In a sport where moments of glory can vanish as quickly as they arrive, Daniel Roberts’ story is a stark reminder of the harsh realities behind the track and field spotlight.
Ten months after earning a silver medal in the men’s 110m hurdles at the Paris Olympics, Roberts finds himself navigating a difficult chapter.
Despite standing on an Olympic podium behind Grant Holloway, Daniel Roberts has spent the past six months surviving solely on prize money after parting ways with his former sponsor, Nike. Daniel Roberts’ story mirrors a growing concern in U.S. track and field, while stars like Lyles, Bednarek, and Richardson thrive.
The broader picture, however, reveals a sport where marketability often outweighs medal counts. In his social media post, Roberts acknowledged the unforgiving nature of modern athletics marketing.
“Being at the top does play a part in that but if you’re at the top but not much of a following and they don’t see you as marketable, those results will not mean nearly as much.”
Adding his voice to the conversation, respected track coach and commentator Coach Rob dissected the issue in a recent YouTube podcast. He shed light on how Roberts’ ordeal unfolded behind the scenes.
“Nothing actually happened to Daniel Roberts between winning the 110 hurdles silver medal at the Olympic Games and finding out he wasn’t running for Nike anymore,” Coach Rob explained.
“He had to figure it out mid-season, going off prize money earnings just to stay afloat.”
Coach Rob revealed he first sensed something was amiss when Roberts competed in the Grand Slam Track league still donning old Nike gear, an unusual sight for a freshly minted Olympic medalist. The coach credited the league’s guaranteed base pay for giving Daniel Roberts a financial lifeline.
In contrast, he pointed to cases like Bryce Deadmon, another Olympic gold medalist who, after losing his sponsorship deal, had no league contract or fallback income.
A Larger Issue in Professional Track and Field
The heart of the problem, Coach Rob argued, lies in track and field’s precarious professional structure.
“There are so many athletes who want to be pros or Olympians, hundreds of thousands in America alone,” he said.
“But the harsh truth is, pro track and field doesn’t have much for you if you’re not highly marketable or in the public eye. No shade, just being honest.”
He warned young athletes, particularly those in high school and college, to weigh the realities of the sport’s economic landscape carefully. While making it to the Olympics remains a dream, sustaining a viable career post-medal is far from guaranteed without consistent sponsorship or league backing.
Yet, as Coach Rob pointed out, running unsponsored isn’t a new phenomenon in the sport. What’s different now is the widening gap between a handful of marketable stars and a growing number of elite-level athletes struggling to secure financial stability.
Even in one of track and field’s most successful eras for Team USA, with record-breaking performances and headline-grabbing names, the sport’s business model continues to leave many behind.
Without changes, many fear that medalists and future talents alike will face the same uncertain paths, regardless of their achievements.