A question for sponsors.

[pe3nguin]

DSTV issue

 

I think times are changing. The world is moving away from TV in the conventional sense that we are familiar with, particularly for fringe sports like cycling.

 

You want coverage? You pretty much have to make your own coverage. Create a tangible web presence and then sell that value to potential sponsors. Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, Youtube videos. This is how athletes are going to have to sell themselves on the global market. You want funding, use the internet to your advantage and show prospective financiers that you have an audience large enough to warrant having money thrown your way.

[VicanZA]

As a former sponsor of a cycling team, I wouldnt do it again, even if i had the money to burn!

 

long and complicated back story but we got Zero value and felt we had been taken for a ride...see what i did there.

[Patchelicious]

I think times are changing. The world is moving away from TV in the conventional sense that we are familiar with, particularly for fringe sports like cycling.

 

You want coverage? You pretty much have to make your own coverage. Create a tangible web presence and then sell that value to potential sponsors. Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, Youtube videos. This is how athletes are going to have to sell themselves on the global market. You want funding, use the internet to your advantage and show prospective financiers that you have an audience large enough to warrant having money thrown your way.

Scary thing, is that this concept of creating content to sell is not a new one, especially in cycling.... Think TDF and GIRO

[Skinnyone]

As a former sponsor of a cycling team, I wouldnt do it again, even if i had the money to burn!

 

long and complicated back story but we got Zero value and felt we had been taken for a ride...see what i did there.

I know a few people who have the same feelings, and in my experience, the team "owner" lines his pocket very nicely thank you, and the riders get the crumbs - both in salary and equipment.

 

I remember an example of a rider needing a new part (it was after a crash) for his bike and getting a second hand one from the mechanic - who took it off the team owners bike (on instruction) and the new part got put on the owners bike...when the parts sponsor saw that rider with a used part he asked and got told this is what was given to him, but the sponsor sent a new part to the team for this rider....

 

So yes with an example like that above I can fully understand your feelings...