SEATTLE - It was just another Monday for Nick Symmonds.
"When I was left off the team, basically been on vacation," he said with a smile as he stretched at the University of Washington's track.
It was an unusual place to be a couple of days after the Track and Field World Championships in Beijing. Symmonds, after all, is a two-time Olympian and six-time U.S. Champion. He won the 800-meter race at the U.S. Nationals earlier this year and was poised to be a part of last week's events.
That was until he was asked to sign a document.
"I'm outspoken and some would say brash, arrogant, I don't know," he said. But he felt like he needed to take a stand, when USA Track and Field required him to sign a Statement of Conditions to take part in the competition. He declined. "I wasn't going to sign a contract without all the terms defined."
That's because Symmonds felt the contract required him to wear Nike branded Team USA gear all the time in Beijing. He's sponsored by Seattle-based Brooks Running and says he's a loyal guy.
"I'm a businessman and when you have partners you try to protect those partners. I want to run for Brooks for another 10 years."
The flap prompted a flurry of articles and, in many, that Brooks logo is prominently featured.
"We're a Seattle brand but not well known across the world yet and anytime you seen that logo out there it's good for the brand as a whole," acknowledges Jesse Williams. The Brooks Sports Marketing Director says the controversy provided an unintended benefit to the company whose headquarters are near the Burke Gilman trail in Fremont.
But the company says Nick's style is one reason why they wanted to partner with him and make him one of 14 "Brooks Beasts." The company pays, what it says, are world class athletes enough to live in Seattle and pays for their training and health care. In return, the athletes serve as ambassadors, speak at schools, and wear the logo in competition.
Williams says it's tough to quantify what the added exposure has meant, but it's been a boost around the offices.
"They can be in the office, affect product, inspire corporate employees that are around all the time, and something to rally behind as a company to cheer for," said Williams.
Symmonds says he'll resume training in October and still has aspirations to be part of the Olympics in 2016 if he, and his sponsor, remain on track.
"The one party that comes out of this looking really good is Brooks," said Symmonds.
Brooks lists the following athletes as "Brooks Beasts," with two more to be named shortly:
- Nick Symmonds (800m, 2-time Olympian, 6-time U.S. 800m Champion)
- Casimir Loxsom (800m, American Record Holder in the indoor 600-meter run)
- Riley Masters (1500m-5,000m)
- Garrett Heath (5,000m)
- Matt Hillenbrand (1,500m)
- Dorian Ulrey (1,500m)
- Drew Windle (800m)
- Katie Mackey (1,500m-5,000m)
- Angela Bizzarri (5,000m)
- Megan Malasarte (800m)
- Hannah Fields (1,500m)
