U.S. runner Nick Symmonds is not participating in the Olympic Trials in Eugene, but he has "kept a full schedule" with autograph sessions and promotional appearances for sponsor Brooks Running, all part of Symmonds' "persona, which also includes a healthy dose of antagonism toward track's powers that be," according to the Eugene REGISTER-GUARD. Symmonds has been "rightfully labeled a self-promoter, but he also gets credit for harnessing the power of a personal brand in a sport where many athletes struggle financially." Symmonds said, "There's a lot of money in the sport. It just needs to go to the athletes. Once the governing bodies put their greedy paws all over it, the athletes get nothing." Symmonds looks at USA Track & Field's budget, which has grown from $16M to $36M during USATF CEO Max Siegel's four years, and "wonders why athletes aren't getting a bigger cut." Symmonds: "Max is phenomenal at getting sponsors and raising money. He's just real (crap) at sharing it with the athletes." TrackTown USA President and Oregon Associate AD Vin Lananna said that the "solution is to create a bigger pie." If track and field can make new fans, it "will bring in new sponsors, which means more money to go around for the athletes." Instead of worrying about Nike's influence, Lananna believes the sport "should concentrate on finding more companies willing to do the same thing." Track "needs Nike more than Nike needs track, which is apparent even to athletes who have squabbled with the Swoosh." U.S. runner Boris Berian, who was recently embroiled in a a dispute with Nike, said, "On the whole, yeah they do a lot for the sport. They can be aggressive, but in general, they're doing good for the sport" (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 7/8).
