Like Regular Guy said...

It's worth noting that, as a self-funded agency, USPS has been taking a HUGE hit in revenues in the last few years. Regular postage revenues have dropped off largely due to e-mail and package shipping has been trimmed by competition from FedEx and UPS. The Post Office needs all the marketing help it can get and, for a relatively small investment, it gets its name mentioned every time pro cycling comes up in the media and it's associated with speed and it's associated with competitive courage and strength of character.

The USPS team's annual budget is, according to almost every source I've read [Cycle Sport, Velonews, etc.] $5.5 million, of which, the USPS contributes about $4 million as title sponsor. That $4 million gets the Postal Service constant mtntion throughout July every year, constant exposure on the backs of the hundreds of thousands of people wearing USPS team jerseys, exposure at domestic races in which the team takes part and additional exposure in the European market, where the service is hoping to become a parcel-service player.

To put it all in perspective, a 90-second ad spot in the first half of the Superbowl cost Pepsi $8 million, not counting production fees and appearance fees for the celebrities who appeared in the ad.

If anything, the Postal Service's sponsorhip of the USPS team is probably the best, most effective advertising and marketing that they can get -- at almost any price. [And bear in mind that the Postal Service gets a licensing fee for every USPS jersey sold, so it may even break even on the investment!] It is a brilliant marketing move, and one I wish more companies and organizations would consider emulating...

And all of this has the incidental benefit of encouraging bicycle use in the US, stimulating the domestic bicycle industry and countless other ancillary benefits.