“He Deserves Better”: Fresh Controversy Takes Track and Field Community by Storm As Paris Olympics-Bound Athlete Goes Unsponsored

Olympic dreams don’t come cheap. The 2024 U.S. Olympic track and field trials highlighted this reality as athletes faced the daunting expenses of travel, accommodation, training gear, team support, and more. Leading up to the ten-day competition, athletes voiced concerns about the financial strain, with even Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek chiming in. Now one more chapter of struggle was unveiled, at the center of which stood a celebrated world champion.

In Eugene, amidst the pack of sponsored athletes, the sight of 35 unsponsored ones in plain black, logo-free attire caught everyone’s attention at the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials. That also had the World Champion in the 4x400m relay, who secured a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics for the 400-meter hurdles event. Despite his accolades, his unsponsored status left the track and field community stirred up.

CITIUS MAG shared an image of Trevor Bassitt with the caption, “SOMEBODY SPONSOR THIS MAN‼️‼️‼️” At Tracktown, Bassitt secured his third straight national team spot outdoors by taking third in the 400-meter hurdles at 47.82 seconds. It was his best performance of the season, knocking off more than a second. The Bluffton native Trevor Bassitt boasts an impressive resume as a 2x World Champion in 4x400m relay, 2x World Indoor Championships Silver Medalist, and 1x World Championships Bronze Medalist in 400mH.

Despite his track record and current 8th ranking in men’s 400m hurdles, he sported all-black, logo-free kits at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials, part of Bandit Running’s Unsponsored Project. Bandit Running offered Olympic hopefuls like Bassitt unbranded kits and warmups, plus short-term endorsement deals, instead of the traditional sponsorship model, where athletes often buy gear with major brand logos.

Co-founder Tim West noted they provided at least 35 two-week deals at the trials, giving athletes a platform and financial support, with the option to switch to traditional sponsorships if offered during the trials.

After qualifying for Paris wearing Bandit’s apparel, Trevor Bassitt reflected to FloTrack that he had been unsponsored his entire career. He said, “This Bandit deal is technically the first sponsorship I’ve had so ‘The Unsponsored Project’ is my first sponsor. So that’s kind of ironic.” However, Bandit is not the only such an effort to support the unsponsored athletes.

Javelin thrower Curtis Thompson is one more unfortunate athlete going through the same ordeal. The 2023 Pan American Games gold medalist has already represented the USA in the Tokyo Olympics. This year, he secured the Olympic spot for the second time. Currently ranked 11th globally with a gold at the 2018 USATF Championships, the athlete has yet to secure a pro contract.

He, therefore, was supported by a Boston-based “independent running company” Tracksmith’s Amateur Support Program (ASP). Like Bandit, this also supports unsponsored athletes with gear, and financial support to attend competitions. Under the aegis of its new director, Nick Willis, a 2x Olympic medalist in the 1500 meters, the brand has further expanded its scopes.

Apart from just providing gears, Tracksmith provides housing and lodging for major track and field events, such as Trials, the USATF Outdoor Championships, and major marathons in the US (Boston, Chicago, and New York). The ASP mainly targets those athletes who did not shoot to fame before their collegiate career was over, like Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, yet have the passion to pursue the sport at the highest level. While commendable, such efforts also underscore the darkness under the light and the disappointment is palpable.

Last year, Bassitt had expressed his frustration for being an unsponsored athlete despite being a world medalist. “It’s frustrating like my family keeps texting me like any updates on the contract and I’m like if I had it you have it,” he had stated. Reflecting on the situation and the shout-out from CITIUS MAG for sponsoring Trevor Bassitt, many fans expressed shock and astonishment online.

Track and field fans riled up because of Trevor Bassitt’s situation

Many track and field fans expressed deep disappointment and frustration at seeing a World Champion and now Paris Olympian like Trevor Bassitt, still without sponsorship. One fan passionately shared,“Forget just making the team, he already has a World’s MEDAL! He deserves better and the sport deserves better!” Another fan chimed in, “don’t know why he’s not sponsored yet, he shows up and delivers and is a class act,” given Bassitt’s consistent performance throughout his career.

A recent study in the US found that more than a quarter of current Olympians earn less than $15,000 annually. On the other hand, costs to train for the Games average $12,000. Therefore many unsponsored athletes have to take up part-time or full-time jobs to support their dreams. Bassitt’s wife Harlie Bassitt even launched a GoFundMe campaign “Fuel Trevor’s Olympic Journey”. According to the page, it has already raised $18,765.

Looking at the sorry state of affairs, another frustrated supporter questioned, “How many teams does this dude have to make to get sponsored? I mean – this is really a no brainer. He’s a four time world championship medalist, two time world champion. Like – what are we waiting on?”

However, there is a broader issue. The track and field is reeling with a lack of viewership in the US. While sprinting still gets some attention, the situation of the field events is worse. They get an even smaller number of eyes because the competition in these disciplines is often lengthy. Because of these, very little enthusiasts are even aware of the problems in the sport.

Reflecting on that, another fan added, “I don’t think many people realise how many people who make World and Olympic teams go unsponsored. This was what made the whole Eric Holt thing so ironic. There are so many more deserving athletes who remain unsponsored.”

Holt, a previously unsponsored runner, made headlines at Eugene. He came to the trials as a viral sensation, known for quitting his job to chase his running dreams. Soon after, he signed with Puma through 2025, taking money off his list of worries. Lastly, echoing the disbelief over Bassitt’s sponsorship status, another fan lamented, “An individual world medalist and not sponsored???” Reflecting on Trevor Bassitt’s tough situation serves as a stark reminder of the disparities many athletes encounter in their careers. What do you think about this? Share your thoughts below!