Road Bike Racing - It's Official: Postal To End Team Sponsorship

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4816683/

I think that some large corporation (Nike?) will step in
pretty quickly. I know that Berry Floor is upping their financial
backing to the team since their brand recognition etc. went up
significantly since they started sponsorship.
So, if USPS has foreign sponsorship are we outsourcing the best US team?

just a thought.
Marty

how about another letter/package carrier like UPS or FedEx?!
How about Donald Trump lending his name to a team?!
How about Bike Forums?!

I'm bummed. I think they were right though cuz who wants to back a losing team (Lance can't win forever) They caught him at his prime & I think if he wins this year it may be his last win....(don't flame me I love Lance but he is only Semi-human afterall).

Well, knowing how difficult it can be to find good sponsors for a team at this level of financial committment, and how important they are to the survival of this sport, I have to say, Thank You US Postal Service.

They were good sponsors for the team, but I have to echo LA's comment about the timing. That seems a little odd to me. Why now? Why didn't they wait until after the season was "over" to make this announcement?

$100 says that you'll see the USPS sponsor a NASCAR team next year.

They were good sponsors for the team, but I have to echo LA's comment about the timing. That seems a little odd to me. Why now? Why didn't they wait until after the season was "over" to make this announcement?

If they wait till the season is over that would give Lance and the boys not even a month to come up with a huge title sponsor. This way they have time to look for someone who can step in.

-Matt-

Berry Floor says they are sticking with it after seeing a huge return on their investment. They also said they are upping their funding for the team. I'm thinking its going to be Berry-Floor and Someone else. I think this is the end of major US sponsorship though. But who knows, maybe with all the good press Georgia is getting right now some CEO is thinking 'yeah, that's not a bad idea' and we could see not only another major US sponsor but hopefully more big races drawing the Euros over here. Lets hope thats the way it turns out. It'd be a shame to see Lance retire and with him in a sense American cycling interest. I'm too young to remember what happened when LeMond retired. Did American interest die down? Does America really need such a dominant rider in order for interest to be garnered? What if we have some American that starts making a run at the classics or the Giro or Vuelta? Will America treat them like Lance? I guess only time will tell.

Well, hopefully it wont kill US interest... I'm thinking it won't be the same as when Lemond retired, because the TV coverage then was nothing like today.

Nike would be crazy not to step up and take over where USPS dropped the ball.

If you look at most sponsorships, they are for well-defined consumer products:

wooden flooring, phone services, loans, car wheels, coffee makers. I'm not sure a cycling sponsorship makes sense for a company like Nike. On the one hand, the cost is a drop in the bucket for them. On the other, all of their marketing is sport-specific. Do you really think they would sell enough cycling shoes to make the $7 - $10M it would cost to be title sponsor for the team? You're not going to see Nike presented by Berryfloor out there, that's for sure.

Well, hopefully it wont kill US interest... I'm thinking it won't be the same as when Lemond retired, because the TV coverage then was nothing like today.

Mark my words: As soon as Lance retires and Postal is gone, there will be no more cycling coverage on OLN.

I would have to agree, about if the USPS dies, so will tv coverage. OLN might cover other races, but without the "best" US team here, there is nothing for the public to watch. There is nothing better than comming home and watching LA in the tour, but the normal joe has no idea that there are other teams in the US! I think if no one steps up, we will lose our team to europe.

Mark my words: As soon as Lance retires and Postal is gone, there will be no more cycling coverage on OLN.
What cycling coverage on OLN ;)

Perhaps AMD will step up their sponsorship...

I can see it now...Team AMD!!!

What cycling coverage on OLN ;)

Ah, you posted before I could get my fingers going! Considering that OLN's coverage is sparse @ best, @ least it won't be that much of a loss. :)

Maybe cowboy Geo. W. can divert some $$$ from Iraq so he can get cyclists to vote for him?

I have to say, Thank You US Postal Service.

I would have to agree, and tip my hat. I will also have to say another expression that ends with "you" to the watchdog group that ended this sponsorship. Their position simply doesn't make any sense.

I would have to agree, and tip my hat. I will also have to say another expression that ends with "you" to the watchdog group that ended this sponsorship. Their position simply doesn't make any sense.
I hear that! Doo-gooder punks!

Mark my words: As soon as Lance retires and Postal is gone, there will be no more cycling coverage on OLN.


BITE YOUR TONGUE!!!!!!!!

Mark my words: As soon as Lance retires and Postal is gone, there will be no more cycling coverage on OLN.

I hope not! But then again, maybe they'll focus on Hamilton instead and maybe try to do more to cover the local races around the USA and Canada?

Koffee

Perhaps AMD will step up their sponsorship...

I can see it now...Team AMD!!!
They would need extra fans... ;)

Man, would I so get a Team AMD jersey...

I hear that! Doo-gooder punks!

ThanX to them, the USPS is now the model of efficiency. It was that damn cycling team that was draggin them down all along! :eek:

I hear Chico's Bail Bonds are looking to sponsor another team.

55/Rad

Check out this letter to cyclingnews...sums it up pretty well

USPS Serendipity
by Steven Adelman, Washington, DC Tuesday, March 23, 2004


Calling the US Postal Service sponsorship of a pro cycling team a "50 million dollar Boondoggle" is a disgusting delusion based on twisted logic and blatant lies. If one reviews the facts it is clear that USPS has hit a gold mine with this sponsorship and would be absolutely insane to terminate it. They will never receive anything close to this level of positive exposure for such a bargain ever again.



First lets put the $10 million dollar deal into perspective:

1. The total advertising budget for the USPS is over 300 million dollars. The USPS pro cycling team at 10 million dollars is but 3.3% of that total budget, yet is obviously the most noticeable piece of advertising they have.

2. The total revenue of the USPS for 2003 was 68.529 billion dollars that makes the $10 million dollar budget for the USPS bike team 0.01459 % of the USPS total revenue. Understand that if the positive effects of sponsoring the USPS bike team increased revenue 0.01459% then the sponsorship deal would pay for itself.

3. The total operating expenses for the USPS were 63.902 billion dollars in 2003 - that makes the $10 million outlay for the USPS 0.0156% of total operating expenses.

4. The USPS made 1.6153 billion dollars from international mail service. Even if the USPS bike team only had an impact outside the US, which it obviously doesn't, the budget for the USPS bike team is only 0.619% of total international revenue.

5. This is an organization that has liability of 218 million dollars in outstanding money orders.

6. Far from an organization wallowing in massive bureaucratic debt, the United States Postal Service made 3.868 billion dollars last year.



Next lets debunk some of the myths created by Postalwatch's article:

1. Domestic mail rates are set by an independent postal mail commission, and the sponsorship of the USPS cycling team has absolutely no bearing on the postage rates.

2. It is easy to see that while a government agency, the USPS is also truly a company, selling a product and receiving a revenue from that product. Even more important to understand is that the shareholders of this company are every single taxpaying US citizen. A net profit for the USPS is more revenue for the government and less monies they have to extract from you. It is also easy to see the USPS is very much not a monopoly. There are a myriad of shippers out there. It is ridiculous to say that the USPS holds a monopoly in anything other than standard mail (even this is questionable. Ever hear of email? Online billing?). This portion of the USPS's revenue was 17.203 billion dollars - only 25.1% of its total revenue. That means that 74.9% of its revenue is created in a competitive market.

3. Even if the US Postal Service was a monopoly, all most all cable companies, local phone companies, and public utilities are monopolies and still advertise like crazy. The option not to consume can effect a monopoly drastically. Look at Amtrak.

4. If one reviews the PostalWatch website in it's entirety, it isn't an unbiased commission reviewing the USPS as it's name indicates. It is a extremely biased group whose sole mission is to discredit every facet of the USPS with absolutely no real credibility. The fact that it is cited at all is ridiculous.



As a shareholder of USPS I for one am disgusted that anyone would try to characterize the sponsorship of Lance Armstrong and the USPS pro cycling team as anything but a major coup that any corporate institution would kill to have scored. For a truly minuscule 10 million dollars a year the USPS gets one of the most admired and sought after spokesman a company could hope to get and thrown in for free is a stable of charismatic athletes who are admired the world over.

Further, as a US citizen I also realize that at a time when the United States desperately needs to interact positively with the international community the USPS pro cycling team are perfect ambassadors for the United States. The red white and blue of the US Postal Service is inexorably tied to the US government as a whole, and by its willingness to create a multinational team and participate in a multinational sport this sponsorship can only bring goodwill when the United States needs it most. Simply put in anecdotal terms, an organization is judged by its public image, and a major part of the USPS's public image is a young group of charismatic, athletic, hardworking individuals who always seem to pull through when it counts. I think the saying goes "Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night..." - with an image like that, given a choice (and you do have a myriad choices), who wouldn't want to use USPS? I know I do.

This so called watchdog group did nothing for us nor the postal service.

Postalwatch is typical of a group of morons with a loud mouth and no idea what the he!! they are talking about.

Since this watchdog group put pressure on the USPS to cancel their team sponsorship, are they gonna guarantee that postal rates will go DOWN once the sponsorship ends?

I didn't think so....

What about all of those supposed secondary undeclared costs that came with running the team?

I hear Chico's Bail Bonds are looking to sponsor another team.

55/Rad


nice Bad news Bears reference !

jeff

What about all of those supposed secondary undeclared costs that came with running the team?

It would still amount to nearly nothing given the numbers. This "watchdog" group would have been much better off looking for real waste @ USPS. Then, I think we all would have been happy. Instead, they pick on a cycling sponsorship that amounts to 3% of their advertising budget, and .0156% of it's total budget.

To put it into perspective, if a company had an annual expense budget of $1 million dollars/year (pretty big number, eh?), .0156% would equate to $13/month expense. Would cutting 44 cents/day really help a million dollar/year company company cut costs? Would it even be noticed? Of course not.

Also USPS has already stated that it's looking for another sport to sponsor. So, in the end, it will end up costing more. Perhaps this watchdog group is guilty of nothing but poor addition/subtraction, and common sense skills. Regardless, when you look @ the details, it's nothing but a joke.

some stuff:

i worked for a consulting firm who's main client was the postal service. as one of the guys there put it "the post office is mandated by law not to turn a profit, and they are exceptionally good at it". i don't want to get too much into this pro/con usps argument, but: do you really think advertising for the mail does much good? i mean, i don't really increase the amount of mail i send even though i do like the usps cycling team. i can't imagine it helps that much. granted, 10 million isn't much money, but i don't know how much is recouped. when i lived in england and sent stuff back to the us, i didn't even know it was possible to send it using usps. i am obviously underinformed, but i just don't see how the usps sponsorship can 'pay off'.

dan

some stuff:
[clip]

...when i lived in england and sent stuff back to the us, i didn't even know it was possible to send it using usps. i am obviously underinformed, but i just don't see how the usps sponsorship can 'pay off'.

dan

You just answered your own question. If the sponsorship of the cycling team made a few people realize that they could use USPS for international shipping, then it has done its job. Now it certainly didn't get through to you, and thats a problem, but not one we are discussing here. But if people in France don't even know what USPS stands for, then there is a problem trying to get them to trust using it to send thier packages. If they know that USPS is United States Postal Service, maybe, just maybe, they can make that connection that they can use USPS to send packages.

And my opinion on the thing is that its a bum deal. You recover from cancer, win a gaggle of TdF's, are all over the cover of every major sports magazine many times, and thats NOT GOOD ENOUGH for your company?

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?

I am a postal employee in a supervisory position. LA and the Postal Team are seen at the beginning of training videos for employee development classes. If the USPS says they are going to sponsor another sport, one reason they are not continuing cycling my be due to diversity. I work in a facility that is 40% white and 50% black and 10% other minorities. Their next sport may be one in which minorities participate.

I am a postal employee in a supervisory position. LA and the Postal Team are seen at the beginning of training videos for employee development classes. If the USPS says they are going to sponsor another sport, one reason they are not continuing cycling my be due to diversity. I work in a facility that is 40% white and 50% black and 10% other minorities. Their next sport may be one in which minorities participate.

Like these minorities? (http://www.teammajortaylor.com)

If you want diversity you 1.have to become quailifed and 2.have someone pave a path for it to happen.

These folks are doing that. Maybe in your community, you can try to make a difference like this...

Maybe one of these kids will end up on a Tour team someday.

USPS supporting cycling has caused me to send and recieve more packages USPS. Especially when I order online, if I can specifiy USPS I do, they support(ed) cycling, I support them. I don't know how many people like me are easily swayed, but I'll bet that it pays the bills for the team.

I'd wager that enough stamps are sold in a single day by USPS offices in a single city of several million residents to pay all the expenses of the sponsorship for the entire year.

I am a postal employee in a supervisory position. LA and the Postal Team are seen at the beginning of training videos for employee development classes. If the USPS says they are going to sponsor another sport, one reason they are not continuing cycling my be due to diversity. I work in a facility that is 40% white and 50% black and 10% other minorities. Their next sport may be one in which minorities participate.

Yep! It has become apparent that cycling is a racist sport that excludes opportunities for minorities. :p:

Gimme a break.

I am a postal employee in a supervisory position. LA and the Postal Team are seen at the beginning of training videos for employee development classes. If the USPS says they are going to sponsor another sport, one reason they are not continuing cycling my be due to diversity. I work in a facility that is 40% white and 50% black and 10% other minorities. Their next sport may be one in which minorities participate.

Last time I checked, professional european cycling was quite diverse. However, while there aren't any bans on minorities in the UCI, there most certainly isn't a quota system in place either. The same is true for Hockey, Figure Skating, Nordic and Alpine Skiing, and a list of other professional sports that goes on and on. So, who or who does not participate is more a function of interest, aptitude, focus, and commitment. There are certainly gifted athletes that cover the racial rainbow so I would defer to someone who knows better why the professional levels of cycling and certain other sports aren't as appealing as the round-ball sports.

As for the make-up of the pro-peloton that the USPS is a part of, perhaps your definition of "diversity" is a bit more narrow than mine. As an example, please find the current UCI national standings for both Elite Men and Women.

UCI Rankings - Elite Men by Nation

1 1 ITALY / ITALIE ITA 14007.00
2 2 SPAIN / ESPAGNE ESP 10108.25
3 3 GERMANY / ALLEMAGNE GER 8941.10
4 5 FRANCE / FRANCE FRA 5827.00
5 4 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ETATS-UNIS D’AMERIQUE USA 5744.95
6 6 BELGIUM / BELGIQUE BEL 5584.75
7 7 AUSTRALIA / AUSTRALIE AUS 5205.35
8 8 SWITZERLAND / SUISSE SUI 5029.20
9 9 NETHERLANDS / PAYS-BAS NED 4977.00
10 10 RUSSIA / RUSSIE RUS 3360.15
11 11 DENMARK / DANEMARK DEN 3209.95
12 12 UKRAINE / UKRAINE UKR 3116.50
13 13 POLAND / POLOGNE POL 2594.00
14 14 GREAT BRITAIN / GRANDE BRETAGNE GBR 2436.00
15 16 KAZAKHSTAN / KAZAKHSTAN KAZ 2338.00
16 17 AUSTRIA / AUTRICHE AUT 2161.20
17 15 COLOMBIA / COLOMBIE COL 2062.75
18 18 PORTUGAL / PORTUGAL POR 2044.00
19 19 CZECH REPUBLIC / REP. TCHEQUE CZE 1706.90
20 20 SWEDEN / SUEDE SWE 1595.00
21 21 SLOVENIA / SLOVENIE SLO 1555.50
22 22 ESTONIA / ESTONIE EST 1523.40
23 23 NORWAY / NORVEGE NOR 1456.35
24 24 NEW ZEALAND / NOUVELLE-ZELANDE NZL 1187.32
25 25 LUXEMBOURG / LUXEMBOURG LUX 1122.75
26 26 BRAZIL / BRESIL BRA 991.00
27 27 SOUTH AFRICA / AFRIQUE DU SUD RSA 985.00
28 28 CANADA / CANADA CAN 908.25
29 29 LATVIA / LETTONIE LAT 665.50
30 30 VENEZUELA / VENEZUELA VEN 581.00
31 31 LITHUANIA / LITUANIE LTU 531.00
32 32 HUNGARY / HONGRIE HUN 505.00
33 33 IRELAND / IRLANDE IRL 493.00
34 34 SLOVAKIA / SLOVAQUIE SVK 472.00
35 35 REP. OF MOLDOVA / REPUBLIQUE DE MOLDAVIE MDA 389.00
36 38 BULGARIA / BULGARIE BUL 359.00
36 36 UZBEKISTAN / OUZBEKISTAN UZB 359.00
38 37 CROATIA / CROATIE CRO 350.00
39 39 BELARUS / BELARUS BLR 340.20
40 41 ARGENTINA / ARGENTINE ARG 321.33
41 40 JAPAN / JAPON JPN 321.00
42 42 COSTA RICA / COSTA RICA CRC 215.00
43 43 URUGUAY / URUGUAY URU 200.33
44 44 CUBA / CUBA CUB 178.00
45 45 FINLAND / FINLANDE FIN 164.80
46 46 GREECE / GRECE GRE 150.00
47 47 MEXICO / MEXIQUE MEX 127.00
48 48 KYRGYZSTAN / KIRGHIZISTAN KGZ 126.50
49 49 ZIMBABWE / ZIMBABWE ZIM 116.00
50 50 ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IRAN / REPUBLIQUE ISLAMIQUE D’IRAN IRI 112.00
51 51 CHILE / CHILI CHI 111.00
52 52 PERU / PEROU PER 83.00
53 53 ISRAEL / ISRAEL ISR 72.00
54 54 BURKINA FASO / BURKINA FASO BUR 67.00
55 55 TURKEY / TURQUIE TUR 66.00
56 56 HONG KONG, CHINA / HONG-KONG, CHINE HKG 63.00
57 57 YUGOSLAVIA / YOUGOSLAVIE YUG 61.00
58 58 QATAR / QATAR QAT 60.00
59 59 GUATEMALA / GUATEMALA GUA 49.00
59 59 PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA / REP. POPULAIRE DE CHINE CHN 49.00
61 61 MONGOLIA / MONGOLIE MGL 48.00
62 62 EGYPT / EGYPTE EGY 44.00
63 63 MOROCCO / MAROC MAR 27.00
64 64 KOREA / COREE KOR 26.00
65 65 TUNISIA / TUNISIE TUN 21.00
66 66 CAMBODIA / CAMBODGE CAM 12.00
66 66 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC / REPUBLIQUE DOMINICAINE DOM 12.00
68 68 ALGERIA / ALGERIE ALG 4.00
68 68 EL SALVADOR / EL SALVADOR ESA 4.00
70 70 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO / TRINITE ET TOBAGO TRI 2.00

UCI Rankings - Elite Women by Nation

1 1 GERMANY / ALLEMAGNE GER 1345.00
2 2 NETHERLANDS / PAYS-BAS NED 1055.00
3 3 AUSTRALIA / AUSTRALIE AUS 1020.00
4 4 LITHUANIA / LITUANIE LTU 1001.00
5 5 RUSSIA / RUSSIE RUS 941.50
6 6 SWEDEN / SUEDE SWE 728.50
7 7 CANADA / CANADA CAN 647.00
8 9 SPAIN / ESPAGNE ESP 611.00
9 10 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ETATS-UNIS D’AMERIQUE USA 541.00
10 12 SWITZERLAND / SUISSE SUI 540.00
11 11 ITALY / ITALIE ITA 524.00
12 8 GREAT BRITAIN / GRANDE BRETAGNE GBR 490.50
13 14 FRANCE / FRANCE FRA 436.00
14 13 NORWAY / NORVEGE NOR 363.50
15 15 UKRAINE / UKRAINE UKR 187.00
16 16 NEW ZEALAND / NOUVELLE-ZELANDE NZL 159.00
17 17 POLAND / POLOGNE POL 114.00
18 18 CZECH REPUBLIC / REP. TCHEQUE CZE 106.00
19 19 JAPAN / JAPON JPN 98.00
20 20 BELARUS / BELARUS BLR 88.00
21 21 AUSTRIA / AUTRICHE AUT 79.00
22 22 BELGIUM / BELGIQUE BEL 77.00
23 23 DENMARK / DANEMARK DEN 49.00
24 24 ISRAEL / ISRAEL ISR 31.00
25 25 BRAZIL / BRESIL BRA 13.00
26 26 COLOMBIA / COLOMBIE COL 12.00
27 27 HUNGARY / HONGRIE HUN 10.00
27 27 IRELAND / IRLANDE IRL 10.00
29 29 ARGENTINA / ARGENTINE ARG 9.00
29 29 FINLAND / FINLANDE FIN 9.00
29 29 GREECE / GRECE GRE 9.00
29 29 LUXEMBOURG / LUXEMBOURG LUX 9.00
29 29 PORTUGAL / PORTUGAL POR 9.00
29 29 SOUTH AFRICA / AFRIQUE DU SUD RSA 9.00
35 35 VENEZUELA / VENEZUELA VEN 6.00
36 36 MEXICO / MEXIQUE MEX 5.00
37 37 PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA / REP. POPULAIRE DE CHINE CHN 3.00


Back to cycling's history, professional cycling in the US has a horrible and embarrassing history that ties back to the turn of the century. As already mentioned, Marshall "Major" Taylor was basically driven out of the US in the 1890's by racism and I suspect the treatment of Major Taylor remains part of the reason that professional cycling is not an attractive sport to blacks in America. Many had hoped that Nelson Vail's success would have been built on more so than it has. However, that's not to say that there isn't a lot of interest in cycling by blacks in the US. Here's a link to a great story about Nelson on the Newark, NJ Major Taylor Bicycle Cub's Website hosted by Bill Cotton that offers up a glimpse inside the Major Taylor movement here in the US: http://www.billcotton.com/major_taylor_bicycle_club.htm. If you're not familiar with the story of Major Taylor or the various clubs and initiative that continue to build on his accomplishments in the face of incredible advesity I would suggest you do so. We're fortunate enough to have MACC here in Atlanta which is also buildling on the legacy of Major Taylor as well as creating their own: http://www.maccattack.com/

However, back to the current state of the US Cycling organization, the USA Cycling'S Code of Conduct is quite clear on the subject of being intollerant of discrimination (Rule 5.1). Thus, at least at the Olympic level, the playing field is intended to be level. So, for any aspiring young cyclists or parents who would like to see a child racing down the Champs-Elysées or racing around an Olympic Velodrome, if they have the interest and the natural skills by all means do what you can to help them achieve that goal.

maybe the "diversity" comment was mean more like: a sport that minorities are more interested in. i'm also guessing minorities, in this instance, means latin american imigrants and black people. also probably means more urban and lower income. i don't know, but i could see cycling as pretty much being a middle class white guy sport in america.

that said, the group rides i've been on have been pretty diverse. generally mid to upper income guys though.

That would be the narrow definition of "diverse" which ignores what a truly diverse culture is. While it's currently fashionable to substitute "diverse" for minority or other less trendy words, it's important not to lose sight that diversity is more far reaching than the color-palete.

To be more specific, if the 25 member USPS team in question was 40% caucasion, 50% black, and 10% everything else, all you could say was that it was made up of people of different races. To be "diverse" you must logically assume that all other aspects of the team members backgrounds were equally unique. For example, if all of those 25 members of the USPS team were born to middle income families in Santa Barbara, California, went to the same public schools, rode on the same club teams, and went to UCSB, just how diverse would they be? Chances are, aside from heritage, they would most likely hold similar political views, have similar economic experiences, and even think the same way. Diversity is when you have someone who grew up in LA and who went to public school before UCLA, someone who grew up in Seattle, WA and never went to college, someone who immigrated from Asia, and so on. In fact, there are a lot of companies who have made a habit of hiring graduates from the same schools that are now stuck with people who are so constrained by "group think" and the lack of intellectual diversity that its taken its toll on their creativity and new product developments.

Anway, the point is, diverisity is a lot more than a color test. Words mean things, political correctness often times strips away that meaning. Way off topic, but just my .02.

On Topic: I use USPS a lot more than I ever did before, to include international shipments. Guess what? Advertising works. Bear in mind, I don't patronize the USPS to show my support for the Postal Cycling Team I use it because seeing the USPS name and ads all the time made me check into USPS rates. Turns out, they were cheaper than OOOPs and a hell of a lot more reliable and easy to work with. So, although I was attracted to USPS' services by their advertising and sponsorship I stayed with them because of the value and quality of their service. It's been a good gig for USPS. Not sure where they'll waste that 3% now. Certainly nothing that's as interesting to me.... but I'll still use their services.

Hey Livingood, a lack of black participants regarless of it being by choice or by happenstance is what is at issue here. Trust me. Anything that is dominated by whites regardless of it being European or American is immediately a racial issue here in Atlanta. It is the trump card used to generate attention on a daily basis. I hear it so much around here it is kinda like hearing the wind blow. You just learn to let it blow and keep on going.

He!!, if I were to get hit by a black driver I would not be surprised if I was immediately labelled a racist for having impeded his/her ability to drive on the road without a white man getting in their way.

You have to admit that US cycling has skyrocketed as a sprot and that there are probably more of us out there riding because of USPS bieng in the game.

Hopefully a large AMERICAN sponsor will step up so Tailwind Sprots doesn't endu up a Euro team instead of an American team!!! Hopefully someone like Verizon, Cingular or Comcast will see what cycling has done for T-Mobile and other like companies in Europe. Starbucks would be a good one if it weren't for the fact that their product is a stimulant and (I'm not sure about this) may be on the "Banned Substance" list!! How about Disney? Then we could have jersies with mouse ears on them!!

OK - Enough of this nonsense!!

Hopefully a large AMERICAN sponsor will step up so Tailwind Sprots doesn't endu up a Euro team instead of an American team!!!

That is my hope also - if only to keep the next American generation interesting in cycling. However, my guess is that Berry Floor is going to grab the primary sponsorship. Perhaps an American company will grab the secondary. We shall see!

...So, who or who does not participate is more a function of interest, aptitude, focus, and commitment. There are certainly gifted athletes that cover the racial rainbow so I would defer to someone who knows better why the professional levels of cycling and certain other sports aren't as appealing as the round-ball sports....

More than interest, aptitude, focus, and commitment, economic capability IMO is what keeps most minorities from excelling in cycling. What percentage of the black and latino communities is in an economic class that allows them to buy $600 entry level road bike (much less a $2000 racer) for the youngsters to develop their talent? It costs a lot to participate in competitive cycling... it's much easier to buy that $15 basketball and the $100 gym shoes for little Johnny to play b-ball.

More than interest, aptitude, focus, and commitment, economic capability IMO is what keeps most minorities from excelling in cycling. What percentage of the black and latino communities is in an economic class that allows them to buy $600 entry level road bike (much less a $2000 racer) for the youngsters to develop their talent? It costs a lot to participate in competitive cycling... it's much easier to buy that $15 basketball and the $100 gym shoes for little Johnny to play b-ball.

Dunno, but around my trailer park the latino immigrants tool around on either chrome-plated cruisers or Trek and Specialized mountain bikes that have to cost at least $600. Every once in a while I'll get a challenge from one of them for a couple laps around the park (which is exactly a mile around, if I could get the management to take out the speed bumps, it'd be a perfect place for crits... very technical) and they're amazed that my old-fashioned (i.e. not a mountain bike) is faster than their "super-bike." (I try not to point out that my bike might have a slightly better "engine" as well.)

Siggy

The SAD truth is that cycling barely registers a blip on the giant radar screen of American sports. Consumer spending in the good ol' USA make up a HUGE proportion of the GDP so WHO cares what the Europeans think about U.S. companies? Yet most foreign companies like Nokia, Ikea, Toyota, Kyocera, etc. do sponsor many basketball, football, and baseball venues/games!!! Yes, it's regrettable that USPS is backing out but Lance's talented team WILL get new sponsorship! Let's just hope it's an American corp. for the sake of increasing U.S. public awareness of Cycling as a sport!!! I SAY: Bud Light/ Berry Floors!!! :beer:

http://a104.g.akamai.net/7/104/1751/0001/www.lancearmstrong.com/pics/2003/main/image2.jpg
image courtesy of Lancearmstrong.com

More than interest, aptitude, focus, and commitment, economic capability IMO is what keeps most minorities from excelling in cycling. What percentage of the black and latino communities is in an economic class that allows them to buy $600 entry level road bike (much less a $2000 racer) for the youngsters to develop their talent? It costs a lot to participate in competitive cycling... it's much easier to buy that $15 basketball and the $100 gym shoes for little Johnny to play b-ball.

well, here in Indianapolis we have a program (http://www.indybap.org) that helps kids get on to a bike, helps them learn how to repair their own bike and how to earn the bike. These are kids at risk in difficult neighborhoods...our shop is a sponsor and while there are no Looks or Serottas going to this operation, they get a shot...who knows what might happen from there?

here's the real rub...if you are truly a gifted athlete, would you rather race a bike for no money or try a pro sport for millions?
Guys like Lance and Tyler were no good at stick and ball sports, although Tyler fancied an Olympic shot as a skier...

here's the real rub...if you are truly a gifted athlete, would you rather race a bike for no money or try a pro sport for millions?
Guys like Lance and Tyler were no good at stick and ball sports, although Tyler fancied an Olympic shot as a skier...

Yup, it's a perpetual cycle. There's no money to be made in cycling because the big corps don't sponsor cycling.... and the big corps don't sponsor cycling because there's no money to be made.