Discovery disbands
08-10-07, 07:01 AM
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Discovery disbands
From cyclingnews:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...g07/aug10news3
From Velonews:
https://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/13071.0.html
Cycling News Flash for August 10, 2007
Edited by Laura Weislo
Discovery disbands
Tailwind Sports has announced the end of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team today, confirming rumours that cropped up when the team failed to announce a new sponsor after winning the Tour de France. The team was given notice that the Discovery Channel would not renew its sponsorship back in February, leading to a long and intensive search for a replacement sponsor.
Despite having won eight Tours de France, the team will fold at the end of this season, leaving 27 riders looking for new jobs, including 2007 Tour winner Alberto Contador, third place finisher Levi Leipheimer, and eighth place finisher Yaroslav Popovych. American George Hincapie is rumoured to have already signed with T-Mobile for the upcoming year, a team whose sponsor was uncertain to continue in the sport until intensive talks led to a renewal of commitment from the sponsor with plenty of conditions.
General Manager Bill Stapleton admitted in the organisation's press release that the search for a new sponsor had gone nowhere. "We were in talks with a number of companies about the opportunity and were confident a new sponsor was imminent. We have chosen, however, to end those discussions."
The team was said to have been close to signing a deal in March, but no announcement followed the news. As the season wore on, Bruyneel had gone as far as China to search for a replacement sponsor, but by June, the team had still failed to ink a deal. The team was rumoured to be asking $45 million for three years - a difficult sell in the current climate of doping scandals in the sport. That the team which won eight Tours can not find a sponsor bodes poorly for the sport in general. "Tailwind has had an amazing ten years of success with U.S. Postal and more recently Discovery Channel as its title sponsor. This is arguably the most successful sports franchise in the history of sport," stated Stapleton. "This was a difficult decision, not made any easier by our recent Tour de France success."
Directeur sportif Johan Bruyneel built the team from a fledgling squad of Americans to a Tour powerhouse starting in 1999. With Lance Armstrong, the team went on to win seven Tours. While the squad struggled in the wake of Armstrong's retirement in 2005, it found its footing once again in this year's Tour and came out with it's best performance ever with two men on the podium. "When I came to direct this team in 1999 I never would have imagined that we could achieve this level of success. It was an amazing time in my life and the lives of all the staff and riders associated with this team," commented Bruyneel.
Bruyneel's future in the sport is now in question, with Rabobank being the only ProTour team in search of a directeur sportif. "I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the in fighting between the teams. This Team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season. 2007 has been our most successful season ever and I expect the remainder of the season to continue on that same path."
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, a co-owner of the team, took a more optimistic view. "I do not think you have seen the last of this organisation in the sport, but clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling," Armstrong added. The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team will continue to race its full calendar of Pro Tour races including the final grand tour of the season, the Tour of Spain, as well as the upcoming Tour of Missouri."
From Velo news
Discovery gives up sponsor hunt
Armstrong: 'Things need to improve before you would see us venture back into cycling'
By Charles Pelkey
editor, VeloNews.com
Filed: August 10, 2007
Despite one of the sport's most impressive win records, the U.S.-based Discovery Channel team has failed in efforts to secure a new title sponsor and will cease operations at the end of the season.
Tour winner Alberto Contador was fending off doping allegations in Madrid, as Discovery was folding up its tent in Austin.
photo: Agence France Presse - 2007
Tailwind Sports, the parent company of the team, announced Friday that the program will end with the 2007 cycling season. Tailwind officials were unable to parlay a series of eight Tour de France victories over nine years into a successful sponsorship hunt.
"Tailwind has had an amazing 10 years of success with U.S. Postal and more recently Discovery Channel as its title sponsor. This is arguably the most successful sports franchise in the history of sport," general manager Bill Stapleton was quoted as saying in a release issued Friday morning.
"This was a difficult decision, not made any easier by our recent Tour de France success. We were in talks with a number of companies about the opportunity and were confident a new sponsor was imminent. We have chosen, however, to end those discussions."
A hunt in a difficult environment
Tailwind had been looking for a sponsor since February when a management shakeup at Discovery Channel ended with the television network announcing plans to end its support of the team. The firing of company CEO Billy Campbell, a strong advocate of the sponsorship, signaled the end of corporate support for the team and the announcement followed within days of the changes at company headquarters.
"This would not have happened if Billy Campbell was still there," Stapleton said in February. "This is about their change in management."
Stapleton and team director Johan Bruyneel had reportedly been close to signing sponsors on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, in a year punctuated by doping scandals, many potential sponsors might have been scared away by the risk of becoming mired in controversy.
One of the team's biggest strategic errors came late last year when Stapleton and Bruyneel signed 2006 Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso to a contract, despite the fact that he was still under investigation in the on-going Operación Puerto case. Basso later left the team, admitted to some involvement in the matter and was suspended from the sport for two years. Discovery's Campbell was also a big supporter of the Basso signing.
Indeed, Puerto suspicions have dogged the team ever since and, as Tailwind was issuing the announcement from Texas, Bruyneel and 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador were meeting with reporters in Madrid in an effort to fend off allegations that the Spanish rider, too, had been involved in the Puerto case.
Bruyneel, who signed on as director with the team in 1999, said the decision to close shop was not easy.
"When I came to direct this team in 1999 I never would have imagined that we could achieve this level of success. It was an amazing time in my life and the lives of all the staff and riders associated with this team," Bruyneel said in a statement released by Tailwind.
"I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the infighting between the teams. This team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season. 2007 has been our most successful season ever and I expect the remainder of the season to continue on that same path."
A long history
The Tailwind program dates back to 1989, when the company ran the Sunkyong amateur team. In 1992, with the support of financier Thomas Weisel, the team made the transition to the professional ranks with Subaru-Montgomery.
In 1996, just as the old Motorola program faded out of existence, the U.S. Postal Service began a nine-year sponsorship run that moved Tailwind's little Subaru team up to Division 1 status (the predecessor to the current ProTour rank) and included six of Lance Armstrong's seven Tour de France wins.
Armstrong's seventh and final Tour victory came in 2005, when the team began operating under the Discovery Channel title. The team is also credit with Roberto Heras's 2003 overall victory at the Vuelta a España and Paolo Savoldelli's 2005 Giro d'Italia win.
Armstrong said Friday that the disbanding of an otherwise-successful ProTour team might be indicative of systemic problems in the sport.
"I do not think you have seen the last of this organization in the sport, but clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling," Armstrong said in the team's release.
History, however, may be repeating itself in that as Discovery's fortunes fade, another U.S. team - operated by Slipstream Sports - is poised to step up its program in Europe.
Winding down
The Discovery team will continue to participate in the remaining events in this year's ProTour calendar and a selection of domestic events, including the upcoming Tour of Missouri.
The team's riders, who represent a considerable talent pool, will certainly be the subject of serious offers from other teams. American Levi Leipheimer, who began his European career as a member of the old Postal team, moved to Rabobank, Gerolsteiner and then back to Discovery, is likely to land on his feet. Contador, however, will need to quickly address the Puerto allegations if he hopes to secure a solid contract.
At least one rider - U.S. national road champion George Hincapie - has already found a new team for 2008. Hincapie is said to have signed a deal with the T-Mobile team, run by American telecommunications entrepreneur Bob Stapleton (no relation to Bill). In contrast, the T-Mobile team got good news this week, when its title sponsor, Deutsche Telekom, reaffirmed its support through 2010.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...g07/aug10news3
From Velonews:
https://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/13071.0.html
Cycling News Flash for August 10, 2007
Edited by Laura Weislo
Discovery disbands
Tailwind Sports has announced the end of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team today, confirming rumours that cropped up when the team failed to announce a new sponsor after winning the Tour de France. The team was given notice that the Discovery Channel would not renew its sponsorship back in February, leading to a long and intensive search for a replacement sponsor.
Despite having won eight Tours de France, the team will fold at the end of this season, leaving 27 riders looking for new jobs, including 2007 Tour winner Alberto Contador, third place finisher Levi Leipheimer, and eighth place finisher Yaroslav Popovych. American George Hincapie is rumoured to have already signed with T-Mobile for the upcoming year, a team whose sponsor was uncertain to continue in the sport until intensive talks led to a renewal of commitment from the sponsor with plenty of conditions.
General Manager Bill Stapleton admitted in the organisation's press release that the search for a new sponsor had gone nowhere. "We were in talks with a number of companies about the opportunity and were confident a new sponsor was imminent. We have chosen, however, to end those discussions."
The team was said to have been close to signing a deal in March, but no announcement followed the news. As the season wore on, Bruyneel had gone as far as China to search for a replacement sponsor, but by June, the team had still failed to ink a deal. The team was rumoured to be asking $45 million for three years - a difficult sell in the current climate of doping scandals in the sport. That the team which won eight Tours can not find a sponsor bodes poorly for the sport in general. "Tailwind has had an amazing ten years of success with U.S. Postal and more recently Discovery Channel as its title sponsor. This is arguably the most successful sports franchise in the history of sport," stated Stapleton. "This was a difficult decision, not made any easier by our recent Tour de France success."
Directeur sportif Johan Bruyneel built the team from a fledgling squad of Americans to a Tour powerhouse starting in 1999. With Lance Armstrong, the team went on to win seven Tours. While the squad struggled in the wake of Armstrong's retirement in 2005, it found its footing once again in this year's Tour and came out with it's best performance ever with two men on the podium. "When I came to direct this team in 1999 I never would have imagined that we could achieve this level of success. It was an amazing time in my life and the lives of all the staff and riders associated with this team," commented Bruyneel.
Bruyneel's future in the sport is now in question, with Rabobank being the only ProTour team in search of a directeur sportif. "I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the in fighting between the teams. This Team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season. 2007 has been our most successful season ever and I expect the remainder of the season to continue on that same path."
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, a co-owner of the team, took a more optimistic view. "I do not think you have seen the last of this organisation in the sport, but clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling," Armstrong added. The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team will continue to race its full calendar of Pro Tour races including the final grand tour of the season, the Tour of Spain, as well as the upcoming Tour of Missouri."
From Velo news
Discovery gives up sponsor hunt
Armstrong: 'Things need to improve before you would see us venture back into cycling'
By Charles Pelkey
editor, VeloNews.com
Filed: August 10, 2007
Despite one of the sport's most impressive win records, the U.S.-based Discovery Channel team has failed in efforts to secure a new title sponsor and will cease operations at the end of the season.
Tour winner Alberto Contador was fending off doping allegations in Madrid, as Discovery was folding up its tent in Austin.
photo: Agence France Presse - 2007
Tailwind Sports, the parent company of the team, announced Friday that the program will end with the 2007 cycling season. Tailwind officials were unable to parlay a series of eight Tour de France victories over nine years into a successful sponsorship hunt.
"Tailwind has had an amazing 10 years of success with U.S. Postal and more recently Discovery Channel as its title sponsor. This is arguably the most successful sports franchise in the history of sport," general manager Bill Stapleton was quoted as saying in a release issued Friday morning.
"This was a difficult decision, not made any easier by our recent Tour de France success. We were in talks with a number of companies about the opportunity and were confident a new sponsor was imminent. We have chosen, however, to end those discussions."
A hunt in a difficult environment
Tailwind had been looking for a sponsor since February when a management shakeup at Discovery Channel ended with the television network announcing plans to end its support of the team. The firing of company CEO Billy Campbell, a strong advocate of the sponsorship, signaled the end of corporate support for the team and the announcement followed within days of the changes at company headquarters.
"This would not have happened if Billy Campbell was still there," Stapleton said in February. "This is about their change in management."
Stapleton and team director Johan Bruyneel had reportedly been close to signing sponsors on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, in a year punctuated by doping scandals, many potential sponsors might have been scared away by the risk of becoming mired in controversy.
One of the team's biggest strategic errors came late last year when Stapleton and Bruyneel signed 2006 Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso to a contract, despite the fact that he was still under investigation in the on-going Operación Puerto case. Basso later left the team, admitted to some involvement in the matter and was suspended from the sport for two years. Discovery's Campbell was also a big supporter of the Basso signing.
Indeed, Puerto suspicions have dogged the team ever since and, as Tailwind was issuing the announcement from Texas, Bruyneel and 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador were meeting with reporters in Madrid in an effort to fend off allegations that the Spanish rider, too, had been involved in the Puerto case.
Bruyneel, who signed on as director with the team in 1999, said the decision to close shop was not easy.
"When I came to direct this team in 1999 I never would have imagined that we could achieve this level of success. It was an amazing time in my life and the lives of all the staff and riders associated with this team," Bruyneel said in a statement released by Tailwind.
"I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the infighting between the teams. This team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season. 2007 has been our most successful season ever and I expect the remainder of the season to continue on that same path."
A long history
The Tailwind program dates back to 1989, when the company ran the Sunkyong amateur team. In 1992, with the support of financier Thomas Weisel, the team made the transition to the professional ranks with Subaru-Montgomery.
In 1996, just as the old Motorola program faded out of existence, the U.S. Postal Service began a nine-year sponsorship run that moved Tailwind's little Subaru team up to Division 1 status (the predecessor to the current ProTour rank) and included six of Lance Armstrong's seven Tour de France wins.
Armstrong's seventh and final Tour victory came in 2005, when the team began operating under the Discovery Channel title. The team is also credit with Roberto Heras's 2003 overall victory at the Vuelta a España and Paolo Savoldelli's 2005 Giro d'Italia win.
Armstrong said Friday that the disbanding of an otherwise-successful ProTour team might be indicative of systemic problems in the sport.
"I do not think you have seen the last of this organization in the sport, but clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling," Armstrong said in the team's release.
History, however, may be repeating itself in that as Discovery's fortunes fade, another U.S. team - operated by Slipstream Sports - is poised to step up its program in Europe.
Winding down
The Discovery team will continue to participate in the remaining events in this year's ProTour calendar and a selection of domestic events, including the upcoming Tour of Missouri.
The team's riders, who represent a considerable talent pool, will certainly be the subject of serious offers from other teams. American Levi Leipheimer, who began his European career as a member of the old Postal team, moved to Rabobank, Gerolsteiner and then back to Discovery, is likely to land on his feet. Contador, however, will need to quickly address the Puerto allegations if he hopes to secure a solid contract.
At least one rider - U.S. national road champion George Hincapie - has already found a new team for 2008. Hincapie is said to have signed a deal with the T-Mobile team, run by American telecommunications entrepreneur Bob Stapleton (no relation to Bill). In contrast, the T-Mobile team got good news this week, when its title sponsor, Deutsche Telekom, reaffirmed its support through 2010.
Last edited by Dusk; 08-10-07 at 08:25 AM.
08-10-07, 07:04 AM
#2
Announcer
Imagine having the clout and star-appeal of a Lance Armstrong, and STILL being unable to attract a replacement.
That's scary.
Not sure what he meant by "a more unified front". On who's part?
That's scary.
Not sure what he meant by "a more unified front". On who's part?
08-10-07, 07:12 AM
#4
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It's not surprising considering the UCI's zero-tolerance guillotine approach. Who would want to put out that kind of money when you have idiot athletes doping and the UCI ending everyones careers based on rumors.
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08-10-07, 07:15 AM
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The dopers are doing in professional cycling. What company would want to sponsor a cycling team when all the news is about doping and cheating? The cyclists and their teams have done this to themselves.
08-10-07, 07:22 AM
#6
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And after the fiasco with Landis and the credibility gap he's given the testing makes it an even harder sell. What sponsor is going to invest money into something where they could possibly have their image tarnished when there wasn't even any wrong doing? Even if the lab is 100% accurate the seed of doubt has been planted in the minds of many.
08-10-07, 07:24 AM
#7
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I kept looking for an April 1 date on the thread.
This is a hugely dark day for cycling fans in the U.S.
This is a hugely dark day for cycling fans in the U.S.
08-10-07, 07:32 AM
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Wonder if Vs. is going to be doing the full broadcast of the tour next year? It doesn't seem likely. @#$@#$
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08-10-07, 07:39 AM
#9
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The factors that favor it are that their ratings were supposedly at an all time high this year, and Comcast needs all the content they can get in their effort to remake OLN into ESPN.
All they have is hockey, PBR, mixed martial arts, and the TDF. As it stands they don't have a lot to replace it with. However, if Versus gets a deal with any major sports league its adios.
There's also a big question of whether Advertisers will buy ads for TDF coverage in this environment.
08-10-07, 07:44 AM
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My wife works advertising for a major bank. She wouldn't touch TDF, it's riders, or even L. Armstrong now with a 10 foot pole. U.S. advertising for TDF and cycling is DEAD.
08-10-07, 07:44 AM
#11
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It's not all doom and gloom, either. Slipstream will fill the void for a little while. Cycling will be fine, and probably better off, for all of this. The sport seems to be changing. The omerta is going away.
08-10-07, 07:49 AM
#12
Genetics have failed me
Wow... now my Trek bike may become a thought after item. Haha.. who am I kidding.
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08-10-07, 07:53 AM
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Seriously, is there a sport anywhere in the world that is 100% free and clear of any type of controversy? Golf? No, you still have racism, gambling, drunk players, drugs, steroids, etc.
What it comes down to is Pro Cycling is a "European" sport and so long as the majority of it takes place "over there" it doesn't matter and is easy to say how dirty it is. The NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL are far more dirty than the entire Pro Tour. The difference is no matter how bad and crooked the testing might be in cycling at least they have testing. Plus they have real punishment! Look at the baseball player who just got caught for a 3rd time on a steroids test. He got suspended for half a season! This was his THIRD offense! Kick him out for life already. How many times does Pacman Jones need to be arrested before they tell him he isn't welcome in the NFL?
To me the biggest question is, what team is Trek going to next season?
08-10-07, 07:59 AM
#14
Genetics have failed me
And even there you have people walking into the bathroom and finding the next best move on their PDA chess programs 
Stupid cheater.
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08-10-07, 08:00 AM
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The difference is perception is reality in advertising. When you say NFL people think Superbowl, Monday night football, Peyton Manning, etc.
When you say cycling, or Tour de France, people think drugs.
When you say cycling, or Tour de France, people think drugs.
08-10-07, 08:01 AM
#17
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I could be wrong, though.
08-10-07, 08:02 AM
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But would your wife have her bank advertise with the NFL? Don't forget about all of the arrests for various gun possessions, killings, dog killing, dog fighting, wife beating, steroids, etc. Then we have the NBA and the Ref who might have fixed games, the players getting arrested, etc. Let's not forget about MLB and their steroid issues for the last 10 yrs, Barry Bonds and that fiasco, testifying before congress and lying, wife beatings, etc.
Seriously, is there a sport anywhere in the world that is 100% free and clear of any type of controversy? Golf? No, you still have racism, gambling, drunk players, drugs, steroids, etc.
What it comes down to is Pro Cycling is a "European" sport and so long as the majority of it takes place "over there" it doesn't matter and is easy to say how dirty it is. The NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL are far more dirty than the entire Pro Tour. The difference is no matter how bad and crooked the testing might be in cycling at least they have testing. Plus they have real punishment! Look at the baseball player who just got caught for a 3rd time on a steroids test. He got suspended for half a season! This was his THIRD offense! Kick him out for life already. How many times does Pacman Jones need to be arrested before they tell him he isn't welcome in the NFL?
To me the biggest question is, what team is Trek going to next season?
Seriously, is there a sport anywhere in the world that is 100% free and clear of any type of controversy? Golf? No, you still have racism, gambling, drunk players, drugs, steroids, etc.
What it comes down to is Pro Cycling is a "European" sport and so long as the majority of it takes place "over there" it doesn't matter and is easy to say how dirty it is. The NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL are far more dirty than the entire Pro Tour. The difference is no matter how bad and crooked the testing might be in cycling at least they have testing. Plus they have real punishment! Look at the baseball player who just got caught for a 3rd time on a steroids test. He got suspended for half a season! This was his THIRD offense! Kick him out for life already. How many times does Pacman Jones need to be arrested before they tell him he isn't welcome in the NFL?
To me the biggest question is, what team is Trek going to next season?
08-10-07, 08:05 AM
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Though I hope it doesn't happen (and am not familiar with their contractual obligations with Felt), I could see Trek trying to jump on the ever-growing Slipstream bandwagon.
08-10-07, 08:07 AM
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08-10-07, 08:10 AM
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Listen I'm not saying that cycling is any worse than any other sport, but in peoples minds it is. Just what you want your bank to be associated with, cheating, drugs, and lying.
08-10-07, 08:10 AM
#22
Chases Dogs for Sport
There is not enough good news in cycling to overcome the bad news.
Unfortunately, to the cycling press and cycling fanatics, the bad news spices things up. But the more they spice things up for themselves, the more they turn off "legitimate" sponsors.
Also, baseball, football, basketball, etc. all have a regional identification. To Tennesseans, the Titans are a point of local pride -- even for people who never watch football. Localized pro sports (stadium and arena games) become a magnet that draws whole communities and cities together. Cycling doesn't have that same kind of appeal. No big-time team is tied to a community or even to a state. There are, therefore, no "automatic" cycling fans the way there are automatic stick and ball fans.
Unfortunately, to the cycling press and cycling fanatics, the bad news spices things up. But the more they spice things up for themselves, the more they turn off "legitimate" sponsors.
Also, baseball, football, basketball, etc. all have a regional identification. To Tennesseans, the Titans are a point of local pride -- even for people who never watch football. Localized pro sports (stadium and arena games) become a magnet that draws whole communities and cities together. Cycling doesn't have that same kind of appeal. No big-time team is tied to a community or even to a state. There are, therefore, no "automatic" cycling fans the way there are automatic stick and ball fans.
08-10-07, 08:13 AM
#24
pan y agua
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Disagree. Say what you want about the doping scandals and how they've tarnished cycling's reputation, it's still press. And in the eyes of a lot of advertisers, any press is good press. If you take the approach that Slipstream is taking, you fudge the odds well in your favor that if one of your riders does end up on the podium or at the front of a break, in front of the cameras, and you get positive commentary regarding juicing and what the team has done to try and correct the situation, that's very good exposure. Lemons to lemonade.
I could be wrong, though.
I could be wrong, though.
Their new GC guy is in his early 20's and, if not tagged for doping, looks to contend for the Yellow Jersey for the next 7 or 8 years. They had an American rider on the podium at the TDF who potentially could do as well or better next year. And they couldn't find a sponsor. There obviously is not a lot of advertising money chasing professional cycling at the moment.
08-10-07, 08:14 AM
#25
BMC Lover
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