Bandit’s Unsponsored Project is (still) trying to fix professional running

What You Need To Know

No sponsor, no problem

Alright, that’s a lie. Being unsponsored as a professional runner (or thrower, or multi-discipline athlete) is actually a big problem. While the likes of Cooper Teare and Nikki Hiltz have backing from big brands to pay their managers and cover the cost of their travel to events, many runners have to go without. That means paying out of pocket simply for a chance to run, and sometimes wearing branded gear that they’re not being paid for along the way.

Now, take that inconvenience and slap it onto a year with no Team USA to qualify for. Unfortunately, that’s what a lot of competitors at the 2026 USA Track & Field Championships are facing. The lack of a United States team to qualify for means even less budget to invest in on-field results, which makes sponsorship deals even harder to come by.

That’s where Bandit is stepping in.

For the fourth year in a row, Bandit’s Unsponsored Project is picking up the slack and funding athletes who would otherwise be representing themselves out of pocket. It’s trying to turn the dream of “making it” into a reality. Only this year, it’s going bigger than ever before.

Double it and give it to the next runner

To date, Bandit’s Unsponsored Project has supported nearly 100 athletes since 2023 (not counting this year’s crop), five of whom have made Team USA and 12 of whom have signed professional contracts. So, with the mentality that more is more, Bandit is expanding its roster to more than 60 athletes who will compete in its blacked-out kits with brand backing.

This year, that backing comes in the form of $1,750 in cash with no strings attached, meaning they can use it as needed to cover travel to New York for the championships, agent fees, or simply a much-needed post-race massage. The athletes also benefit from a release clause that allows them to sign with a traditional sponsor at any time — incredible flexibility that could leave Bandit out in the cold. That’s how much the brand believes in getting runners paid.

Right now, Bandit is still finalizing its list of Unsponsored Athletes, but if you want to check for familiar names (or pick a new favorite and say you followed them before they were cool), you can do so using the button below.