"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Postal Service sponsorship: how?

I'm not sure why this bugged me enough to post...

How was it that the US Postal Service was able to sponsor a team of cyclists? Can a federal government agency spend our tax dollars like this? Or was there some sort of donation by someone else in the name of the post office?

Boy, they'd better stop doing that. ;)

It's still a business, competing with UPS, FedEx, etc., and that takes advertising. If they got a decent ROI (which I bet they did considering Lance and all) they probably got their money's worth. Or they didn't, which may have contributed to the fact that they're not a sponsor anymore.

"Marketing Budget"

I'm not sure why this bugged me enough to post...

How was it that the US Postal Service was able to sponsor a team of cyclists? Can a federal government agency spend our tax dollars like this? Or was there some sort of donation by someone else in the name of the post office?

dead. horse. beaten. again. and. again. and. again...

I haven't mailed a letter since USPS stopped sponsoring the team.

It's still a business, competing with UPS, FedEx, etc., and that takes advertising. If they got a decent ROI (which I bet they did considering Lance and all) they probably got their money's worth. Or they didn't, which may have contributed to the fact that they're not a sponsor anymore.

Bingo.

The Postal Service isn't non-competitive. They are mandated to operate like a business, and must at least break even.

Here is an interesting article on the subject:
http://washingtontimes.com/business/20030707-101132-9081r.htm

On a related note, why is Disco not sponsoring after this year? I had heard that they were only coming on board for a limited time, but with some good success recently why would they not want to continue?

Lots of reasons. New leadership at Discovery, didn't see it as a profitable venture, decided not to renew contract. I'm sure the retirement of Lance had something to do with it, too.

The USPS is semi-independent federal agency (since 1970) that is self supportive through the sale of "postal products" (stamps). It is supposed to be revenue neutral and had enough "profit" to sponsor a cycling team. I think their figures showed that the sponsorship deal made them money in their competition with UPS, FedEx, DHL,...

Of course the government can invest in a cycling team, the government buys and sells securities all the time.

Also, it's just marketing, the armed forces and other various government agencies can advertise (through tv commercials, magazine ads, etc.) so why can't the postal service advertise through a cycling team?

Of course the government can invest in a cycling team, the government buys and sells securities all the time.

Also, it's just marketing, the armed forces and other various government agencies can advertise (through tv commercials, magazine ads, etc.) so why can't the postal service advertise through a cycling team?

I think this costs a bit more than sponsoring a pro cycling team...

http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nascar_nextel_cup.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_top_fuel.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_pro_stock_bike.jpg

You beat me to it DrPete. They also sponsor a road rally team.

It's still a business

No it isn't.

The horse is still dead.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p85/dr_pete177/beating_2Da_2Ddead_2Dhorse.gif

we must continue to beat it in case its a zombie horse.

How is this a dead horse thread? Am I missing something? Were there five million threads on this already?

Jeez, we're only at seventeen posts, people! We could do this every minute when the Botto thread was in high gear.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p85/dr_pete177/beating_2Da_2Ddead_2Dhorse.gif

That looks more like a llama. . . .

how's this:
http://www.5ive-o.org/forum/images/smilies/extra5/deadhorse.gif

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p85/dr_pete177/beating_2Da_2Ddead_2Dhorse.gif


I'm calling the ASPCA:rolleyes:

I'm not sure why this bugged me enough to post...

How was it that the US Postal Service was able to sponsor a team of cyclists? Can a federal government agency spend our tax dollars like this? Or was there some sort of donation by someone else in the name of the post office?

arghhh

The Postal Service is not supported by tax dollars. It is a self supporting agency that generates its revenue from product sales.

A suggestion would be to do some research prior to posting.

arghhh

The Postal Service is not supported by tax dollars. It is a self supporting agency that generates its revenue from product sales.

A suggestion would be to do some research prior to posting.

correct. ;) :D

I think this costs a bit more than sponsoring a pro cycling team...

http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nascar_nextel_cup.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_top_fuel.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_pro_stock_bike.jpg

is this for real?

arghhh

The Postal Service is not supported by tax dollars. It is a self supporting agency that generates its revenue from product sales.

A suggestion would be to do some research prior to posting.

So does the pension come out of a post-office funded 'postal workers only' pension? Serious question, not mocking...

arghhh

The Postal Service is not supported by tax dollars. It is a self supporting agency that generates its revenue from product sales.

A suggestion would be to do some research prior to posting.

But Its also allowed to operate at a loss. The "break even" thing is only in theory.

is this for real?

Sadly yes.

Real as real gets:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/050218-F-0000P-001.jpg

Sadly yes.

Maybe the Westboro Baptist Church should start picketing NASCAR?

Maybe the Westboro Baptist Church should start picketing NASCAR?

hmmm do you think they will create godhatesnascar.com

hmmm do you think they will create godhatesnascar.com

if they did, then maybe they'd start sounding credible.

I used to hate on nascar until I read a comparison of nascar racing to velodrome racing.
The simplicity of the course makes it extremely difficult to get position. Those guys
really have to let it hang out to pass. In F1, the course creates a lot of opportunities
to try something because of its variability (not that it's easy).

So now I just don't like nascar -- I don't hate it any more.

the postal service has shown a loss two out of three years since 1970, most of the recent profit shown is because congress doesnt make the postal service pay the $3,000,000,000 a year pension bill now (since 2003)

I think this costs a bit more than sponsoring a pro cycling team...

http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nascar_nextel_cup.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_top_fuel.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_pro_stock_bike.jpg

I think they also sponsor an Army. That has to cost a bit more than a few dozen bikes and some jerseys.:p

The military has a huge marketing budget for that kind of thing.

I think they also sponsor an Army. That has to cost a bit more than a few dozen bikes and some jerseys.:p
but not enough for a few dozen wheelchairs.

http://www.tricaredentalprogram.com/tdptws/images/walter-reed.gif

the postal service has shown a loss two out of three years since 1970, most of the recent profit shown is because congress doesnt make the postal service pay the $3,000,000,000 a year pension bill now (since 2003)

So as a protest do we send all our mail UPS or FedEx? Let's go with that free market solution. 38 cents or $4.25 a unit...

As much as people like to rag on the USPS, our local stations here do a pretty good job. Pay your taxes and get back a partially subsidized, efficient (honest, consider the enormous volume), pretty dang cheap way of sending a letter (or package) to Bum's Rush Alaska. Or South Point Hawaii. Or Guam.

If you don't think so ask to go back and look at the 18 carts of letters a day most PO's sort, send, and deliver. And your one lost letter story aside, everything gets to where it's going.

The Postal Service is one of those "greater good" things. I'd rather see my tax dollars going there than rebuilding stuff we've recently spent tax dollars to destroy and are paying tax dollars to protect that will be blown up by the people they are intended for in the first place who will then be given tax dollars to replace the donkey that got blown up in the process to try to win their goodwill so they don't blow up (or steal and sell) the stuff we just spent tax dollars to build.

For them.

Don't get me wrong, I love the usps, we are lucky to have their service.

http://iacmusic.com/Uploads/Postal_Service_-_PostalService_cover72dpi.jpg

I was working for the USPS when they announced the sponsorship back in 1996. The goal was brand recognition in Europe to compete with FedEx, UPS, DHL. It had little to do with advertising in the US.

As for the Army, Air Force, and National Guard cars in Nextel Cup (and Marines and Navy cars in the Busch Series), they have proven to be highly effective as recruiting tools. Set up a booth at a track and sign up the stock car fans. That's called focusing your advertising dollars to your target audience....

Just like Predictor is focusing it's pregnancy testing kits to its target audience: podium girls.

That's called focusing your advertising dollars to your target audience....

Just like Predictor is focusing it's pregnancy testing kits to its target audience: podium girls.

Snicklefritz's dream nightmare scenario after too much post race pepperoni pizza...

Get selected as podium girl for 3rd stage of TDF: :D

Watch as Boonen out sprints his rival: :p

Hook up with Tom Boonen: :love:

Late! :eek:

Free sponsored test kit: :cry:

Negative: :bday:

Tom's reaction: :beer:

Snick wakes up::rolleyes:

Tommy could get her some free flooring samples, but he'd be paying for a Predictor kit....

I think this costs a bit more than sponsoring a pro cycling team...

http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nascar_nextel_cup.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_top_fuel.jpg
http://www.goarmy.com/assets/images/racing/hdr/nhra_pro_stock_bike.jpg

Are those recruits, or pro drivers?
How do you get that job if you enlist?

Pro drivers, sponsored by the Army, NOT in the military or even in the employ of the Army.

So as a protest do we send all our mail UPS or FedEx? Let's go with that free market solution. 38 cents or $4.25 a unit...

I like the free market choice of 0 cents, at least for letters -- email and paying bills online. In theory, I would think that email and electronic bill pay has reduced the demand for 22 cent, er I mean 29 cent, er I mean 34 cent, er I mean 38 cent stamps, so I would think that the constant raising of stamp prices woud hurt the USPS --- you know, the old supply and demand thing.


As much as people like to rag on the USPS, our local stations here do a pretty good job. Pay your taxes and get back a partially subsidized, efficient (honest, consider the enormous volume), pretty dang cheap way of sending a letter (or package) to Bum's Rush Alaska. Or South Point Hawaii. Or Guam.

If you don't think so ask to go back and look at the 18 carts of letters a day most PO's sort, send, and deliver. And your one lost letter story aside, everything gets to where it's going.


Agreed.


The Postal Service is one of those "greater good" things. I'd rather see my tax dollars going there than rebuilding stuff we've recently spent tax dollars to destroy and are paying tax dollars to protect that will be blown up by the people they are intended for in the first place who will then be given tax dollars to replace the donkey that got blown up in the process to try to win their goodwill so they don't blow up (or steal and sell) the stuff we just spent tax dollars to build.

For them.

Funny, yet true and sad. Although I think about 2/3rds of that statement can be applied to New Orleans as well. :D

Where are y'all getting 38 cent stamps? And is any of your mail getting through?

http://www.pnc3.org/images/LadyLiberty/LL-v-39-sin.jpg

^^Ugh^^ Everytime a buy a book of 20 stamps, I end up using less than half of them before they're obsolete. Buying the 1 or 2 cent stamps is a PIA.

They're going up to 41 cents on 5/14 --- Here's the reported solution:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j203/TeteDeCourse/ForeverStamp.jpg

They last fuhevar.

To Quote the late, great Bill Hicks:

"Anyone dumb enough to want to be in the military should be allowed in. End of f**king story"

is this for real?
Botto, let your inner redneck embrace it. You know you love Nascar deep down inside. :)

I used to hate on nascar until I read a comparison of nascar racing to velodrome racing.
The simplicity of the course makes it extremely difficult to get position. Those guys
really have to let it hang out to pass. In F1, the course creates a lot of opportunities
to try something because of its variability (not that it's easy).

So now I just don't like nascar -- I don't hate it any more.


But Nascar wastes gasoline and produces emissions, and cycling does not. So I still hate Nascar. Hell, I just plain hate cars.

The best part is they switched to unleaded gasoline, and their fans were upset about this. Seriously - these people are sitting in a bowl, sniffing in the leaded gasoline, and these necks are upset that this can no longer go on.