With growing popularity and influence comes increased criticism. Ko notes that every time he has a popular video he receives comments like “this guy isn’t fast enough” or “he didn’t even run in college”, as if those things truly detract from his ability to review shoes or share his running journey. It's a criticism is that is often leveled at runners with large audiences by jaded "real" runners.
Like with other sports, there’s also an ongoing conversation about how “influencers” (whether Instagrammers, YouTubers, reviewers, elites, or amateurs) affect sponsorship budgets and professional runners. There’s been a discussion in recent years about the numbers of bibs being given out to influencer runners at major marathons who don’t have to qualify or participate in lotteries for major events.
For many years being the best was the only way to capture the eyeballs and influence to make sponsorship dollars worth the investment. If you were the best athlete, you’d be on TV for the Olympics, major marathons, or the World Championships. Now, in a world where inspiring people have captivated audiences many times that of a pro, the cost/benefit sometimes swings in a different direction. |
