Comments on: How Pro Cycling Teams Can Get Back On Solid Financial Footing http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/ It's like reality TV. Except it's real. And there's no TV. Fri, 04 Mar 2022 03:21:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Esther L http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-441420 Esther L Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:11:38 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-441420 There was a team Chocolade Jacques, based in Belgium. I thought the name wasn't large enough on the team kit. Perhaps M&M/Mars could be encouraged to sponsor a bike team? That's the maker of Dove bars. Maybe Lindt and Toblerone could jointly sponsor a team? How about Team Exxon/Mobil? They've got enough profit to handle bike team expenses. And they would have it in for Liquigas! There was a team Chocolade Jacques, based in Belgium.
I thought the name wasn’t large enough on the team kit.

Perhaps M&M/Mars could be encouraged to sponsor a bike team? That’s the maker of Dove bars.

Maybe Lindt and Toblerone could jointly sponsor a team?

How about Team Exxon/Mobil? They’ve got enough profit to handle bike team expenses. And they would have it in for Liquigas!

]]> By: Jakub http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-441283 Jakub Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:19:09 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-441283 No need to get offended Fatty. I got your sense of humour. Microsoft vs. Apple was good, albeit with the values you attributed to Microsoft you should have probably named the team FSF. Regards to you and yours. Off to bed for me to get up for the Sears cancer ride up here in Ontario, Canada. No need to get offended Fatty. I got your sense of humour. Microsoft vs. Apple was good, albeit with the values you attributed to Microsoft you should have probably named the team FSF.

Regards to you and yours. Off to bed for me to get up for the Sears cancer ride up here in Ontario, Canada.

]]> By: Charisa http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-441247 Charisa Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:01:37 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-441247 Um yah, Hershey's chocolate in Europe would NOT go over well :) Um yah, Hershey’s chocolate in Europe would NOT go over well :)

]]> By: Nicole http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-441018 Nicole Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:22:31 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-441018 I hereby volunteer for tim's Team Wendy's. Where do I pick up my new kit? I hereby volunteer for tim’s Team Wendy’s. Where do I pick up my new kit?

]]> By: Jonnie J http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-440976 Jonnie J Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:13:03 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-440976 Great post Fatty! I am working from home today and read your post to my wife...we were both cracking up reading it. Great post Fatty! I am working from home today and read your post to my wife…we were both cracking up reading it.

]]> By: RachelGio http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-440918 RachelGio Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:59:05 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-440918 Happy Birthday, Fatty!!!! Happy Birthday, Fatty!!!!

]]> By: tim http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-440850 tim Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:16:23 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-440850 Fatty here are some other sure-fire teams: Team Office Depot- when things get tough they would just hit the easy button. This would work well until the UCI banned easy buttons, like they banned recumbents back in the 1930's. Team Prison Break- These highly motivated riders would never finish a race, but they would ride crazy fast until they left team Bike Police at least 10 minutes back. They would ride for free, but never been seen again. Team Wendy's- This woman's team would all sport pig-tails and they would refuel during rides with a frosty. Team Graham Watson- They would never win, but they would look great in those high mountain stages with the snow capped peaks in the background. Team GEICO- They spend so much on marketing I can't believe they don'd sponsor a cycling team. The riders would get discounts on car insurance and get to hang with Warren Buffett. Team Nationwide- Life comes at you fast and so do these riders. They would have to be paid a premium to show up the races however. They would cancel your contract if you have two crashes. Team Rans- After being losing in court, the UCI would be forced to accept recumbents. They would win every flat event, and use company made aircraft to see where the other riders were. Old guys with beards would suddenly not only be cool, but fashion icons. Jersey's with the pockets on the front, and all sorts of bike mirrors would be all the rage. Team UAW- They would have twice the riders of normal teams, each doing about 1/2 they work you would expect. When the team fails due to umcompetitive wages and results, the current administration would mandate they win 80% of the time and they would use the prize money in part to make political donations so next year they could win 90% of the races by decree. Knowing they could not win, the other racers would lose motivation and soon be riding for team Food Stamps, team Section 8, or Team Medicaid. These teams have ever growing rosters and no one is ever forced out. Fatty here are some other sure-fire teams:

Team Office Depot- when things get tough they would just hit the easy button. This would work well until the UCI banned easy buttons, like they banned recumbents back in the 1930’s.

Team Prison Break- These highly motivated riders would never finish a race, but they would ride crazy fast until they left team Bike Police at least 10 minutes back. They would ride for free, but never been seen again.

Team Wendy’s- This woman’s team would all sport pig-tails and they would refuel during rides with a frosty.

Team Graham Watson- They would never win, but they would look great in those high mountain stages with the snow capped peaks in the background.

Team GEICO- They spend so much on marketing I can’t believe they don’d sponsor a cycling team. The riders would get discounts on car insurance and get to hang with Warren Buffett.

Team Nationwide- Life comes at you fast and so do these riders. They would have to be paid a premium to show up the races however. They would cancel your contract if you have two crashes.

Team Rans- After being losing in court, the UCI would be forced to accept recumbents. They would win every flat event, and use company made aircraft to see where the other riders were. Old guys with beards would suddenly not only be cool, but fashion icons. Jersey’s with the pockets on the front, and all sorts of bike mirrors would be all the rage.

Team UAW- They would have twice the riders of normal teams, each doing about 1/2 they work you would expect. When the team fails due to umcompetitive wages and results, the current administration would mandate they win 80% of the time and they would use the prize money in part to make political donations so next year they could win 90% of the races by decree. Knowing they could not win, the other racers would lose motivation and soon be riding for team Food Stamps, team Section 8, or Team Medicaid. These teams have ever growing rosters and no one is ever forced out.

]]> By: Tim E http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-440820 Tim E Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:02:15 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-440820 Laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. Team IKEA, indeed! WIN Susan! Laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe. Team IKEA, indeed!

WIN Susan!

]]> By: Jakub http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-440819 Jakub Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:55:36 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-440819 That's a pretty American PoV you bring in there. Of course you don't care about Kazakh national corps or European banks. Neither did Europeans care about "US Postal". Pretty much everyone watching can relate to Garmin or Columbia though. <em>I assert that you completely missed the comedic arc (oh yes, my comedy has arcs) in your rush to label me with an American PoV. Which is a pretty European thing to do (See what I did there?). Let's break this sucker down. The whole post is <strong>not</strong> about whether I already know and / or care about what the sponsoring organization does. Instead, it posits that the job of the team is to advertise the product / organization instead of merely proclaim its existence. It then punches a whole in that idea by using ridiculous examples for unlikely sponsors. Thus, the piece moves from seeming like actual criticism to satire to absurdism. This comedy style is not typically thought of as American, by the way. It is, as a matter of fact, most popular in Estonia. And believe me, I am HUGE in Estonia. I'm glad I could clear that up for you. I'm sure you now find this post hilarious. - FC</em> That’s a pretty American PoV you bring in there. Of course you don’t care about Kazakh national corps or European banks. Neither did Europeans care about “US Postal”.

Pretty much everyone watching can relate to Garmin or Columbia though.

I assert that you completely missed the comedic arc (oh yes, my comedy has arcs) in your rush to label me with an American PoV. Which is a pretty European thing to do (See what I did there?).

Let’s break this sucker down.

The whole post is not about whether I already know and / or care about what the sponsoring organization does. Instead, it posits that the job of the team is to advertise the product / organization instead of merely proclaim its existence. It then punches a whole in that idea by using ridiculous examples for unlikely sponsors. Thus, the piece moves from seeming like actual criticism to satire to absurdism. This comedy style is not typically thought of as American, by the way. It is, as a matter of fact, most popular in Estonia. And believe me, I am HUGE in Estonia.

I’m glad I could clear that up for you. I’m sure you now find this post hilarious. – FC

]]> By: Gnat! http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/comment-page-1/#comment-440817 Gnat! Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:39:44 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/06/17/how-pro-cycling-teams-can-get-back-on-solid-financial-footing/#comment-440817 Team Columbia missed out on a huge opportunity by not making their kits khaki colored with tons of pockets and zip-off legwarmers. Team Columbia missed out on a huge opportunity by not making their kits khaki colored with tons of pockets and zip-off legwarmers.

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