U.S. runner Boris Berian has officially signed an endorsement deal with New Balance a week after Nike "dropped its lawsuit" against him, according to Sara Germano of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. New Balance VP/Performance Running Tom Carleo said that the new deal "is larger than the one New Balance offered in Janaury." Carleo: "It takes into account his successes since then, as he's now a national and world champion." Germano noted Nike previously sponsored Berian and "retained the right to match competing sponsorship offers during the first half of this year." New Balance in January offered Berian a three-year, $405,000 contract, which Nike "argued it had matched." Nike then filed suit against Berian after he "competed in New Balance products" (WSJ.com, 6/30). Nike late last month "dropped its lawsuit, saying that it was doing so to eliminate a distraction for Berian" ahead of the U.S. Olympic trials, which begin Friday (DENVER POST, 7/1).
GOING HOG WILD: ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported Asics has signed U.S. sprinter Jarrion Lawson "to an endorsement deal" on the eve of the track and field Olympic trials. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a source said that it was the "largest signed for a male track athlete" by the company. Lawson last month while at the Univ. of Arkansas won the NCAA outdoor 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump titles, becoming the "first to win three events since Jesse Owens accomplished the feat." Asics is "relying on a boost after one of its biggest endorsers, Lolo Jones, dropped out of the trials" (ESPN.com, 6/30).
WITHDRAWAL STOPS PLANNED PROTEST: RUNNER'S WORLD's Butler & Fox reported U.S. runner Nick Symmonds on Thursday withdrew from the Olympic trials "due to an injury to his left ankle." The news came just two days after he "announced he was planning an athlete protest of USOC rules governing logos on uniforms." Symmonds had "planned to wear black tape covering logos of four of his sponsors -- Run Gum, Zappos, T-Mobile, Hanson Dodge -- which he was not allowed to display while competing at the Trials." He was hoping other athletes "would wear black tape in solidarity" (RUNNERSWORLD.com, 6/30). A judge in May dismissed a lawsuit Symmonds filed against the USOC and USA Track & Field challenging their policy on uniform advertising (THE DAILY).
