Belkin out

jscl

Pross wrote:

I thought there was some sort of Pro Tour licence requirement for sponsors to put up a sort of bond to cover their commitments until the end of their deal or have I imagined that? I thought that was how we ended up with Blanco prior to Belkin.

It's really odd, cycling is cleaning up and the recession is over / easing in most countries and yet two teams who have had good seasons are losing their sponsor. For all the criticism some teams get at least their funding is more stable. I agree that it needs an Eccleston figure to sort out the marketing of the sport.

There is a 'bond' in place with the national federation and UCI to ensure continued running of teams, yes.

The problem is the same with any sport - you only see the benefits as a sponsor if your team is at the top of it's game. The question is, are you really going to go and buy a Belkin router for your home just because you see their name on a kit? The return for a sponsor like Belkin is likely not as great as it is for many other sponsors, which is a real shame.

Jez mon

JSCL wrote:

Pross wrote:

I thought there was some sort of Pro Tour licence requirement for sponsors to put up a sort of bond to cover their commitments until the end of their deal or have I imagined that? I thought that was how we ended up with Blanco prior to Belkin.

It's really odd, cycling is cleaning up and the recession is over / easing in most countries and yet two teams who have had good seasons are losing their sponsor. For all the criticism some teams get at least their funding is more stable. I agree that it needs an Eccleston figure to sort out the marketing of the sport.

There is a 'bond' in place with the national federation and UCI to ensure continued running of teams, yes.

The problem is the same with any sport - you only see the benefits as a sponsor if your team is at the top of it's game. The question is, are you really going to go and buy a Belkin router for your home just because you see their name on a kit? The return for a sponsor like Belkin is likely not as great as it is for many other sponsors, which is a real shame.

But if we assuming the people within Belkin who make the sponsorship decisions aren't stupid, they would have known that they may suffer a poor(ish) return.

My completely uneducated guess, is that they either a) wildly overestimated the exposure, or b) had someone fairly high up the chain who loved cycling and has now vacated the company.

above_the_cows

Just got to see the new Amstel alcohol free radler advert this evening starring Laurens Ten Dam being Laurens Ten Dam and thus awesome. Belkin basically get totally free advertising as he's riding along in a Belkin kit drinking Amstel radler. I'm not sure your likely to do association buying, you can't buy a router in the local supermarket but still...

RichN95.

Above The Cows wrote:

Just got to see the new Amstel alcohol free radler advert this evening starring Laurens Ten Dam being Laurens Ten Dam and thus awesome. Belkin basically get totally free advertising as he's riding along in a Belkin kit drinking Amstel radler. I'm not sure your likely to do association buying, you can't buy a router in the local supermarket but still...

I wonder if Amstel could get involved as a sponsor. An alcohol free line could be a way to get around countries (particularly France) which ban alcohol advertising for sport.

hammerite

After a couple of years of exposure the impact wears off. Garmin are a bit different as they're products are cycling related. But it's not really a surprise sponsors only last a couple of years. It might just be a business decision and not one related to drugs as some mentioned on the previous page.

I used to work in sales/marketing and my MD showed me a trade paper he'd been getting monthly for about 15 years, the same company had held the back page position for the whole time and the advert had never changed (apart from phone numbers, the addition of email/web address!). It was completely wasted advertising budget as no one ever took notice of the ad.

I think most long term sponsors have some kind of sugar daddy with an interest at the helm or provide some kind of hospitality opportunity (Formula 1, football club/matches). Bar giving your customer a drive around in the car with the DS at a race the hospitality options are limited without having to put your hand in the pocket again (like CSC who booked out a hotel in Alpe d'Huez last time I was there) - unless you become sponsor of a race.

lyn1

hammerite wrote:

After a couple of years of exposure the impact wears off. Garmin are a bit different as they're products are cycling related. But it's not really a surprise sponsors only last a couple of years. It might just be a business decision and not one related to drugs as some mentioned on the previous page.

I used to work in sales/marketing and my MD showed me a trade paper he'd been getting monthly for about 15 years, the same company had held the back page position for the whole time and the advert had never changed (apart from phone numbers, the addition of email/web address!). It was completely wasted advertising budget as no one ever took notice of the ad.

I think most long term sponsors have some kind of sugar daddy with an interest at the helm or provide some kind of hospitality opportunity (Formula 1, football club/matches). Bar giving your customer a drive around in the car with the DS at a race the hospitality options are limited without having to put your hand in the pocket again (like CSC who booked out a hotel in Alpe d'Huez last time I was there) - unless you become sponsor of a race.

That may be true, but depending on the cost, the company may see it differently. By ceasing to occupy the space they leave it open to a major competitor who may exploit it and as a result make itself more competitive, leading to reduced business for the original company. While some communication is aimed at generating new business this is not exclusive as some is about retaining existing customers through reinforcement or reducing opportunities for competitor activity. The same situation occurs with sponsors.

frenchfighter

Asking for 10 euros a pop from fans. Never seen this sort of thing before.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/belkin- ... ponsorship

andyp

It was how the Euskadi team was funded before Euskaltel came on board as a main sponsor.

Some of you may also remember iteamNova, started by Giro stage winner David McKenzie, which had a similar funding model. It failed.

hammerite

lyn1 wrote:

That may be true, but depending on the cost, the company may see it differently. By ceasing to occupy the space they leave it open to a major competitor who may exploit it and as a result make itself more competitive, leading to reduced business for the original company. While some communication is aimed at generating new business this is not exclusive as some is about retaining existing customers through reinforcement or reducing opportunities for competitor activity. The same situation occurs with sponsors.

Understand all that, but most would do something to keep things fresh (even in the world of building services engineering!). We used to exhibit at the same trade shows every year. One year we took a look at it and cut down the number we went to, inbound calls went up quite dramatically from "worried" occasional customers wondering if we'd gone belly up, which turned in to more fruitful conversations than we would have had at trade shows. Not spending any money actually started to bring business in.

ddraver

So de we go back to calling tham Rabboblanco now?

Or are they Blancin?

curium

Oleg Tinkov says Bauke Molema's agent has contacted him.

sonny73

RichN95 wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Just got to see the new Amstel alcohol free radler advert this evening starring Laurens Ten Dam being Laurens Ten Dam and thus awesome. Belkin basically get totally free advertising as he's riding along in a Belkin kit drinking Amstel radler. I'm not sure your likely to do association buying, you can't buy a router in the local supermarket but still...

I wonder if Amstel could get involved as a sponsor. An alcohol free line could be a way to get around countries (particularly France) which ban alcohol advertising for sport.

Here's the ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyUAoCdNU6U

iainf72

inrng: Sounds like Belkin team saved with backing from Dutch lottery and Brand Loyalty, a consumer marketing agency

inseine

Most importantly, what colour will will they be? Brandloyalty appear to be orange

above_the_cows

What are they going to be called?

Lotto's taken. Brand Loyalty Lotto? You say Brand to most Dutch people and they'll think you're talking about bier.

blazing_saddles

Here you go. Some, but not much info.
Still using their Rabobank savings account, apparently.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report- ... guaranteed

The Dutch team still doesn't have a full budget for a WorldTour team but continuity seems guaranteed for 2015. The Dutch holiday company Roompot Vakanties is also still looking for a team in which to invest around one million euros.

dsoutar

"We are working on the final details, but thanks to these investors, the Belkin team will not stop," says Richard Plugge, general manager. He will give more details at the press conference Monday at the second rest day on the Tour de France.

overlord2

To be fair to Belkin I don't think cycling sponsorship is the way forward for them as a company. I'm not sure why they ever went for cycling in the first place. It's a niche market and i'd reckon that most people don't know who Belkin are. Most people will never buy a router in their lifetime when they usually come free(ish).

Aiming to sell something in a minority sport in a 2% market where only 2% of people will buy it isnt that great.

mulletmaster

I agree with you but they sell a lot more than routers. Chargers usb hdmi cables etc, now if I see one of their products I assume it is premium over a competitor's because they have a team. I too doubt it was fininacially viable if they were paying big dough though.

dsoutar

Overlord2 wrote:

To be fair to Belkin I don't think cycling sponsorship is the way forward for them as a company. I'm not sure why they ever went for cycling in the first place. It's a niche market and i'd reckon that most people don't know who Belkin are. Most people will never buy a router in their lifetime when they usually come free(ish).

Aiming to sell something in a minority sport in a 2% market where only 2% of people will buy it isnt that great.

I don't believe it's that simple. On that basis how many people buy mining chemicals and explosives ? (Orica) I'm sure there are dozens that would fit on a list of this nature. However I'm not a marketing person so I'm sure someone else will be able to describe how such sponsorship adds value to a brand / brings in extra business etc where there is only a tenuous connection to cycling's fan base

ddraver

I have bought a few phone accessories/cables from them because of their sponsorship of the team...

above_the_cows

My work issued laptop case is Belkin. I didn't buy it and I can't say that the IT department bought them because of their sponsorship of the team but their sponsorship of the team did stop me buying my own 'nicer' more stylish one. So every working day I am a walking advert for Belkin due to their sponsorship of the team. Indisputable proof that sponsorship works!

takethehighroad

I prefer HTC phones, even though Samsung's are probably better, simply because they sponsored a team.

Weird innit?

dish_dash

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

I prefer HTC phones, even though Samsung's are probably better, simply because they sponsored a team.

Weird innit?

Though aren't Samsung now a minor sponsor at Trek?

OT - I think HTC phones are actually better than Samsung's anyway...

RichN95.

I needed a roll of tin foil for the barbecue, but instead I bought five tonnes of sheet steel from Lampre just because they sponsor cycling.

chrisday

I still have to shift 10 tonnes of cement after Pettachi rode for Fassa Bortolo...

salsiccia1

I have a box of Mapei grouting in my shed. Genuinely.

Paulie W

I briefly went vegetarian in the late 90s.

mroli

Surely we all have a room with Quick Step flooring in it? I certainly do....

dish_dash

mroli wrote:

Surely we all have a room with Quick Step flooring in it? I certainly do....

yep... only reason we went for them! And I'll have a Bora kitchen exhaust fan thing next thank you very much!