Fred Kerley and sponsorships do not quite go hand in hand. After claiming that the shoe companies do not ‘respect’ the athletes enough, Kerley has some more bombshell revelations to make! After all, the US Olympic star has had his fair share of complications with brands. Bursting into the track and field realm as one of the emerging stars, Kerley was initially roped in by Nike in 2017. After a five-year deal with the giant conglomerate, the duo decided to part ways. That is when Kerley signed up with ASICS back in February 2023. And this is exactly when all the drama began!

Appearing in the 2024 NYC Grand Prix, Kerley forgot his shoes at the airport! In a desperate attempt not to miss the event, Kerley came out wearing Puma shoes! But this worsened matters instead of actually helping it! Not only did Kerley get a DNS status at the race, but Fred’s choice of wearing a Puma cost him his ASICS contract as well. While he is now listed with Oakley, Kerley’s sponsorship struggles are still pretty much on. Shedding light on the matter, Kerley appeared on The Pivot Podcast on April 4, 2025. 

Speaking his heart out, Kerley stated that “most of us track guys get belittled and stuff most of the time.” He stressed the fact that despite the track athletes having their share of stories to share, the sponsors often do not care. Dropping a bombshell, Kerley stated that in the US, you have to be number one in track and field to get a flurry of sponsorships at your door. “You gotta be the number one.”

Speaking more on the matter, Kerley mentioned how athletes who are 2nd, 3rd, and so on, desperately need sponsorship.“A lot of people don’t understand where you come from they feel like it’s cry for help but it is a cry for help but you got to understand where these individual come from because everybody in the track community got a a need out output but a lot of people can’t,” Kerley emphasized.

And Kerley was not finished. He immediately continued saying that in most cases, an athlete cannot be his own self while under a contract. And this is something the 2x Olympic medalist was not okay with. As per Kerley, he can only feel comfortable in sponsorship if he does not have to fake his personality to promote himself as a business entity. “So it’s just like, I’ve been myself, and I only know how to be myself. You know what I’m saying? But that’s like, if a brand don’t want me, the brand don’t want me, but I cannot not be myself.”

“I feel like in America we are fighting in for different rooms we fighting with the NBA the NFL the gymnastics the WNBA so forth like we fighting for to be in different rooms so it’s it’s hard but you got to be number one to get everything moving, ” Kerley opined. He also said that if he can manage to win a world championship soon, then all his problems in finding a lucrative sponsorship will be gone.  Meanwhile, as he is searching for a brand, Kerley is not intimidated only by the dollar bills. Instead, the Olympian wants to build his legacy in the sport and have a more expansive impact on the community as a whole. 

Fred Kerley isn’t running the race you think he is

Fred Kerley isn’t chasing the spotlight! He’s aiming to build something that lasts. In a sport often driven by medals and momentary fame, Kerley’s focus stretches far beyond the track. For him, it’s not about front-page features or flashy endorsement deals that don’t align with who he is. Rather, for Fred, it’s more about respect, loyalty, and a legacy that holds weight long after the final race. “Money don’t move me no more,” he says, laying bare a mindset that seems to be shaped not by trophies but by purpose.

Kerley knows where he stands. Commenting on the same, he declared, “Everybody like me though…track community like me, love me to be exact.” He wasn’t referring to fans glued to their screens but to the core of the track community that truly understands him. He’s aware that mainstream platforms may overlook him, but he doesn’t bend for attention. Brand deals come, but only if they’re the right fit. He’s not in it for the paycheck. But he’s in it for alignment, integrity, and impact.

Fred’s eyes are set on what comes next. There’s no panic, no clinging to the limelight. “My exit plan [is] trying to grow and shake hands with the right people,” Kerley shares, pointing to a future where success is measured in handshakes, home-building, and generational uplift. His focus now? “To elevate my life when I get done how to elevate my kids life when I get done because at the end of the day they are the future.”

In an era of fast fame, as it appears, Kerley is running his own race—quietly, powerfully, and for the long haul.