Weekly Running News Roundup: December 14th 2023

Why Running Brands Sign College Athletes Who Can’t Race in Their Gear

The recent NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has created a new avenue for collegiate athletes to monetize their hard work. While most of the dollars are going to football and hoops players, run brands are getting in the game and signing elite collegiate runners. Some are even signing college athletes who can't race in their gear, like Stanford runners Leo and Lex Young, who On recently signed but must wear Nike gear for competitions due to Stanford’s commitment to the swoosh. Why would brands pay athletes when they know they must wear a competitor’s gear during competition?

1. The rise of social media: D1 XC Champ Parker Valby’s tik tok video at the end of this newsletter has received over 1.4 Million views. More eyeballs have seen that then were watching the XC live stream when she won the championship. The tides have shifted the traditional metrics of visibility and influence, making an athlete's online presence a valuable asset for brand exposure beyond just competitive events.

2. Cost: NIL deals offer a cost-effective way for brands to establish relationships with emerging talents without the financial burden of full professional sponsorships or the cost and bureaucracy of finalizing deals with large universities.

3. Indirect Prestige: Being associated with popular university sports programs, even indirectly, enhances a brand's prestige and market reach. This is especially true for the college demographic, which is increasingly significant for these companies.

Drink Wine While You Race

FitVine wine and prosecco will be available to try at every tour stop of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series after a new multi-year partnership was announced this week.

Blaire Fraser, Vice President Marketing of FitVine Wines describes the wines as being “all about balance and the belief that you shouldn’t have to choose between things you love – whether it’s crushing a PR or enjoying a delicious glass of zero-sugar, full-flavor wine.” FitVine wines have zero sugar, low sulfites and tannins, full alcohol, are gluten free and have less than 125 calories per 5oz serving. Read the Full Article Here.

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Nike’s New 12,765 Square Foot Tokyo Store

Nike opened a new store in Tokyo focused on serving the city’s running community. The location is focused on serving performance-focused athletes and was created to offer ways for the athletes to connect with others in their community with a shared passion.

Nike revealed the store has a Running Hub that approaches the needs of the local runner holistically through services and programming, such as Nike Run Club (NRC) Live training sessions that are led by both NRC coaches and pacers, which “give local runners the chance to meet, socialize and train with each other.” Also, Nike stated runners can use an in-store locker service to store their belongings and head out on a run, and they can browse group run opportunities and more through the store’s three-story digital screens.

Nike’s announcement of a new running-focused store in Tokyo comes shortly after the company declared its dedication to innovation when it comes to run. Nike CEO and president John Donahoe has publicly stated that a focus on innovation will be Nike’s advantage in running.

If you’ve read Shoe Dog by Nike founder Phil Knight you know the impact that Phil’s trips to Japan had on Nike’s trajectory during the early days. It is great to see that innovation, running and Japan are still playing major roles in Nike 60 years after it was founded by Knight and his partner Bill Bowerman.

Community Update: A Tribute to Philadelphia Run Community Legend

This week, the Philadelphia (and global) run community lost part of its soul when David April, founder of Fishtown Beer Runners (FBR), passed away in Spain. David started FBR in 2007 together with Eric Fiedler, which sparked the beer running movement. Today there are 20+ beer run chapters nationwide and 70+ across Spain.

A word from Ian

I met David at a FBR Group run last year. He was the nicest guy and kept recruiting me for his Mayor’s Cup team (the annual race competition for Philly’s run groups) because he thought I looked fast. I made a deal that if I could ask him questions about how he started FBR then I would join FBR for Mayor’s Cup. You can read our conversation here. David said he was joking about joining FBR for Mayor Cup so I never did run with them.

David was ahead of his time. When FBR started in 2007, David was a 42 year old non-runner and run groups were NOT a thing. Now, the NY Times is writing that run clubs are replacing religion in younger generations.

When we spoke, David was proud that FBR had created 13+ weddings and 10+ beer runner babies.

While elite athletes, social media influencers and celebrities attract attention, it’s people like David that have the biggest impact on our communities. We could all learn something from David’s story.

RIP David.

Instagram Tribute to David from Philadelphia Runner

A documentary on David’s experience starting Fishtown Beer Runners.

Your Daily Dose Of Usain⚡️

D1 XC National Champ Parker Actually Loves to Run 😏

@parkervalby

i actually love to run🤠. #fyp #florida #track #OwnTheCurve

Words To Run By 🏃‍♀️🏃🏽‍♂️

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