Fred Kerley has always been a name to watch out for when it comes to track and field! But behind the glimmering wins lies a distorted and tangled web of relationships with shoe companies! Perhaps one of the most important accessories for a sprinter. Kerley, as the world knows, has always had a dicey relationship with brands. And recently, on the Ready Set Go podcast with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, Kerley went on to talk about the same.

“I don’t feel like the shoe company actually respects us athletes,” said Fred Kerley. These are not just mere words coming from a two-time Olympic medalist but a takeaway coming from someone who has dealt with multiple brands closely. Kerley has had a relationship with brands, including Nike and ASICS. The beginning of these relationships dates back to 2017.

Fred Kerley first signed with Nike in 2017, soon after he won NCAA Division 1 Championships. He had a significant period of time with Nike. Fred went on to win silver at the 2019 World Championships with his Nike trainers. However, come 2021, the brand of shoes has experienced a change! Fred decided to leave Nike behind. Although he hasn’t said much about the same, he pointed out, “It doesn’t matter if you’re at the bottom of the pole or the top of the podium because every athlete can market themselves in different types of ways. These companies don’t understand. Everybody’s great in their own ways.” 

The companies might not understand Fred as an athlete, but he needed one to move ahead. Therefore, the same year, Fred signed a new deal with ASICS. At that point in time, he believed that ASICS could help inspire the next generation of athletes and maybe even help the sport grow! Unfortunately, this dream of optimism was rather short-lived. The 2024 NYC Grand Prix arrived in style, but not the ASICS kind. So what exactly happened?

Kerley began his talk sponsored by ASICS. But unfortunately, he soon realized he had left his shoes at the airport. The result? Fred Kerley donned a pair of Puma spikes for the scheduled 100-meter final in New York City. This controversial move immediately caused Fred’s contract with ASICS to end. But why end it over a mistake and an unavoidable situation?

Well, Fred Kerley has answers to that, too. He went on to say, “I feel like, at the end of the day, the shoe brand doesn’t really respect us. They respect themselves because either you’re going to wear it or not, but at least the one that makes the brand.” Although Kerley does a nerve with the statement, the Puma stunt left him in the pits. He ended up with no sponsors right before the Paris Olympics. But an old confidante came to the rescue!

Nike sponsored Fred as he headed to the Paris Olympics. Despite the move by Nike, Fred Kerley continues to remain critical of the brands that try to suppress the athlete’s individualistic vision and marketing for the greater good of the brand. And Fred is not one to compromise on his individuality. As Fred himself puts it, “The brand doesn’t make the brand. Without us, there’s no brand.” As Fred Kerley continued his conversation with the track legends, he went into further depths of the issues of track and field.

Track and Field athletes’ sponsorship struggles and financial issues!

The sponsorship wars are not just Fred Kerley’s fight. Rather, it is symbolic of a larger issue that has been around for some time in track and field. Financial constraints in track have been the topic of many debates recently. Athletes like Noah Lyles have also spoken about the same before. The issues that come to the forefront for athletes like Fred Kerley are limited income, short careers, and a lack of stability.

As Kerley himself puts it, “How can we eat and forever eat when we get done with this sport? We don’t got no union or none of that. When we get gone with this sport, most of us get left.” Fred Kerley has touched a raw nerve here. Additionally, athletes struggle with extremely low prize money for races they’ve spent years training for. This amount pales in comparison to the earnings in mainstream sports.

Despite recent initiatives like the Grand Slam Track and Athlos increasing their prize money, the gap remains as wide as ever. Meanwhile, even the Diamond League, due to pressures from the track community, has increased its prize money to a total of $9.24 million for the 2025 season. Yes, it is a major shift. But it is nothing compared to sports like football or basketball. Kerley sees the disparity and is frustrated.

“I feel like a lot of people at the top just eat while we are a slave to this sport. And us athletes are the sport. And we athletes need to understand that we are the sport, and the people at the top really can’t make no money without us. That’s when this sport will grow,” added Fred Kerley. As the track and field community continues to grow and tackle issues, big brands can no longer hide behind their names. Athletes are holding them accountable and asking the right questions. After all, as Kerley puts it, “Without us, there’s no brand.”