Is the Sponsorship System Broken? Bandit Thinks So.
NYC based running brand Bandit (a store favourite!) isn’t afraid to call things how they see them. The sponsorship model in track and field is broken. This year, for the second time, they’ve shown up at the legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, for the US Olympic Trials, not to slap their logo on the fastest athletes, but to back those who have none.
They call it the Unsponsored Project. In 2023, they kitted out nine athletes chasing their Olympic dreams without a deal in sight. This year, it’s over 50 athletes, spanning everything from the 1500m to discus, long jump, and triple jump. What do they get? High-quality Bandit apparel, completely logo-free, so the athlete can run purely for themselves.
It’s not just threads. Bandit also gives short-term financial help to cover the costs of competing at Trials, with flights, accommodation, food. The kind of stuff big brands usually leave athletes to figure out alone unless there’s a contract in place.
Why This Matters
Track and field sponsorship is a winner-takes-most game. The very top names get big contracts, while many world-class athletes, often just fractions of a second behind pay their own way. We’re talking athletes who work part-time jobs, move back in with parents, or lean on partners just to afford shoes, physio, and race entry fees.
Take Eric Holt, the fifth-fastest 1500m runner in the US last year. No sponsor, no perks. He works in a psychiatric ward, lives with his parents, and covers every cost himself. “I’m sacrificing everything,” he says. “I’m gambling and betting my life that I’ll be a pro one day.”
That’s the gap Bandit is trying to bridge, not by becoming the sponsor, but by giving athletes freedom, visibility, and a shot at a contract if it comes along. The deals they sign are short-term and come with release clauses so if any big brand deal comes along they can take the contract.
Stories Worth Backing
This year’s Unsponsored roster includes Courtney Okolo, 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the 4x400m, now running without a deal and Aidan Tooker, a steeplechaser who has been grinding towards the Trials. Both missed out on finals in Eugene, but their inclusion is the point, the model is about recognising that elite sport is full of world-class talent that’s unsupported, and that the sport gets better when these athletes can focus on performing instead of surviving.
Bandit’s Role
Bandit isn’t pretending they can replace major sponsorship. They’re still a growing brand, but they’re showing what support could look like if the system changed. If athletes weren’t walking billboards unless they were getting paid for it. The Unsponsored Project gives them the platform, the gear, and the confidence to compete on their own terms.
Big kudos to Bandit on this project and helping support some amazing talent.
Fionn