Business & Sports Discourse

New York Road Runners slashed their work force last week, to the dismay of all and the the surprise of few. In this episode, Jason and Matt discuss the corporate ramifications of race cancellations and what, if anything, can be done to save the elite racing season.

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Over the past year, Tracksmith, a small running-based clothing brand based out of downtown Boston, has made a series of moves to elevate its brand within running community. From working with a large cohort of the Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifiers, signing Mary Cain and Nick Willis, starting the Tracksmith Fellowship Program, and more. In this episode we take a deep dive into those moves, what it means for the the company, its ideal costumer, and the culture brand wants is working hard to cultivate.

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Track is back! Well, kind of.

A bevy of top track athletes made there way to Texas to take part in the AP Ranch High Performance Invitationals. The series of "meets" were a interesting display of creativity in the face of contractual issues and requirements. The races resulted in some excellent performances. Michael Norman and Brianna Rollins-McNeal, in particular, really set the track ablaze. The races were also littered with athletes checking boxes that are requirements in their sponsorship deals. It wasn't their fault, just the way that the game 

In this episode we also talk about what many of these athletes are going to face on December 31 - uncertainty over their sponsorship contacts that are about to expire. Without formal 2020 meets and COVID uncertainty it will be a whole new world.

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Cross country seasons are starting to get cancelled and postponed across college and high school ranks. What are athletes to do? In this episode Jason and Matt have some fun throwing out creative ideas for socially distanced distance running and team competitions. 

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As we progress through the age of athlete empowerment, organization/unionization has made it's way to triathlon, track & field, and CrossFit. The top athletes in all three sports have made a big push recently, especially over the past two weeks, to create a dynamic where competitors come together to advocate for changes within their sport in one voice. At least, that is the goal. In this episode we talk about the sports and organizations differ, what they are doing well, current and future challenges, and where we think this is heading.

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Under Armour's rise over the past decade and more has been awesome to watch. They've built a culture and strong brand awareness across multiple sports. However, in recent weeks the news surrounding the company hasn't been as rosy. From cancelling massive contracts with UCLA and UC-Berkeley to looking for a buyer for MyFitnessPal, which they purchased for nearly $500m in 2015, the UA landscape is changing quickly. In this episode Matt and Jason talk about these transactions and whether they signal a positive shift or a sign of rough water ahead. 

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After recording his first win as a professional triathlete in 2015, Cody Beals first realized you can actually make a living swimming, biking, and running around the world in spandex. In Part I of this interview, Jason and Cody take a deep dive into the finances of a pro triathlete and discuss how more money is made from sponsorships rather than from standing on the podium at the end of the race. With the race calendar essentially wiped out for 2020, Cody explains how he has built a balanced portfolio of sponsors whose financial incentives are less about winning and more about his personality. Although this has enabled him to survive financially without races, Cody is honest about the fact that he didn't sign up to be a social media influencer or a sales rep for sponsors...and he has some questions about how certain companies can make it through the pandemic.

Lululemon, the maker of high-end activewear and athleisure attire, is making a big bet in the personalized remote exercise space by acquiring Mirror, a home fitness start-up that sells a $1,495 wall-mounted screen ideal for streaming workout classes with a focus on demonstrating and teaching technique-based exercises. 

The $500 million purchase, announced on Monday, is Lululemon's first acquisition. This is a remarkable move for Mirror who introduced their product two short years ago and raised a whopping $72 million from investors. 

In this episode we talk about the potential ripple effects of this acquisition, pivoting in a time of upheaval, trying to seize the moment, and Lululemon's potential as a media company with an enormous outlet for potential ad revenue.

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This part two of our conversation with Jason Fitzgerald, the founder of Strength Running. If you haven't already done so, you should listen to part one first because part two is a continuation of that conversation.

Over the past decade Jason has built Strength Running from an interesting side venture to multi-channel media and coaching company. It is one of the largest running blogs in the country with 200,000 visitors a month. His email list has 100,000 subscribers. The Strength Running podcast is one of the top-10 most popular running podcasts in the country and his YouTube channel has nearly 30,000 subscribers. Truly, a multi-media success.

We are joined by Jason Fitzgerald, the founder of Strength Running, for an enlightening two-part episode.  Over the past decade Jason has built Strength Running from an interesting side venture to multi-channel media and coaching company. It is one of the largest running blogs in the country with 200,000 visitors a month. His email list has 100,000 subscribers. The Strength Running podcast is one of the top-10 most popular running podcasts in the country and his YouTube channel has nearly 30,000 subscribers. Truly, a multi-media success.

The civil and social unrest that has swept American in the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd is unprecedented. In the sports world athletes have banded together to speak about systemic racism in a way has quickly reshaped the public consciousnesses. 

With that change comes the response from leagues, teams, and brands. In this episode we talk about the new normal that is facing these organizations - if you are going to publicly support a cause and/or an athlete they better be willing to walk the walk. We discuss examples of when then have gone well and when they haven’t. Specifically, in the cases of Gwen Berry, Ben & Jerry's, Florida State football, and the Washington Redskins.

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With nearly every pro sports arena/stadium comes a corporate naming right. These have become so ubiquitous, and ever changing, but their utility have long been a point of contention. In the current circumstances, with limited in-person sporting events, this marketing method has taken a significant hit. In this episode we dive into the pro's-and-cons of this concept and how it may change for the foreseeable future.

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Last week the iconic Boston Marathon was officially cancelled. While not a surprise to much of the running community, it was a huge symbolic blow to many. Boston is known as one of, if the not the most, iconic races in the United States. This cancellation has an enormous effect of dedicated amateurs, charities and charity runners, elites, corporate partners, running media, and the entire running community. 

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In the inaugural episode of the Business & Sports Discourse, Jason and Matt discuss the recent changes at Strava. 

Strava is extremely familiar to almost all runners, cyclists, and endurance athletes. They have been a mainstay in the endurance community for years and are at the forefront of fitness apps and GPS tracking. While they've had a dedicated following, they have struggled with brand identity and mission over the past several years. Last week they announced a new set of premium options as well as a new pay structure. This announcement was met with plenty of reactions across the endurance landscape.

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