Sydney McLaughlin signs with New Balance

We just got the following press release from NB:

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2018/10/2016-olympian-sydney-mclaughlin-signs-new-balance/

A few quick thoughts:

1. New Balance has had their eye on McLaughlin for a while -- remember, they teamed her up with Jenny Simpson, Brenda Martinez, and Emma Coburn (their three biggest pros) to break the indoor DMR WR at the New Balance Indoor GP in 2017.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2017/01/jenny-simpson-brenda-martinez-sydney-mclaughlin-emma-coburn-set-new-dmr-indoor-world-record-1040-31/

2. How much money did they pay her? In our agents' poll, the average guess for the base annual value of her contract was $1.725 million, by far the most of any athlete in the poll.

One insider told us that Under Armour offered her $2 million per year and another agent told us he thought she would be the biggest female contract ever.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2018/09/pro-runners-salaries-much-professional-runners-make-unveil-one-sports-biggest-secrets/

3. NB is investing in the sprints now -- they just signed Gabby Thomas in addition to McLaughlin. Wonder if they'll sign any more or if it will be like Puma with Bolt -- pay a ton of money for the biggest talent, because if they become a megastar then you won't need anyone else.

Shot Put.

Javelin.

And not signing any other sprinters helps the sport how?

hammer

Hammer throw

So no track for her this season at Kentucky?

wait - it's true
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/10/15/sydney-mclaughlin-new-balance/

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epicTCK wrote:

wait - it's true
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/10/15/sydney-mclaughlin-new-balance/

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Smart girl. Staying away from Nike is big move and will give her more independence in her training and racing without the stress of Nike pushing their agenda. As long Capriotti and Starks are in power Nike pro track will not get smart athletes who are warned by agents of what Nike is all about.

I mean obviously New Balance signed her in order to help their bottom line, not as a service to the sport...

Although as I think about it, it might also help with bringing some more diversity to sprint finals, so we won't be seeing 8 lanes of with Nike athletes which seems to be a common complaint with pro track (although more noticeable in the distance events)

Who cares about the Hammer? the throws are not interesting to anyone.

Go throw a screw driver, into a board like a dart, that would be more interesting.

Money's money, but I am VERY surprised UA didn't mortgage everything to grab Sydney.

There is no way her yearly base is $1.72.
UA did not offer her $2m.
Im not sure why people believe these over inflated numbers presented by agents or so called insiders.
Her ROI does not make sense short or long term.
They NB may be close to a $5 billion in revenue company but they are not stupid.
Only way these numbers pan out of is if your talking total value of a multi year agreement.

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No way in heaven wrote:

There is no way her yearly base is $1.72.
UA did not offer her $2m.
Im not sure why people believe these over inflated numbers presented by agents or so called insiders.
Her ROI does not make sense short or long term.
They NB may be close to a $5 billion in revenue company but they are not stupid.
Only way these numbers pan out of is if your talking total value of a multi year agreement.

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This is very interesting.

NB has never shown much interest in diversity in any aspect of its business across all sports and sexes.

I assume they are going pay Sidney so much that they are unlikely to load up sprinters.

Does NB have an elite level sprint spike?

Has everyone already forgotten Trayvon Bromell, who in 2015 or ‘16 got what was supposed to be an Uber-big deal from New Balance? It’s not their first time betting big money on a sprinter. Hopefully it works out better for all parties this time around.

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TrackCoach wrote:

This is very interesting.

NB has never shown much interest in diversity in any aspect of its business across all sports and sexes.
?

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