Bye bye Tour Down Under?

iainf72

Just reading over on Cyclingnews forum that a leaked budget document in Oz is recommending binning the Tour Down Under to save some money.

Any of the guys in Australia have more details or seen anything in the press?

Greggyr

I hope not, I enjoy watching the TV coverage of it.

iainf72

Here's the leaked document

http://resources.news.com.au/files/2010 ... ations.pdf

Measure e_5385

and then measure e_5391

Gazzaputt

I hope not this great is a great curtain raiser to the season.

I know that most of the riders enjoy this race as well.

Kléber

The trouble is that the race has been dependent on the goodwill of a big wig local politician and his marketing skills. If he gets elected, or if the budget is cut, then yes the race will go.

Still, if the Aussies are having cutbacks, flying a load of Euro pros over to Australia to ride their bikes is not exactly core to the budget.

One glimmer is inter-state rivalry, wasn't there another state getting jealous at this race and trying to plan another race? If the TDU goes, it could be resurrected elsewhere.

LangerDan

According to that document, it appears they will continue with it for 2011 and 2012.

Kléber

A lot of races struggle to last forever but I hope this one stays. Hopefully by avoiding giant appearance fees to Armstrong they can make the event more economical.

stjohnswell

Kléber wrote:

A lot of races struggle to last forever but I hope this one stays. Hopefully by avoiding giant appearance fees to Armstrong they can make the event more economical.

+1

inkyfingers

Kléber wrote:

A lot of races struggle to last forever but I hope this one stays. Hopefully by avoiding giant appearance fees to Armstrong they can make the event more economical.

I've heard this mentioned so many times, does anyone have a link that substantiates this? Would not be surprised if it was true but so much stuff gets made up about Lance I tend to not believe most of what I see written about him (pro or anti Lance).

top_bhoy

inkyfingers wrote:

Kléber wrote:

A lot of races struggle to last forever but I hope this one stays. Hopefully by avoiding giant appearance fees to Armstrong they can make the event more economical.

I've heard this mentioned so many times, does anyone have a link that substantiates this? Would not be surprised if it was true but so much stuff gets made up about Lance I tend to not believe most of what I see written about him (pro or anti Lance).

Measure ID: e_5385 Visitor expenditure pre-Pro Tour was $13 million in 2007 and in 2010 was $41.5m in 2010.

I don't like LA for many reasons but using the SA Govt figures, I'd suggest that LA at least paid his way and SA will have benefitted longer term by his presence. Personal opinion, this is one of the few activities which showcases SA to a global audience. I think it would be folly to think of abandoning it altogether or not running it as a Pro Tour event.

Kléber

Top_Bhoy wrote:

Measure ID: e_5385 Visitor expenditure pre-Pro Tour was $13 million in 2007 and in 2010 was $41.5m in 2010.

Races can undoubtedly help a region in publicity and tourism. But the numbers above can be too simple, spending money on many other things can generate a return too, for example a hospital keeps people healthy and this is beneficial and healthy people also pay more in taxes and spend more. The question is whether the money is well spent on the race. I'd like to hope it is but there's no way of knowing without more analysis.

top_bhoy

Kléber wrote:

Top_Bhoy wrote:

Measure ID: e_5385 Visitor expenditure pre-Pro Tour was $13 million in 2007 and in 2010 was $41.5m in 2010.

Races can undoubtedly help a region in publicity and tourism. But the numbers above can be too simple, spending money on many other things can generate a return too, for example a hospital keeps people healthy and this is beneficial and healthy people also pay more in taxes and spend more. The question is whether the money is well spent on the race. I'd like to hope it is but there's no way of knowing without more analysis.

True, there may be other and better ways to generate wealth into an area but that wasn't my point. My point was that if the SA Govt own figures are to be believed and there is no reason not to believe them, I don't think LA was the economic millstone and drain on the public purse many on this forum and elsewhere, would wish him to be portrayed as.