Nike has "contributed enormously to track and field
over the years, so it's a little disingenuous" for the
company "to bemoan the lack of recognition for track stars,"
as it does with its new ad campaign featuring Marion Jones,
"when it has the power to promote them," according to Howard
Manly of the BOSTON GLOBE. But Manly wrote "by any measure,
track and field athletes are neglected," and they have
"grown accustomed to the short end of the marketing stick."
MA Athletic Association Exec Dir Bill Clark "attributes some
of the sponsorship problem" in track and field to the "fact
that different organizations govern the sport. All too
often, the organizations are incapable of creating a buzz to
warrant national or local" TV coverage. Clark: "We just
haven't done a good job. The amount of exposure has been
minuscule." But to Clark, the Nike/Jones ads "are a
blessing," as he said he's "happy to see any" ad featuring
the sport. In addition, Manly called the new NBC Olympic
promo spots featuring Jones, C.J. Hunter and Michael Johnson
"pretty funny," and wrote that "they give track stars what
seemingly has escaped them: respect" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/21).