USATF Inks Multi-Year Extension With Longtime Partner Nike

Nike Extends Sponsorship Of USATF Through '13

BEST CASE SCENARIO: In Chicago, Philip Hersh noted IOC ethics rules "forbid its global sponsors from trying to influence host city elections," but Nike increasing its financial commitment to the USATF should Chicago win the '16 Games is different because it is not a global IOC sponsor. Logan said, "The partnership simply recognizes added value in the event of a domestic (Olympic) competition. You cannot avoid reality. We are certainly not going to attempt to unduly influence anyone." Hersh notes all four bid cities -- Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo -- have corporate sponsors and wrote, "Is anyone naive enough to think those bid sponsors won't be inclined to increase their support for a domestic Olympics?" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 6/26).

TRACK MEET: Logan said of the Univ. of Oregon's Hayward Field hosting the '11 U.S. Championships and '12 Olympic Trials, "I am not necessarily sold on the proposition that we have to take our championships to every nook and cranny in this country. ... What we need is an environment like this. I think we need a combination of excellent venue, a knowing audience, a locality that loves having us back again and again." Meanwhile, Logan said of the sport's drug issue, "If you were to ask me, am I running a clean sport, I would have to answer, I don't know but I suspect not" (Portland OREGONIAN, 6/29).

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