Should Shawn Barber turn pro?

[rainbowgirl28]

Yay? Nay? He was asked about it at NCAAs and said he is very happy at Akron, but didn't say for sure either way. A medal at Worlds is a lot of money... heck second at London with a National Record is a lot of money to turn down...

[KirkB]

He was asked the same thing at the Pan Ams, and he gave a similiar answer. He said that Akron was very good to him, hinting that he would finish his senior year there.

How much money are we talking about here?

Personally, I don't know whether to vote yay or nay. NCAA competition is usually quite good, but I think he's way beyond that at an early age, and he would get better competition as a pro, competing against the likes of Kendricks, Lavillenie, and the other European pros.

Schooling is important, and Shawn has a very level head on his shoulders, so even if he went pro, I think he would finish his studies at Akron. So I think it's more a question of missing out on his final year of NCAA competitions (indoors and out).

In addition to vaulting for dollars, I wonder what sponsors might pick him up? ESSX has done well with Sam Kendricks as their spokesman. Barber would be a gold mine for a number of sports-related sponsors!

Who sponsors Lavillenie?

Kirk

[rainbowgirl28]

Lavillenie is sponsored by Nike, and has quite a few other sponsors as well.

I assume if Barber went pro he would finish up school at Akron and continue to train there. Most schools are good about making that work.

Next year is an Olympic year. Is he going to jump higher at the Olympics if he has a long NCAA season, or if he focuses on the Olympics? That can be a tricky answer... some vaulters do better with regular meets and being part of a team. We'll see how he does at Worlds, but he has already jumped well at a number of meets this summer, despite having an entire collegiate season behind him.

Second place prize money in London was $6000. I think the bonus for breaking the Canadian record is $15,000 (or maybe that's just what a certain meet was offering?). If he had a shoe sponsor, they would offer additional cash incentives or breaking records and winning medals at meets like Worlds and the Olympics.

The prize money at Worlds is $60,000, $30,000, $20,000, $15,000, $10,000, $6,000, $5,000, $4,000

If Lavillenie has a less than perfect day (he seems to have bad luck at Worlds), winning Worlds is definitely within the realm of possibility, and a top 3 finish is very doable for him.

[KirkB]

Second place prize money in London was $6000. I think the bonus for breaking the Canadian record is $15,000 (or maybe that's just what a certain meet was offering?).

The prize money at Worlds is $60,000, $30,000, $20,000, $15,000, $10,000, $6,000, $5,000, $4,000

That's a good chunk of change, but on the other hand, if he wins another NCAA indoor and outdoor, that might (might) increase his visibility to some good shoe mfrs or other sports-related sponsors - even more than the potential $30,000 to $60,000 he might earn this year.

It would be a feather in his cap and definitely attract some good sponsors if he were to clear 6.00 in an NCAA meet!

Kirk

[rainbowgirl28]

It's officially official, Barber just announced on his Twitter that he has signed with Nike!

[KirkB]

It's officially official, Barber just announced on his Twitter that he has signed with Nike!

Congratulations to my new favourite pole vaulter!

Kirk