After Donning Puma, Fred Kerley Has a Special Message for the $2.1 Billion-Dollar Brand: ‘We Appreciate That’

It seems this weekend was lucky for Fred Kerley, as he secured a spot for himself in the Paris Olympics. Today, on June 23rd, he was wearing a blue tank top and shorts for the track race and he nailed it. He secured third place in the trials with a time of 9.88, making it his season best. However, Noah Lyles secured first place, and Kenny Bednarek in second. Riding high on cloud nine, Fred Kerley shared a post on X crediting his Oakley athletic wear for his success. Since last year, Fred Kerley has been sponsored by Oakley- brand worth $2.1 Billion.

In his tweet, Fred Kerley expressed gratitude, “@oakley, thank you to my sponsor for coming through with my Oakley uniform over the weekend, we truly appreciate it.” This acknowledgment followed a significant controversy.

Earlier this month, at the New York City Grand Prix, hosted in the iconic Icahn Stadium, Kerley dashed onto the track adorned in vibrant orange Puma spikes for his 100m sprint. However, fate dealt him an unexpected blow when he faced disqualification for the same race. This setback marked the first challenge of his day. But this was not enough, and he again had another blow.

At that time, Kerley was sponsored by ASICS, but he wore Puma spikes. It was a puzzling deviation. Hours after the incident unfolded on social media, this news circulated widely, even reaching ASICS. After that, a spokesperson from the ASICS made a public announcement. They declared the termination of their partnership with Kerley, stating, “ASICS and Fred Kerley have mutually parted ways and he is no longer an ASICS sponsored athlete. We wish him the best in his career.“

Despite Kerley’s explanation that he had simply forgotten his ASICS shoes at the airport,”I left my bag at the airport.” the viral controversy surrounding his choice of footwear left his sponsorship in jeopardy. Yet, at this critical juncture, Oakley emerged as his savior. However, the deal with Oakley only stipulated that the company would provide Kerley with glasses. Despite this limitation, Kerley redeemed himself, ultimately bringing pride to the brand. But it wasn’t just Oakley that helped him but Nike too, albeit in a unique way.

Why Fred Kerley deserves sponsorship?

Kerley was recently seen sporting Nike spikes, specifically the Nike Air Zoom Maxfl, during the first round heats. It’s interesting to note that despite not being sponsored by Nike, Kerley has a history with the brand. Back in 2022, during his days as a standout 400m runner at Texas, he represented Nike with the iconic swoosh across his chest.

After parting ways with Nike, he later forged a partnership with Asics. Despite missing out on the 100m at the 2023 World Championships, Kerley’s track record speaks volumes. He blazed through the 2022 World Championships with a remarkable 9.76s sprint in the 100m and achieved some incredible milestones, like going sub-44 in the 400m, sub-20 in the 200m, and sub-10 in the 100m.

But 2024 hasn’t been without its hurdles. Kerley’s been struggling to crack the under 10-second barrier in the 100m before the trials but couldn’t. But he was confident that he can and he did it in trials. His belief in himself now convinces everyone around him that he’s more than deserving of a sponsorship that matches his talent.