Outside Online
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 1

10. USATF Bows to Athlete Pressure on Logos

After a bitter battle, athletes win right to dress more like NASCAR drivers

By:
NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon

NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon    Photographer: PresidentBertho/Flickr

Track and field has a long and inglorious history of governing bodies meddling with athletes’ rights, and U.S.A. Track and Field’s refusal to allow athletes to put multiple sponsor logos on their jerseys struck many runners as unfair and bad for the sport. 

But facing a confrontation with athletes at a conference in November and protests from two high-profile runners, USATF said it would back down from rules limiting the number of sponsors runners can rep on their uniforms. Whether the decision will bring more money and attention into a sport struggling for both is anyone's guess, but it's a step in the right direction—especially as the international media begin to focus on track and field before the London Olympics.

Read more at The Wall Street Journal

More at Outside

Comments

1
Buzz

Very good points. The USATF (and its predecessors) have never helped athletes. However, the photo of the NASCAR driver is not appreciated - an actual photo of a 2" logo that enables a dedicated athlete to keep doing what they love would have been more appropriate.

Flag This

Post Comment

Current Issue Outside Magazine

Subscribe and get a great deal! 2 FREE Buyer's Guides plus a FREE GoLite Sport Bottle. Monthly delivery of Outside - your ultimate resource for today's active lifestyle. All that and BIG SAVINGS!

Free Newsletter

Get our e-mail dispatch, with Outside articles & online exclusives, delivered to your inbox each week.

Ask a Question

Our gear experts await your outdoor-gear-related questions. Go ahead, ask them anything.

* We might edit your question for length or clarity. If it's not about gear, we'll just ignore it.