Sustaining a Local Pro team?

[Grondpad]

So I read the great news that Alan Hatherly will be joining team Spur next year, and it got me thinking……

 

In the team I see that there are 5 members. 2 X riders, 1 mechanic, 1 x manager & 1 Director.

 

What does it take (resources both financially and physical) to sustain such a team for a year? Do they need premises (to work from & for the mechanic)? What salaries are involved? There must be additional sponsors but seeing that Spur is the headline sponsor, what % would they contribute to the budget/resource?

 

I know this is sort of a “how long is a piece of string” question, but if we speak ballpark figures, what are we looking at?

[RocknRolla]

Millions.

 

[V12man]

So I read the great news that Alan Hatherly will be joining team Spur next year, and it got me thinking……

 

In the team I see that there are 5 members. 2 X riders, 1 mechanic, 1 x manager & 1 Director.

 

What does it take (resources both financially and physical) to sustain such a team for a year? Do they need premises (to work from & for the mechanic)? What salaries are involved? There must be additional sponsors but seeing that Spur is the headline sponsor, what % would they contribute to the budget/resource?

 

I know this is sort of a “how long is a piece of string” question, but if we speak ballpark figures, what are we looking at?

Figure 400 - 800k per person and a vehicle or two... minimum....

[HdB]

Well, all their sponsors are listed here:

http://www.teamspur.co.za/sponsors/

 

Vehicles, bikes, accommodation, all that is sponsored. I can only imagine what the personnel cost must be though - my guess is Olympians don't come cheap.

[BaGearA]

Here's what I heard from a pro team director

 

To send 1 member to all povincial XCO + National XCO + African and SA Champs + entries ,food,transport, CSA pro licence. + Bike and the maintence that goes a long with it and the cut for the machanic and manager 

 

Costs between 1.2 and 1.6 mil

 

Thats before sending them to compete over seas , which is what James and Alan need most right now.

 

Phil needs to reliase he is much better at marathons and should stick to them.

[Danger Dassie]

Here's what I heard from a pro team director

 

To send 1 member to all povincial XCO + National XCO + African and SA Champs + entries ,food,transport, CSA pro licence. + Bike and the maintence that goes a long with it and the cut for the machanic and manager 

 

Costs between 1.2 and 1.6 mil

 

Thats before sending them to compete over seas , which is what James and Alan need most right now.

 

Phil needs to reliase he is much better at marathons and should stick to them.

 

Even though Phil made the Olympic criteria for XCO and could just as well have raced in Rio were we able to send three riders? 

 

Maybe we need to realise we're much better at using keyboards than making decisions on behalf of athletes as to how they should make a living.

[Danger Dassie]

So I read the great news that Alan Hatherly will be joining team Spur next year, and it got me thinking……

 

In the team I see that there are 5 members. 2 X riders, 1 mechanic, 1 x manager & 1 Director.

 

What does it take (resources both financially and physical) to sustain such a team for a year? Do they need premises (to work from & for the mechanic)? What salaries are involved? There must be additional sponsors but seeing that Spur is the headline sponsor, what % would they contribute to the budget/resource?

 

I know this is sort of a “how long is a piece of string” question, but if we speak ballpark figures, what are we looking at?

A few mil, still less than any of the 'big three' and in relative terms generates a higher return than the big three. 

 

One car brand did a measurement and it came back as 22 to 1 for their return on investment. 

In another area a different car manufacturer did a their own audit as well as a measurement through their ad agency, on social media alone the return outstripped any of the other sponsorships. Including one of the premier soccer clubs.

 

Phil Buy's performance at the Epic with Nino as well as when he took the African jersey generated a few million in media exposure.  

[Patchelicious]

Cant help you on the MTB scene, but I know the top road teams run between R4m and R5m PA

[GrahamS2]

I can only speak from my experiences, but to run a pro mtb team locally, with 2 riders in 2012/2013 was around the R3.5m mark annually. That was a top tier team, with the riders directly accounting for about half that cost.

 

To add: Rider cost is highly variable. Basic salary is moderate (in the R600k region), but win bonuses can be substantial (over R1m per rider for a win at Epic, paid by all named sponsors).

[BaGearA]

A few mil, still less than any of the 'big three' and in relative terms generates a higher return than the big three. 

 

One car brand did a measurement and it came back as 22 to 1 for their return on investment. 

In another area a different car manufacturer did a their own audit as well as a measurement through their ad agency, on social media alone the return outstripped any of the other sponsorships. Including one of the premier soccer clubs.

 

Phil Buy's performance at the Epic with Nino as well as when he took the African jersey generated a few million in media exposure.  

I'm not trying to dictate what he needs to do , I'm just saying if Phil focused on marathon I think He could win world champs in 3/4 years.

 

Racing here its going to be him and Alan 10 mins in font of everyone else EVERY race , abroad Phil has not had much luck but Alan has shown great promise and results for his young age.

[WR 1.0]

I'm not trying to dictate what he needs to do , I'm just saying if Phil focused on marathon I think He could win world champs in 3/4 years.

 

Racing here its going to be him and Alan 10 mins in font of everyone else EVERY race , abroad Phil has not had much luck but Alan has shown great promise and results for his young age.

 

Pop less wheelies perhaps?

[VicanZA]

more money than what its worth!

[Spinnekop]

I'm not trying to dictate what he needs to do , I'm just saying if Phil focused on marathon I think He could win world champs in 3/4 years.

.

I stand corrected but.....

 

If I am not mistaken, the whole "marathon" thing is a SA thing mostly.  It is not an Olympic sport and nowhere in the world (except SA) these is a need for a "marathon" MTB team. 

Tour riders yes.  Olympic games yes.  Marathon.....not so much.....

[Eugene]

So I read the great news that Alan Hatherly will be joining team Spur next year, and it got me thinking……

 

In the team I see that there are 5 members. 2 X riders, 1 mechanic, 1 x manager & 1 Director.

 

What

Only 2 riders. Why on earth would they need a manager and a director?

[FCH]

 

Marathon racing is a UCI world cup level event; it has a massive following in USA as well. The only place that does not have it is the Olympics.

And to be brutaly honest, not a single of our cross country riders have shown even the faintess ability to contest for podium in UCI or Olympic level.

 

 

I stand corrected but.....

 

If I am not mistaken, the whole "marathon" thing is a SA thing mostly.  It is not an Olympic sport and nowhere in the world (except SA) these is a need for a "marathon" MTB team. 

Tour riders yes.  Olympic games yes.  Marathon.....not so much.....

[Ozzie NL]

Only 2 riders. Why on earth would they need a manager and a director?

Was wondering exact same thing.