The Running Sponsorship Model is Broken | The Unsponsored Project
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- The Unsponsored Project: Empowering 35 athletes at the US Track & Field Olympic Trials to declare their independence while chasing Olympic dreams.
The Unsponsored Project works in three main ways. First, providing unbranded kits allows athletes to represent themselves, rather than giving free ad space to brands that are not supporting them. Second, the unbranded kits signal to brands that the athlete is a free agent and eligible for signing. Third, and tying it all together, the Unsponsored contracts provide athletes with support dollars aimed at alleviating the costs of flights, accommodations, and other miscellaneous items. Contracts also have a release clause where athletes can immediately sign with another company if one were to approach them.
Unsponsored athlete Trevor Bassitt made the team last night with an incredible third place finish in the 400m hurdles. See you in Paris, Trevor.
The Running Sponsorship Model is Broken
• Learn more: www.unsponsoredproject.com
• Visit us on Instagram: @banditrunning
The way how this story unfolded was an act of magic. The Unsponsored Project will be back so strong next year
J
So well said, so well executed by Bandit, we need more of this honesty and light shed on one of the things that’s killing our sport from the centre. If you ever want to expand to the UK we’d love to have you ❤
How to get involved ?
In Japan there is something called 実業団or corporate teams. Essentially, Japanese athletes will work for a company part time (maybe 4 hrs a day, 5 days a week) and then will train with their corporate team. Often provided cheap housing, and discounted shoes or clothing through the company they work with. In exchange, their kits are whatever the corporation has connections with. Ie: a runner could work for Honda, and will be given a Nike kit that has Honda written across it. I think this is a great model bc it allows runners to still work a little but not have the burden of a full time job while still training w a team/ get discounted housing and clothes, while companies get advertising
Sounds perfect!
yeah sign me up
Except that the top tiered athletes…the ones who are actually getting to the Finals consistently don’t have to work. They can commit fully to their craft. That makes a difference.
With that being said I don’t think Track and Field is a sustainable sport. Some of the athletes need to come to the reality that if they aren’t top tier maybe they should move on from the sport and integrate into regular society.
@@kpperry784 They are mostly graduates, the U S ones. My baby Gaby Thomas is a Havard Uni graduate with a degree in Neurobiology. She volunteers some hours weekly currently. You are right, no sport is sustainable. You just have to use your head. People like Bolt, Simeon Biles, Micheal Phelps, Allison Felix, Ryan Crouser ...etc, are set up for life unless they screw up. You rarely hear about Maurice Green but Micheal Johnson is everywhere. This is life, it gives you what you demand from it. Even at that, nothing guaranteed!
@@kpperry784 Yuki Kawauchi won the Boston Marathon, and competed in hundreds of marathons and half marathons in his career.
He holds all of the following records
Shortest period of time (2 weeks) between two sub-2:10 marathons - 2:09:05 (2013), 2:09:15 (2013)
Shortest period of time (6 weeks) between two sub-2:09 marathons - 2:08:15, 2:08:14 (2013)
Most sub-2:16 marathons in one calendar year: 12 times (2014), (2017)
Most career sub-2:11 marathons: 23 times
Most career sub-2:20 marathons: 101 times
Most career sub-3:00 50 km ultra marathons: 8 times
He did all of this despite working as a civil servant for a decade after graduating university.
The whole idea of Bandit Running is amazing and their execution was/is phenomenal! As a track and field athlete myself who wants to run professionally after college, just knowing there are people out their like this gives me hope that I will able to do it.
Just looked up your stats- pretty impressive stuff! Keep pushing and training hard, hopefully we’ll see you on the big stage one day‼️💯
@@yaelw5986 Thank you so much!!
Bandit’s changing running for the better. “Unsponsored” is brilliant and I can only imagine the feel-good boost this gives you, deservedly. I can’t wait to see Bandit reach the full time sponsorship era!
I enjoyed Bandit prior to this story but discovering the cause during the trials gives me a new level of appreciation. Well done
Beautifully made! Shoutout to Tim and the rest of the Bandit team. Was awesome to see Bassitt make it on to the team repping the Bandit kit.
What a great initiative to support athletes.
I love that you're doing this. I first heard about you from some of your videos before the US Olympic marathon trials. I am glad that you're doing this for a few people now. Bravo!!
I heard of bandit because of Bassitt. Thanks for what you are doing.
I just learned of Bandit and this program through this video. I went straight to the Bandit website to find someway to support Bandit in response. Sadly, I'm a ultrarunner so not a lot of fit, but i WILL purchase something ... arm sleeves perhaps. Kudos Bandit.
As a Marketer, I love this initiative and I could get behind this..
I'M TEAM BASSETT
20 pairs of shoes a year..
shoe companies kinda treating these athletes like skateboarders ..free gear, and minimal, if any $$$. wow😮
Thank you for keeping the dream alive and honoring the spirit of the sport
This is an incredible idea! Let’s us know how us track fans can support! Would love to see more athletes supported through their journeys 👏🏾
I'm working towards creating a FREE OF CHARGE aviation network {North America} primarily for the Freedom and Liberty community, but after watching this video, as a competitive runner myself, I would be delighted to give unsponsored track and field athletes free air travel to meets to save them lots of money if they're interested. But be patient, I'm working on it as fast as I can. But this video made my day because now I have a group of people who could really benefit from what I'm trying to create. It gives me motivation to forge ahead. Thanks for the fantastic video.
that would be so dope
Very generous offer... curious what the "Freedom and Liberty" community is?
Sad
This is amazing! Fully support this movement and Bandit!!
It’s crazy that a 25 min 5k runner with Vaporflys “running influencer” is probably making more than some professional runners
i kind of agree with this, but i want to also point out that people watch sports not just for the winners. if we’re talking about content here (and “running influencer” is another way to say “content creator”), people watch the content for the whole aspect of that person and the sport. winning, losing, almost’s, DNFs, how they train, what their thoughts are, et cetera. Sam Sulek is an example of someone who has never competed, but is sponsored, has millions of subs, and people watch him even if they aren’t athletes themselves, because they like his content. I don’t see why this shouldn’t happen in running or any other sport. Sometimes the human story is interesting in addition to their athletic journey.
Well, these people are not being paid as a runner but for being informative or entertaining. They have a lot of pressure as well reaching followers, subscribers and click numbers and interactions. And if they fail, they won’t get paid, just like the athletes…
Who???
I love this channel and the dedication you guys have towards your mission. liked and subscribed!
Thanks for starting to address this glaring problem for athletes. Hope we can change the model
It's a shame that track and field doesn't make as much money as other big sports, even though running is loved by people of all ages, genders, places, and incomes. Even some of top athletes don't get paid well, as mentioned in the video. It's not just in the U.S.; it's the same everywhere. I hope one day track and field becomes more popular and more athletes get the pay they deserve.
In France, few Olympians athletes have good support and live well with track and field.
Majority have a work besides their trainings, Bad facilities, high cost for Travels, stages etc.
Such a pity, you spend ~ 50k a year to finance and keep high level. competiting.
Love all of this and excited to see where your company goes!
Would love to be on either end of this. Either as an athlete or the brand and helping athletes out!!!
I respect what you guys are doing. It’s hard trying to be at your best without any financial support.A lot of unsponsored athletes have to spend more money then what they are making.
This video needs more attention!
This is a great story and a great cause, well done to everyone involved!
You guys rock. Thank you for helping take care of these amazing athletes!
Time to think outside the box (outside of shoes company) and reach out to atypical brands. It’s not easy but the footwear brands have to much power in this space
This is so cool! And an awesome video to boot
Love this and the Bandit team, bravo 👏🏽
What an incredible intervention. Absolutely love the bandit content. If I ever have the money, I will be buying my running kit from them!!!
Super excited!
Awesome project, and cool to see a brand so in touch with the realities of pro and almost-pro athletes.
So how is bandit making money and growing?
Yes, I have the same question. I am happy to believe the company has the athletes best interests in mind, but it's a company with 11 employees... something has to pay those bills. Is the idea to get people to support the brand by buying gear? Is the "buy out" clause in the contracts small relative to the size of pro contracts, but large relative to the size of the Bandit contract (e.g. they get paid some dough to let the athlete sign with Nike or Adidas or OA or whoever)?
sounds like what’s going on is they’re creating their own brand by using the athletes as content creators. sort of the way many pro athletes today are not making money so much on the sport but rather the content they’re creating around their sport. if you decide you want to be a media company but you need the content, you can pay athletes for that role and they don’t even really have to win as long as your creative team (last minute or so of this video) is skilled enough to pull that off.
you're doing a great job growing the sport!
This deal is truly commendable. We extend our appreciation to you and, of course, the exceptional Aiden Tooker! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Love this you guys, another w 🎉
This is unreal. Such good insight
I have always been interested in the economics of pro sport, athletics in particular. Very cool to see a company like this come through to meet the needs of athletes in the gap. Would be interested to learn more about how Bandit generates revenue.
This is absolutely sick and I 100% love what you're doing for athletes and the track community, but your prices also feel high for running gear. I understand it's a smaller company and there are increased costs when you can't mass produce products overseas, but is there anything else prompting this?
Absolute fire 🔥 this gave me chills!
I see a lot of athletes starting youtube channels and getting non-gear sponsors like coros / nutrition or selling their own merch. Do you think this works at scale?
amazing video! props! i am a runner and feel this!!
This is so amazing
this is truly amazing and i hope this grows exponentially, not just in the running community. as a hopeful pro myself, this gives me hope for my future and for the future of the sport!
So great you are doing this. I've been wanting to do something similar with paralympic athletes, as I have a background in wheelchair sports.
Awesome! 👏🏼
This is really great stuff
I like what Bandit is doing. Serving as incubator for up-and-coming athletes. This could work for lots of sports, not just running.
Great indicative
Really like this philosophy and business model.
More people should know this
i love this idea, and i’m wondering if you’ve thought about triathlon? i’m a track-adjacent athlete and i feel like we’re in a similar position in tri where it’s very difficult to make enough money to sustain the level of training required to be truly competitive.
this is awesome
I wish the uniforms were more of a statement thing and in your face but still subtle so people noticed it and questioned it more rather than getting noticed and ignored
Think the best way of changing how runners are paid is having a wealthy person/group to start a proper league or tournament that can run yearly, the model that multi athlete sports use everywhere else
Have you heard of Michael Johnson's Grand Slam league?
Will The Unsponsored Project come to ultra running?
Probably not. Track needs to get taken care of first
Messi with Barcelona over $100,000,000/year; Ohtani with Dodgers over $70,000,000/year; Curry with Golden State $60,000,000/year; PGA caddies over $100,000/year.
It’s not the model per se though, right? As a former division one sprinter and current marketer, it’s about size of prize. You mention Trevor which is kind of a scarecrow, no? Distance runners require different levels of investments for training and have a different opportunities for exposure. Trevor does his work literally in the most niche, complex event on the track. Do you think the average Joe, which of course is where Nike and adidas are marketing, will be doing hurdle drills? Will they tune in to watch 400m hurdles? You cite Karsten or Syd but you know my response. World record and and gold medal. Distance runners who have far less of a chance to medal have similar returns with wider reach potentially than an elite hurdler on the fringe of global habitual medals. It’s not that the model is broken, it’s the sport can’t support amateur athletes how they want to be and how much effort they put in. That’s ones fault. Are we upset with Nike for paying millions to sponsor Noah? That’s silly, his exposure is immense. Thats not a knock on Trevor . And Trevor still wears Nike singlets and spikes. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to start using black tape or de stitch them. Otherwise, he’s doing the marketing for them. It’s a touch sport and no one said it was fair. I dedicated my body to it for years but unless you’re winning the biggest events in the biggest stages, the ROI isn’t there. People get mad hearing that but riddle me this… how many people watched the 400m hurdles outdoor worlds in 2022? Okay, and how many paid to legally watch it? Now imagine where you’re finding the money in those answers to sponsor that athlete?? Not the one who wins… the one who had multiple ppl beat them. Christian Coleman is mention which I assume is meant to be polarizing given trials . But never forget he’s a world champion in multiple individual events. Is a 3x silver medalist at worlds. And holds a world record. Not to mention is also a multiple times over ncaa champion. How many people know his name? It’s not anymore difficult than that. There’s a way to be sponsored without winning everything per se, and that comes back to how many people know your name.but hurdlers In particular are getting quicker and quicker. In a sport with the same amount of money. Eg bershawn Jackson wouldn’t stand out today. But back a short time ago he was a hot commodity. Thats an insane comp but it’s accurate. Hurdles is probably the most difficult event to stand out due to the need to win and top heavy performances with limited visibility due to lack of understanding. Why do you think Fred kerley switched ? That much is pretty obvious . Us hardcores think the 400m is top class but casuals do not. It’s the 100m , partly in modern media thanks for bolt. I suspect that’s why Noah has also come down a lot more. That was a wise decision. Another great example of this is Wade. I mean honestly how many people truly know who Wade is ? By my book he took down the most coveted unbeatable record next to bolts 100m. He’s one of the most decorated sprinters in history. But he doesn’t run highest visibility events and is only on a handful of relays. Someone like a Kenny bednarek I bet makes more in sponsor than Wade which is preposterous logically but I get it from a marketing perspective.
I like this initiative don’t get me wrong but from the athletes perspective the problem that needs to be solved is overall size of prize jnto the sport. It’s hard to expect companies to fuel dreams of well deserved athletes when they themselves have a bottom line. It’s admirable truly but the model isn’t broken. If anything the sport itself is
Non-shoe sponsors are the way. Nikki Hiltz, our top qualifier in the women's *1500 run, got dropped by Adidas last year but then got picked up by the Lululemon clothing company.
*all three American women have run the 1500 in 3.55.......our fastest crew EVER, and hopefully competitive with Kenya and Ethiopia.
Lululemon also sponsors Tara Davis-Woodhall who won the long jump at the trials in a bit of a nail biter
Amazing, and I watch US track religiously, but I will be happily surprised if an American medals in the women's 1500
Comment for the algorithm.
I love this.
❤
This is a super cool initiative for both the athletes and the Bandit brand.
Can always outsmart greed 😎 well done
Go Took!
nice
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
Incredible isn't it that Sebastian Coe has had three terms as the President of World Athletics and yet here we are, track and field athletes still struggling to make a living. The fish always stinks from the head, and these people need to held accountable. By the way, today Coe is having a photoshot with the Ukraine President.
Sorry, your logic doesn't flow. What have athletes struggling to make a living (except for that small handful of the very top group) got to do with Seb Coe being President of World Athletics? Yes, he was a very successful athlete himself and does look at things from an athletes perspective. But he doesn't provide tens of millions for the "average" runner who wants to make a living at their chosen sport but isn't good enough?
The same with Rugby. (going by your title) Top Rugby players who play for the National Teams and the Top Clubs, do OK financially. But those at lower grades are lucky to survive as Professional Rugby Players. Essentially, they play for the love of their sport. Like most Runners.
@@johnwilson5743 in your opinion. Ok, a little more information so you can understand. 90% of athletes attending this Olympic Games are either funding themselves, or relying on Government funding which is never guaranteed. The Olympics the pinnacle of world sport, and the majority of athletes have to beg, borrow or steal to just get there. Like in any business, the leader, in the case of World Athletics Seb Coe is accountable for every strategic decision that is made when he is in charge. Therefore, over his three terms as President he has done nothing at all with his ex team to assist Athletes who he wants to use to promote the sport to earn a basic income, this should be his no 1 priority in my opinion. You probably wouldnt know how many Olympic medal winners have after their Games been declared bankrupt, in my book that isn´t right. So yes, any CEO or leader must do that, lead, manage, innovate and grow the business for all or leave. Just because he was a good athlete doesnt make him a good business man, and he isnt.
@johnwilson5743 Sorry, your logic doesn't flow. Most of the top track athletes aren't decided by who makes the national team or even makes it to the finals in the Olympics, it's who medals at worlds or the Olympics regardless of time. So it's a much higher selection criteria
@@Astro2024 Hi Astro. Please read the comments carefully next time. The national team I referred to was in Rugby, not a national team in athletics. Plus, it is World Record holders PLUS Gold medalists at Olympics (NOT World Champs or even Indoor Champs) who attract the greatest sponsorship deals in Athletics. Of course, some top grade runners get certain sponsorship deals because of the way they look, not just results. Pay attention to details before commenting.
Hi John, this is track and field, not rugby. Your weird equivalency is not the analogy you thought it was. Your entire argument is moot because Shacarri's deal proves it wrong simply in her existence. One of the highest paid athletes with zero Olympic experience. Gawking to people to 'pay attention to details' is not the argument you think it is, mostly because the details you personally pay attention to are seemingly irrelevant. To be specific, the OP was implying that Seb Coe has failed drastically at advocating for the athlete, a point you seem to have missed. Lastly, your implication that athletes get deals because of how they look is ludicrous 😂😂😂😂😂 a fashionable appearance doesn't do anything in t&f but piss ignorant people off.
This channel/these guys need support, TH-cam money is a no brainier for them, like, subscribe and share
I’m 20 years old I started running 2923 September my 10km PB 30:50 I dm puma they don’t want me I’m currently training for the world record 10k they will regret when I broke that record next year
Having realistic expectations is incredibly important
@@jacobdoyle420 when you hear samow broke world record is me just remember that name
W
BANDIT GETS EXPOSURE.. when u you see these "Unsoponsored" Athletes rock their kit in Every event televised or not.
Let's get REALISTIC. here... Nothing to lose from Bandit's Marketing.. if that athlete loses the even, NO skin off the Bandit Brand.
Athletes making millions could use a small chunk of change to sponsor athletes.
One time, I stayed at a motel 6 in Albuquerque for US indoors. I was able to afford to compete by driving/moving (with a car packed with all my stuff). Going from Oklahoma to Sacramento. I was praying not to have my car broke into and robbed while i was competing and it was unattended for hours.
Have fun living in fear 😂
There's an Olympian.. who still works at Walmart. Go figure.
If you want money into the sport you cannot just focus on the Olympics. USA track is only selling an event happening every 4th year. They are telling fans that the sport is not important, the olympic is. You have to make every meet being important. USA track has dig its own grave......
Not entirely true and I once interned at USATF headquarters. They don’t just push Olympics promo. They have an Indoor and Outdoor World Championships alternating years. Annual national championships in both and age group Worlds. The problem they’re STILL trying to solve is getting Corporate Sponsors to care about them in something other than the Olympics. But that will require steady TV and streaming deals for the visibility return wealthy sponsors demand. As well as steady press coverage (newspapers, magazines, online, podcasting etc) that usually dips in all but Olympic Seasons.
@@seensay2132 When I moved from Europe to the USA i got shocked how much focus it is on the olympics. In other countries the olympics is important, but so is the world championship, european championship, world cups/DL. In my country we do not have a term for people who compete in the olympics like in the USA. (olympian)
Track has always been severely underpaid.
2 week contracts, but what’s the terms of the deal? Still a lack of transparency.. would be more advantageous for the sport if you actually released terms of the contracts.
get better
Super cool guy who's got your back no matter what