Cycling's Fu%%%%
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An interesting read.
I don't think I agree with his point about rider salaries though.
"Furthermore, teams should first look at themselves for the cause of their financial difficulties. 70% of the average budget goes to rider salaries, and as we have seen there is a glut of riders. Of course rider salaries are pushed up by overspending teams like BMC and a few others, but once those teams are full, the bonanza is over. If teams simply don't spend more than they can afford, their futures would already look a lot better. They completely control the pro cyclist job market so if their costs are out of control, they only have themselves to blame."
He has a point that rider salaries probably are too high relative to team budgets. But it's wrong to say they "completely control the pro-cyclist job market." The problem is that teams (naturally) don't co-operate with each other when offering contracts to riders, no team can know what salary any other team would be willing to offer a rider.
Aside from this year's surplus of out-of-contract riders, a rider is able to strong arm a team into offering him approximately what he demands. The team needs riders and the points riders bring with them, and probably want to make sure that this is confirmed before pre-season training starts. As a result they pay over the odds to stop the rider joining another team - with each team following this strategy (and knowing that other teams are likely to do this) wages are likely to be inflated further.
A salary cap would be one way around this problem, but would require the negotiation between teams and would likely introduce other problems.0 -
I feel he misses two points:
Firstly that the teams want more money. That's not what they want. They'd like it, sure, but what they really want are more stable and more varied revenue streams.
Secondly he says that most races do not make money had have sod all TV revenue. This is true. But why? If there's an interest in the Tour, which is pretty boring half the time, there must surely be potential interest in other races. However, many of the races are there just becuase they have always been there. They were created to sell newspapers and little has changed since (apart few buy newpapers anymore). The old currencies of 'epic' and 'suffering' work well for the written word, but not for TV. The calendar needs to be overhauled with TV in mind. Shorter, more dynamic races with smaller teams.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Governments should create national anti-obesity funds from taxes levied on the pushers of sugary bars, beverages and chocolatey spreads: The National Bottery. Cycling federations can apply for such funds to help ensure the stability of their pro teams. Nothing communist about it. Just a more benign form of corporate welfare....a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.0
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Especially Nutella.Macaloon wrote:Governments should create national anti-obesity funds from taxes levied on the pushers of sugary bars, beverages and chocolatey spreads: The National Bottery. Cycling federations can apply for such funds to help ensure the stability of their pro teams. Nothing communist about it. Just a more benign form of corporate welfare.0 -
bompington wrote:Especially Nutella.
Namechanger - The National Nuttery...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.0 -
I would not want to see cycling end up losing some of it's classic races for some jazzed up series of races.
The fact is that Profits are being made but it's not going back into cycling.
"Race organizers raking in big profits". Let's be clear about it, the Tour de France makes a lot of money, and maybe the Giro does too (it's hard to say after the recent revelations of missing funds there). But most others races do not. And at the top level, not even the group owning the Tour is that profitable. Profits at the Tour, for example, are used to plug losses at the publishing arm of the group
Well perhaps it's time for a new group who don't have to plug losses to take over.
All the famous races are run in areas of France, Italy etc. Whats needed is a Bob Geldof type of approach and cut out the Bullshi% and start again. No organization owns the land that we race on, that belongs to the countrys.
New organization and new negotiations with whoever needs to be dealt with.
Am I missing something or is that not a simple way of doing things i.e. lets Start again
Just don't let Sky get there hands on it or we will have to pay to watch.0 -
RichN95 wrote:I feel he misses two points:
Firstly that the teams want more money. That's not what they want. They'd like it, sure, but what they really want are more stable and more varied revenue streams.
Secondly he says that most races do not make money had have sod all TV revenue. This is true. But why? If there's an interest in the Tour, which is pretty boring half the time, there must surely be potential interest in other races. However, many of the races are there just becuase they have always been there. They were created to sell newspapers and little has changed since (apart few buy newpapers anymore). The old currencies of 'epic' and 'suffering' work well for the written word, but not for TV. The calendar needs to be overhauled with TV in mind. Shorter, more dynamic races with smaller teams.
Tbh, I'm not sure what to make of the tv angle. I think it's all pretty academic when specific countries are towards the bottom of the recession pile.
Case in point being the seemingly "perky" Trentino, which has recently benefited from both live coverage and a much improved turn out.
Yet....
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-de ... 014-seasonThe irony for the organisation is that, from a purely sporting point of view, the Giro del Trentino appears to be in rude health. The presence of eventual winner Vincenzo Nibali, Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggins in 2013 was a considerable boost to the international profile of the race, which takes place in the week of the Ardennes classics.
A similarly high-quality field is expected from April 15-18 next year, and RAI television has reportedly already guaranteed two hours of live daily coverage using its full Giro d’Italia technical crew.
A shorter, more punchy stage race, too.
Races have more financial difficulties than teams, but their solution seems less obvious.
I hate to admit it, the overall calendar may be forced to become nomadic and follow the money, regardless of race structure, or sadly, history.
Much as you have intimated in the past, Rich."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
^^ gotta agree
Traditional European heartland races disappearing year by year, as the local and regional govts funding them have had their budgets slashes, at best, or are actually bankrupt at worst. The odd newbie pops up like Strade Bianchi, the London-Surrey, Tour of the Arctic Circle - but its the odd ones and twos.
As well as Trentino, god knows whether Algarve or Catalunya will be run next year - close-run thing in both cases this year0 -
IMO there are untouchables in cycling. Certainly the 3 GT's, the monuments plus P-N, Dauphine, Fleche Wallone but the other one weekers are fair game for a re-vamp if that will help bring revenue in.
the Tour series in GB is brilliant. How much better would it be if there was a similar series with WT riders in it with one punchy race each week for X weeks with each race in a different European country. It's got to be better than condemning a B squad to a week of grey rain in the Tour of wherever, hasn't it?0 -
I think you mean the World Cup Races which by the name alone brings interest as with other sports and their World Cup events.Yellow Peril wrote:the Tour series in GB is brilliant. How much better would it be if there was a similar series with WT riders in it with one punchy race each week for X weeks with each race in a different European country. It's got to be better than condemning a B squad to a week of grey rain in the Tour of wherever, hasn't it?
The media and TV were able to promote the series of races.
The Fat Irishman got rid of our World Cup series for something called a World Pro Tour and the interest in Cycling World series Died.Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
Tour series is boring. They go round and round then someone wins in not the most exciting way.
Ned Boltface wets his pants with excitement and try's to convince us this is world class. That other bloke rides round the course before the race starts to show us how boring it his. He says things like " when they go past Curry's for the last time someone will attack" Hugh porter does all can to make it exciting by pointing out the obvious and then getting it wrong. its Sh%%
The only good stage is the one were they all crash on that same sharp right turn and there is some cobbles as well.
Its at best, crap.
How much excitement can you get riding round the shopping centre of a town unless its sat night but that has nothing to do with racing.
Flat and boring. Yawn x a lot.0 -
rayjay wrote:Tour series is boring. They go round and round then someone wins in not the most exciting way.
Ned Boltface wets his pants with excitement and try's to convince us this is world class. That other bloke rides round the course before the race starts to show us how boring it his. He says things like " when they go past Curry's for the last time someone will attack" Hugh porter does all can to make it exciting by pointing out the obvious and then getting it wrong. its Sh%%
The only good stage is the one were they all crash on that same sharp right turn and there is some cobbles as well.
Its at best, crap.
How much excitement can you get riding round the shopping centre of a town unless its sat night but that has nothing to do with racing.
Flat and boring. Yawn x a lot.
One of the Welsh ones was a crashfest this year.0 -
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argyllflyer wrote:rayjay wrote:Tour series is boring. They go round and round then someone wins in not the most exciting way.
Ned Boltface wets his pants with excitement and try's to convince us this is world class. That other bloke rides round the course before the race starts to show us how boring it his. He says things like " when they go past Curry's for the last time someone will attack" Hugh porter does all can to make it exciting by pointing out the obvious and then getting it wrong. its Sh%%
The only good stage is the one were they all crash on that same sharp right turn and there is some cobbles as well.
Its at best, crap.
How much excitement can you get riding round the shopping centre of a town unless its sat night but that has nothing to do with racing.
Flat and boring. Yawn x a lot.
One of the Welsh ones was a crashfest this year.
Not that I want to see anyone hurt but even ITV 4 show all the crashes in the ads to make it more exciting.
The race around Blackpool . They might as well film them on rollers having a cup of tea
So f%%%%%g boring. 0 -
rayjay wrote:Not that I want to see anyone hurt but even ITV 4 show all the crashes in the ads to make it more exciting.
The race around Blackpool . They might as well film them on rollers having a cup of tea So f%%%%%g boring.
thats just to attract the casual viewer Id have said. not saying the tour series is great, I think it suffers because theres quite a big gap between alot of the riders so its not always that "close" racing, one team/rider can dominate and you do get to feel a bit of Crit overload by the end of the season, but it does get professional cycling teams out racing around places where the traditional UK races dont go near, and therefore traditional cycling grassroots are less developed, but it seems costs to the places of staging the Tour Series are becoming an issue, and not least we seem to be running out of teams, or sponsors at least, taking part as well.0 -
It's subjective I suppose but I find the Tour series a bit of a yawnfest too. I used to watch the Premier Calendar coverage but town centre crits just feel like exhibition races rather than races with some status. Not a fan of the team element to the series either - if they still do at - you want to watch a race to see who wins not who has the most riders in the top 10 or however it worked.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
