminish anyone who actually competes in running as a sport. You sound like a bunch of overly dramatic teenage girls

"OMG did you HEAR what Becky said about Darlene?"

Put your big girl panties back on and start behaving and processing information like an adult.

triggered much?

Lol no kidding

If it was a stand alone "running isn't a sport" quote, it would be mildly irritating to me but nothing further. The problem is the axing of funds to pro/semi-pro athletes. It essentially says "F*** you serious runners (aka tightwads), but can you please keep recommending Brooks to your fat friends?"

Impartial brand guy wrote:

Dumb comments from CEO in my opinion, but won't make a dent in their sales.

I wonder why so many people feel so sure that the comment won't matter with respect to their sales.

We know that Brooks doesn't think that "people who run" are runners; we know that the CEO of Brooks doesn't think that running is a real sport; and we know that many people on LRC think that "hobby-joggers" are not real runners; but how sure is everyone, really, what the average 15-45 mpw jogger/runner thinks about himself? I'd bet that someone who runs, no matter how slow or how little, identifies as a runner, and takes general offense. And THAT section of the market IS the big section of the running market. Dangerous game for a shoe-manufacturer to be playing.

Used to be Rono wrote:

Karl Hungus wrote:

This is a very confusing marketing strategy.

Running Times folded. But Runners World rolls on. Brooks' CEO ain't a fool. Serious runners are not plentiful enough for sustainable sales growth.

With that same view I sold my shares of Nike in the early 70s.

Who knew?

Orthofeeet shoes Recommended by a close friend who has used your product for years with immediate relief. I hope I am able to say the same when I start using them. My foot pain is becoming unbearable. Shopping experience was effortless. Shopping & placing order was easy. Will be waiting to see the quality of product ordered. I have a very small foot, size ladies 4, some size 5's fit if they run small/narrow, which is hard to find. I have high arches & have to have good support shoes. Hoping these orthotic arches will help in my sandals

akshayv wrote:

I have a very small foot, size ladies 4, some size 5's fit if they run small/narrow, which is hard to find. I have high arches & have to have good support

Pics?

memory bank wrote:

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?

Close enough

Karl Hungus wrote:

Sour Grapes Strategy wrote:

Looks more like Sour Grapes. Brooks couldn't cut it on an elite level so the CEO says nobody cares about Olympic performances. I can remember lots of the Olympic marathon winners. Granted I can't remember what shoes they wore except for Abebe Bikila ;-)

I'm not a runner according to LR (which is fine, because I can't do a sub 15 5k, obviously) and embrace my hobbyjogger status, but I'll be damned if some dipsh1t from Brooks tells me that I'm not a runner. He can go f himself with a cactus.

Tell us what you really think about him.

histrionics much? wrote:

Seriously people, calm down. Running in and of itself is not a sport. Saying this does nothing to diminish anyone who actually competes in running as a sport. You sound like a bunch of overly dramatic teenage girls

"OMG did you HEAR what Becky said about Darlene?"

Put your big girl panties back on and start behaving and processing information like an adult.

This.

It seems that comments like this CEO's comment create a lot more angst among LetsRunners than it should.

Running = exercise. Millions run for this reason or to finish a distance with no goal of competition at all. I don't care whether a CEO defines himself as a runner or instead, as a person who runs. I don't care about the semantics of how he or she defines "sport." It doesn't affect how I see myself as a runner.