Nike Indoor Nationals were held this weekend. Nike carried the event on NikeIndoornationals.com but the event was not featured on the Nike YouTube platform. Interestingly enough Nike and Runnerspace attempted to move viewers into a Plus subscription on the site. While Nike is invested in Runnerspace, Runnerspace covered both the New Balance Indoor Nationals and Nike Indoor Nationals creating a compelling set of data to compare.
Breaking down the Numbers
New Balance’s numbers on viewership for a middle/high school event combine to reach almost a million views for an amateur event. The brand gained considerable marketing advantages as the stands were packed throughout the 4 day event. New Balance was able to become a front of the mind brand for athletes who often default to Nike when purchasing training and running gear. Fans got to see New Balance in action from head to toe to facility. During the livestream almost half a million viewers watched a school age sporting event which rivals both college and professional viewership of track and field.
By contrast Nike’s reach was only 138,078 (as of 3/18/2025). Nike is invested in youth athletics, but there appears to be a laissez-fair attitude towards the sport while New Balance has had an all-in approach to track and field.
While many in footwear contribute New Balance’s growth as a company to fashion and traditonal running, in my opinion the brand is capitalizing on its investment into sprinting. Femke Bol in the international market, Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have become more synonymous with champions than Nike’s sole standout track athlete ShaCarri Richardson.
Opportunities for other Brands
1. The only reason adidas was not an afterthought this weekend was because of Gout Gout. As Noah Lyles isn’t competing in the high profile Grand Slam Track League, unless Gout Gout continues to draw headlines, adidas will be out of sight, out of mind during the course of the upcoming track season until Noah Lyles begins to race.
2. Neither brand focused on field events very well for the Indoor Nationals. The jumps often inspire a lot of engagement and throws can provide a connection to the consumer. High Jump at New Balance saw Ryan Buskey of Sky’s the Limit TC reach 2.16m or 7-01.00, which was a Meet Record. Ryan is a high school junior. adidas, ASICS or Puma has an opportunity here to connect with track clubs and highlight field events. As of right now, those brands, along with Nike of course, make high jump spikes… but those spikes can’t be found as easily as Nike.
3. Saucony, On and HOKA are only relevant in distance running. New Balance has been able to tap into different demographics with a smart strategy with Gabby and Sydney. Nike is no longer considered the brand of the sprints. This belongs to Puma (who has zero presence in the U.S.) and NB.
4. YouTube is the number 1 streaming service in the country rooted in User Generated Content. New Balance has tapped into this in a special way as The Track at New Balance has become more prominent. They own the Indoor track season. Outdoor has a variety of micro and macro-opportunities. Every brand should realize how perception is shaped through sport and find a path into this arena.