bitingduck

I hadn't read botto's post carefully yet. Now it's all perfectly clear.

bitingduck

I put on 8-15 races per year and don't even order team kit for the club I run them under. I'm happy to add teams to the permit to get their race credit if they cough up some prize money and a half dozen volunteers. We don't get many clubs that take advantage of it. I also don't see many (if any) sponsored teams around here not meeting their race obligation.

kensuf

There was a guy in the 1/2/3 stage race we did this weekend decked out in a "The Shack" kit. No, he wasn't one of their guys.

veloboy971

I believe he was a 2 as well. Apparently the cops were called in as well about the SoFla guy who rode crashed out while chasing the break and the he claimed to the officials that he was actually in the break - he was dq'ed and the was almost a fight over it.

ridethecliche

I would pay to see bike racers duke it out while in kit and cleats.

SteelCan

What's with the pron pics?

timster

https://youtu.be/QwKaeWkYbqk

ridethecliche

I've seen that one already

EventServices

The whole idea of sponsorship at the Club level is laughable anyway. What demographic are you really reaching? And how many exposures are you really getting?
How much money are you getting from sponsors? And do you feel good about their investment?

With no print media coverage, no TV coverage, and very little Internet presence, the sponsor's return is nil.
So the rules that govern this are pretty worthless anyway.

bitingduck

Your audience is largely the club members. A club I used to be in was sponsored by a local Merrill Lynch office and a local realtor, and now mostly by the realtor. If one or two club members a year use him to buy or sell a house, he does pretty well. He's also a very good realtor-- a bunch of people in my old group at work used him (how I was referred to him when I bought) and he's good at matching people with houses they want quickly and getting good prices. One of the other minor sponsors is a construction company, and I know at least a few club members have used him for work. There are also lots of chiropractors and medical offices that sponsor clubs and get more business from the members. My orthopod's waiting room is like a bike club meeting...

veloboy971

If you're adds are large enough and people ride around in the kit a lot during training, it's like a moving billboard.

jwible

You ever try to read a moving billboard that you didn't already know what it said?

I can't even read half the names on jerseys at the start line.

pjcampbell

ok thats just weird to wear a pro team kit in anything but the 5s. i was thinking more this was about rogue teams putting corporate sponsors on kits without putting on races to earn their "team" status.

shovelhd

I buy stuff at my sponsor's shops. I drink my sponsor's beer. I snowboard at my sponsor's hill. I don't think I'm the only one.

pjcampbell

what kind of beer? LOL

harpoon?

shovelhd

https://www.highandmightybeer.com/beer.php

Grumpy McTrumpy

if I need a new water heater it will be a RUUD


mainly because they are good quality though. The sponsorship comes from a regional distributor, so there isn't much I can do other than wear my kit all the time (which I do)

AzTallRider

I'm a newb, and out of ignorance I just violated this rule in my first Cat4 races this past weekend. I'm not attached to a USAC team, so I wore my coaching company kit. I don't even have a blank kit. The OP point is valid - I'll clean up my act and get a blank jersey if I'm not affiliated by my next race in August.

JohnKScott

I've gotten a lot of comments on the back of our jerseys this year. All good

Psimet2001 

Yeah...shame on you....do not pass go...do not collect...that sock prime.

As a CAT 4 just get out and race. Don't worry about the kit so much. Get on a team and that will all take care of itself.

As for having worn something outside of the guidelines...it tells everyone else in the pack that you're new and not aware of the guidelines. Like wearing orange for a hunter.

sdgrannygear

Were you by any chance racing in San Pedro last weekend?

AzTallRider

Nope... Show Low, Arizona. Mountain area in NE Arizona. Drove from Phoenix up to 6,500', where there is no frickin' O2.

Bob Dopolina 

+1.

This does mean jerseys need to be designed well.

Also guys in their kit at the local coffee shop or stopped at a light etc.

AzTallRider

I absolutely pay attention to who is paying for spots on jerseys, especially at the local level. I'm less likely to buy my batteries at Radio Shack because they sponsor a pro team, than I am to use a doctor, rehab center, lawyer, financial planner, etc that I see on a local team's jersey. Ditto for companies that donate prime prizes.