Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix describes the industry pressures and maternity penalties faced by female track and field athletes during sponsor negotiations.
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Nike requested Allyson Felix's image for a World Cup ad during disputes.
“The Women's World Cup was coming up, and I remember, like, this very vividly. I was sitting in Cameron's nursery, and I got a call from Wes, and he has, he's like, don't shoot the messenger, but Nike wants to know if they can use your image in this campaign. I…”
Assertion Supported
Nike offered Allyson Felix a 70 percent pay cut during 2017 negotiations.
“I remember when Wes called me, and he told me what it was and the number was 70% less than what I had been making, and I remember just feeling like somebody had just, like, punched me.”
Assertion Supported
Major athletic brands traditionally construct women's footwear using molds of men's feet.
“A shoe is made off of a lass, which is a mold of a foot, and it's, A man's foot that has been used to make women's footwear.”
Assertion Supported
Allyson Felix became the most decorated athlete in World Athletics Championships history.
“And at this point, that World Championships that we just came off of, I think, Wes, correct me if I'm wrong, I think I had become the most decorated athlete at World Championship history.”
Assertion Supported
Athleta had never sponsored a professional athlete before signing Allyson Felix.
“They actually, they had never sponsored an athlete before.”
Assertion Supported
Allyson Felix's leap from high school to professional track was unprecedented.
“It was something that in the U.S., to my understanding, no one had done before, and so, you know, people had all their thoughts on it.”