NOBODY ON THE PLANET KNOWS THIS, BUT ALL IT TOOK TO CONVINCE THE BIGGEST NAME IN COLLEGE SPORTS IN 2024 TO NOT SIGN A DEAL WITH BIG SHOE (NIKE, ADIDAS) WAS AN EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD AND ONE EMAIL. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS THAT EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD WHO WROTE THE EMAIL.

BIG SHOE HAD A GREAT THING GOING WITH THEIR ENDORSEMENT MODEL. UNTIL ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

2018 - ROGER FEDERER LEAVES NIKE AFTER 24 YEARS FOR UNIQLO AND ON RUNNING. BOTH BRANDS OFFERED AUTONOMY, AND ON RUNNING OFFERED THE OPTION TO OWN A % OF THE COMPANY.

2020 - KOBE BRYANT WAS EXPECTED TO LEAVE NIKE JUST WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH IN AN EFFORT TO REGAIN AUTONOMY AND CONTROL OF HIS LIKENESS.

2024 - TIGER WOODS LEAVES NIKE AFTER OVER $500M AND 27 YEARS AND IMMEDIATELY STARTS HIS OWN COMPANY, SUN DAY RED. ONE YEAR LATER, SUN DAY RED IS EXPECTED TO HIT $200M IN ANNUAL REVENUE BY NEXT YEAR. THE MOST MONEY THAT TIGER MADE FROM NIKE IN A SINGLE YEAR WAS $40M.

THE ONLY MISTAKES THESE THREE ICONS MADE WAS NOT GOING INDEPENDENT SOONER. COMBINE THAT WITH THE RISE OF KIM K'S 'SKIMS' GETTING VALUED AT $4 BILLION, LOGAN PAUL'S 'PRIME' AROUND THAT SAME VALUATION, AND IDEAS START BEING HAD.

IT USED TO BE ABOUT ROYALTIES, NOW ITS INDEPENDENCE AND UPSIDE. A SIGNATURE SHOE IS NO LONGER THE ENDGAME FOR THE BIGGEST NAMES. IF BIG SHOE WANTS TO KEEP TALENT, THE MODEL SHOULD FOLLOW NIKE NOCTA. A BRAND THAT COULD STAND ALONE BUT STILL CARRIES THE BIG SHOE STAMP OF APPROVAL. NOT 'AIR ZOOM G.T. HUSTLE 2' IN THE VICTOR WEMBANYAMA COLORWAY.

IT IS A MATTER OF TOURIST VS PURIST, AND EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A PURIST.