'Brands only respect themselves' – Fred Kerley calls out lack of athlete appreciation

American sprinter Fred Kerley has shared strong views on athlete sponsorships, questioning brand loyalty and respect.

Olympic 100m bronze medalist Fred Kerley has spoken out about the challenges athletes face with sponsorships in track and field, specifically criticizing the lack of respect he feels major shoe brands show toward athletes.

Kerley, who has experienced sponsorship deals with both Nike and ASICS throughout his career, shared his candid thoughts on the issue during a recent podcast appearance.

Kerley first entered the professional scene with a sponsorship deal from Nike in 2017, shortly after his dominant win in the 400m at the NCAA Division I Championships.

The partnership lasted five years until 2022, when Kerley chose not to renew with Nike and instead signed a new contract with ASICS in early 2023.

While this marked a significant shift, the relationship with ASICS proved short-lived.

In June 2024, while competing at the NYC Grand Prix, Kerley faced a rare equipment issue. He would accidentally left his ASICS shoes at the airport, and with limited options, he borrowed a pair of Puma spikes to compete.

Unfortunately, he recorded a "did not start" for the race, and shortly afterward, both Kerley and ASICS announced they had mutually ended their partnership.

Reflecting on the broader issue of athlete-sponsor dynamics, Kerley recently joined the "Ready Set Go" podcast, where he did not hold back about his views on sponsorships and athlete respect.

"I don't feel like the shoe companies actually respect us athletes," Kerley said.

“We're all great in our own ways, no matter if you're at the bottom of the pole or the top at the podium because every athlete can market themselves in different type of ways, which these companies don't understand.”

The 2024 season offered Kerley a unique opportunity to rethink his relationship with brands and revisit former associations.

After the Paris Olympics, he made headlines by appearing in Nike spikes during several Diamond League events, leading many to believe that he may have returned to the brand he first partnered with in 2017.

Though Kerley has not confirmed the details, the appearance in Nike gear hints at the possible rekindling of a partnership that seemed to have ended amicably two years earlier.

This renewed connection has prompted speculation about how elite athletes, even medal-winning Olympians, continue to navigate complex sponsorship landscapes that don't always guarantee loyalty or respect.

For Kerley, his return to Nike may signal a preference for brands with whom he has a deeper history, but it also reflects a broader frustration many athletes share.

“Everybody is great in their own ways, and we are competitive in our own ways,” Kerley said.

“I feel like at the end of the day, the shoe brands don’t really respect us; they respect themselves.”

Kerley’s words strike a chord with athletes across sports who feel that despite bringing value, they are often overlooked by the very brands that benefit from their achievements.

His stance comes amid new and exciting ventures within the track and field space, including the launch of the Grand Slam Track, a fresh league spearheaded by retired American track star Michael Johnson.

Announced for 2025, this league will feature Kerley as a lead competitor in both the 100m and 200m events.

The Grand Slam Track aims to bring a new level of engagement and visibility to sprinting, with four annual events and a $100,000 prize based on athletes’ cumulative points across the races.