Most Hated Company In Running???

Tesla?

Can't stand Nike! I never buy their stuff.

I mainly buy NB and Saucony..

MILESPLIT!!!!!

Hate wrote:

Can't stand Nike! I never buy their stuff.

I mainly buy NB and Saucony..

Thats really a shame.

Nike is one of the more progressive companies for shoe technology and I'm not even talking about the VF. Not only that their shoe models target the exact needs of what they say unlike Saucony who advertise neutral shoes but are not meant for neutral runners.

Blkrbn wrote:

Tracksmith

I like Tracksmith. They make really high quality stuff, it’s just expensive. If you’re willing to invest the money and effort in keeping it in good condition, then it’s a good purchase.

That’s like hating Brooks Brothers when you shop at Lands End. Both are good, but one is a step up.

Nike and FloTrack have to be the two most hated by far. (Although as far as actual damage done to the sport, USATF and maybe the NCAA have to be in the conversation too.)

Nike makes great products, no doubt, and really does lead the industry obviously. But they have "lived long enough to become the villain". They are hated because they are big and successful and running is not even their primary function anymore. But the NOP also give people plenty of reason to hate them as well.

FloTrack is seemingly harmless, but just really bad at what they do. It's a shameless cash grab and it's getting worse and worse it seems like. Back maybe 5-10 years ago, I thought it was actually pretty solid. But as time as gone on, the content is getting worse, the commentators are getting so much worse, and more and more content is becoming exclusive.

The whole "FloSports" model is just trash. They get people in sports that get no coverage (or even junk like FloMarching (band), dear lord) all excited that they have a "network" now that will cover them, but they put very little effort into legitimate content, and put all their focus into getting people to buy their "PRO" subscription.

Now, I have no issue with their being a "PRO" subscription to FloTrack, but they have it all backwards, and it is remarkably overpriced. On ESPN, the "Insider" content is exactly that, much more inside information on the sport. But FloTrack makes the most basic parts of the sport "PRO".

$20 a month (or $150 a year) for streams that are unbelievably unreliable is just unacceptable. I will never, ever forgive FloTrack for making people pay to watch the NCAA National Championships. Nothing confirms that they really do not care about growing the sport, but only about making money off of it like that move. They are terrible for making that deal, and the NCAA is terrible for letting it happen.

Everyone I know likes flotrack. There are a dozen or so people on this site who despise them but continuing to restate their dislike doesn’t make the hate spread to people who don’t read LR threads.

Is this even a question? Nike.

Hoka is for hobby joggers wrote:

That hokie pokie company Hoka.

How can you hate a compa y that makes a shoe I have 1,500 miles on and sponsors some of the best runners in the world from milers to trail ultras?

KENYA

Flotrack rules wrote:

Everyone I know likes flotrack. There are a dozen or so people on this site who despise them but continuing to restate their dislike doesn’t make the hate spread to people who don’t read LR threads.

I have nothing against flotrack. Yes, the quality is lacking and the price is somewhat high but there is nothing stopping a competitor from entering the market and providing a superior experience at lower cost.

My vote for most hated is NBC. The death of T&F can be traced directly to their coverage of the 1972 Olympics.

I think the same thing about Nike. a lot of bitter ex athletes/coaches like Nick, Kara, Steve, etc whine a bout them but they cashed their checks for years.

the whole USATF deal is suspect but did you really expect Brooks or NB or Saucony to pony up the kind of $$ to support USATF. They wouldn't in a million years.

Nike does some good things for the sport and some bad things (just like any on ther shoe and apparel company. They are just so big it's hard to ignore.

Oiselle is really crappy. They basically market towards upper middle class white skinny moms who have more time and money than sense. They also act exactly like Nike, but all their dumb follower give them a pass. plus they try to market female empowerment. A lot of dumb c-u-ck males have bought into it as well.

Fools; the competitive running boom ended years ago in the USA; it's all about participation and everyone gets a medal for finishing. The average finishing time for any 'non-elite' field is far slower than it was five years ago as is the depth of any 'competitors.'

Registration is down due to over priced entry fees for half assed organized 'races'.

Brooks makes great product; may not be right for everyone, but its still top shelf.

Wake up, there is no more 'racing' in the USA as there was back in the 70-80s and early 90s. You can also thank the digital population and their sitting around gaming, or the rise of club soccer, volleyball and whatever other 'club' sport mommy and daddy are willing to payout $10k a year for.

For me it is Brooks, the Ferengi of Running Shoe companies,

and LRC for bringing tabloid journalism to T&F.

Also for the Nike haters there might not be elite track & field

today without Nike's money. Who would sponsor the non stars

and field event athletes to keep the sport alive?

Runner's World

Easy: RSG (Running Specialty Group)/Jackrabbit.

They acquired a bunch of actual run specialty shops and tried to run them like Finish Line, without telling the community they were being upsold instead of properly educated.

My favorite instance working for them: We once had the company president, tell us they wanted to change every shop's name to JackRabbit because, just like your local coffee shop, Starbucks, whenever you'd go into a Jackrabbit anywhere in the country, you'd know what to expect. So yeah, the company president considered Starbucks your local coffee shop, no matter where you were from...

Flotrack

Items Per Ticket over 2.3 wrote:

Easy: RSG (Running Specialty Group)/Jackrabbit.

They acquired a bunch of actual run specialty shops and tried to run them like Finish Line, without telling the community they were being upsold instead of properly educated.

My favorite instance working for them: We once had the company president, tell us they wanted to change every shop's name to JackRabbit because, just like your local coffee shop, Starbucks, whenever you'd go into a Jackrabbit anywhere in the country, you'd know what to expect. So yeah, the company president considered Starbucks your local coffee shop, no matter where you were from...

+100

Completely ruined the original jackrabbits in NYC

nopdopersandmore wrote:

Nike, and it isn't close.

I hate Nike but the reality is if you take Nike out of the equation running pretty much collapses.

Competitor group is a clear favorite of mine for ruining many of America's best races.

USATF if you count that is very close.

Flotrack is also very high for their heavy help in making it hard for track fans to watch races without paying absurd fees and for discontinuing their logs.