A New ISU Rule on Uniforms:
Here is something I think everyone should know. USSPEEDSKATING is trying to get the ISU to pass a new rule requiring all members of a country's team to wear uniforms that match each other exactly, right down to the sponsor logos. The enforcement of this policy, as well as the decision on what the suit will look like, will be up to each national federation.
Do you know what this would mean? This means that any athlete who finds an individual sponsorship would not be allowed to wear that logo on their suit. This means that if an athlete suddenly finds himself out of money in the middle of a trip and wants to make a deal with Marnix Wieberdink to add a Kia or Yacht logo to his suit, he wouldn't be able to do that. This means that if a sponsor only wants their logo on an A-Group skater, but some of that country's skaters compete in the B Group, then that will cost all of the skaters on that team a potential sponsorship.
I'm thinking that not too many countries would want to go along with the passing of such a rule, but what bothers me is the fact that USSPEEDSKATING is trying to push it through. Of course, what they want is to be able to have an excuse to force their athletes to wear the logos of the federation's sponsors. They don't want something like the Qwest deal to ever happen again.
Doesn't USSPEEDSKATING realize that by going behind their athletes' backs to the ISU, they are making the athletes even more distrustful of the federation? Don't they realize that they are setting up an even more hostile situation, which will be more likely to scare away potential sponsors, than to attract them?
And why doesn't USSPEEDSKATING realize that any time one of their athletes finds an individual sponsor, they are SAVING THE FEDERATION MONEY. That's one less person they have to take care of. But they don't see it that way.
The athletes who are hurt the most by USSPEEDSKATING's recent policies on sponsorship are those who are climbing the ladder and trying to make a breakthrough. This topic came up in a discussion on OhnoZone, and I agree completely with the person who said that it's the athletes who are not yet at the top who suffer the most. These are the people who skate World Cups but are not in the Top 10, are forced to wear logos of sponsors despite getting next to nothing for it, and have no other choice because they don't have enough money to take the risk of having their World Cup travel funding taken away. This is the situation in which I found myself, and was unable to break through, and it was a big reason why I quit speedskating.
I would really like to know who, in USS, is behind this idea to put pressure on the ISU to pass this new uniform rule. The reason why I would like to know is that I had higher expectations of the newly elected Board of Directors, and this decision is a disappointment to me.
I would also like for someone to give a straight answer when I ask, "If you guys keep setting up obstacles to athletes getting sponsorships, then how, exactly, do you expect them to pay for their speedskating careers?" I'm not saying, "GIVE THEM MONEY." I'm saying, "JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!"
And, no, the answer is not, "Well, it's their dream, and if they want it badly enough, they'll find a way, no matter what obstacles we throw in their path." Open your eyes. Be reasonable. This is not exactly the most popular sport in America, so it's hard enough to find sponsors as it is. USSPEEDSKATING should be making it easier for their athletes to find sponsors, not harder.
For those who are not too familiar with the USSPEEDSKATING sponsorship battle, here is a simplified timeline of the main events that transpired over the last couple of seasons:
1. The left leg logo spot is open, and is available for athletes to "borrow," to sell to an individual sponsor. According to the Athlete Agreement, the skaters should be aware that this spot is borrowed, and that if USSPEEDSKATING sells it, then they have to give it back. Some athletes sell this spot to sponsors, most notably, Chad and Shani, to DSB.
2. The left leg logo spot is sold by USSPEEDSKATING to Qwest, without consulting the athletes to see if they think the sponsorship is a good deal for them. Basically, the athletes are made to feel like they were sold behind their backs like some kind of commodity. I called us the "Walking Billboards." Meanwhile, Qwest was misled into believing that the top US speedskaters will be wearing their logo. Qwest was especially interested in having Shani wearing their logo.
3. Some athletes break the Athlete Agreement, wearing the logos of their individual sponsors and refusing to wear Qwest. World Cup travel and other benefits are pulled from these skaters by USSPEEDSKATING.
4. Qwest gets upset at USSPEEDSKATING for misleading them, when they see that several top skaters are not wearing their logo.
5. USSPEEDSKATING announces they will sue the athletes who breach the Athlete Agreement, in order to cover up the mistake they made by signing the deal with Qwest without being able to guarantee the cooperation of their athletes. Andy Gabel's timing is impeccable, as this threatening email reaches us on race prep day before we start competing in the December 2005 World Cup in Torino.
6. Around the time of the Olympics, a major PR problem arises as Shani Davis appears on the cover of USA Today with DSB logos over the top of painted-over Qwest logos on his uniform.
7. Sponsorships and the Athlete Agreement are major issues at the 2006 USS Spring Board Meeting. Qwest threatens to sue USS, who in turn still want to sue their contract-breaking athletes. The USOC gives USS a deadline of June 1 to rewrite their athlete agreement, or else they will pull funding from the federation.
8. As part of the plan in continuing to back its athletes up against the wall, USSPEEDSKATING pressures the ISU to enforce a new rule on racing uniforms, saying that every skater from a country's team must wear an identical uniform, including identical logos. In effect, USSPEEDSKATING says to the ISU, "Give us an official excuse to screw our own athletes out of opportunities, to increase our own financial burden, and to scare sponsors away."
What is the point?
Here is something I think everyone should know. USSPEEDSKATING is trying to get the ISU to pass a new rule requiring all members of a country's team to wear uniforms that match each other exactly, right down to the sponsor logos. The enforcement of this policy, as well as the decision on what the suit will look like, will be up to each national federation.
Do you know what this would mean? This means that any athlete who finds an individual sponsorship would not be allowed to wear that logo on their suit. This means that if an athlete suddenly finds himself out of money in the middle of a trip and wants to make a deal with Marnix Wieberdink to add a Kia or Yacht logo to his suit, he wouldn't be able to do that. This means that if a sponsor only wants their logo on an A-Group skater, but some of that country's skaters compete in the B Group, then that will cost all of the skaters on that team a potential sponsorship.
I'm thinking that not too many countries would want to go along with the passing of such a rule, but what bothers me is the fact that USSPEEDSKATING is trying to push it through. Of course, what they want is to be able to have an excuse to force their athletes to wear the logos of the federation's sponsors. They don't want something like the Qwest deal to ever happen again.
Doesn't USSPEEDSKATING realize that by going behind their athletes' backs to the ISU, they are making the athletes even more distrustful of the federation? Don't they realize that they are setting up an even more hostile situation, which will be more likely to scare away potential sponsors, than to attract them?
And why doesn't USSPEEDSKATING realize that any time one of their athletes finds an individual sponsor, they are SAVING THE FEDERATION MONEY. That's one less person they have to take care of. But they don't see it that way.
The athletes who are hurt the most by USSPEEDSKATING's recent policies on sponsorship are those who are climbing the ladder and trying to make a breakthrough. This topic came up in a discussion on OhnoZone, and I agree completely with the person who said that it's the athletes who are not yet at the top who suffer the most. These are the people who skate World Cups but are not in the Top 10, are forced to wear logos of sponsors despite getting next to nothing for it, and have no other choice because they don't have enough money to take the risk of having their World Cup travel funding taken away. This is the situation in which I found myself, and was unable to break through, and it was a big reason why I quit speedskating.
I would really like to know who, in USS, is behind this idea to put pressure on the ISU to pass this new uniform rule. The reason why I would like to know is that I had higher expectations of the newly elected Board of Directors, and this decision is a disappointment to me.
I would also like for someone to give a straight answer when I ask, "If you guys keep setting up obstacles to athletes getting sponsorships, then how, exactly, do you expect them to pay for their speedskating careers?" I'm not saying, "GIVE THEM MONEY." I'm saying, "JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!"
And, no, the answer is not, "Well, it's their dream, and if they want it badly enough, they'll find a way, no matter what obstacles we throw in their path." Open your eyes. Be reasonable. This is not exactly the most popular sport in America, so it's hard enough to find sponsors as it is. USSPEEDSKATING should be making it easier for their athletes to find sponsors, not harder.
For those who are not too familiar with the USSPEEDSKATING sponsorship battle, here is a simplified timeline of the main events that transpired over the last couple of seasons:
1. The left leg logo spot is open, and is available for athletes to "borrow," to sell to an individual sponsor. According to the Athlete Agreement, the skaters should be aware that this spot is borrowed, and that if USSPEEDSKATING sells it, then they have to give it back. Some athletes sell this spot to sponsors, most notably, Chad and Shani, to DSB.
2. The left leg logo spot is sold by USSPEEDSKATING to Qwest, without consulting the athletes to see if they think the sponsorship is a good deal for them. Basically, the athletes are made to feel like they were sold behind their backs like some kind of commodity. I called us the "Walking Billboards." Meanwhile, Qwest was misled into believing that the top US speedskaters will be wearing their logo. Qwest was especially interested in having Shani wearing their logo.
3. Some athletes break the Athlete Agreement, wearing the logos of their individual sponsors and refusing to wear Qwest. World Cup travel and other benefits are pulled from these skaters by USSPEEDSKATING.
4. Qwest gets upset at USSPEEDSKATING for misleading them, when they see that several top skaters are not wearing their logo.
5. USSPEEDSKATING announces they will sue the athletes who breach the Athlete Agreement, in order to cover up the mistake they made by signing the deal with Qwest without being able to guarantee the cooperation of their athletes. Andy Gabel's timing is impeccable, as this threatening email reaches us on race prep day before we start competing in the December 2005 World Cup in Torino.
6. Around the time of the Olympics, a major PR problem arises as Shani Davis appears on the cover of USA Today with DSB logos over the top of painted-over Qwest logos on his uniform.
7. Sponsorships and the Athlete Agreement are major issues at the 2006 USS Spring Board Meeting. Qwest threatens to sue USS, who in turn still want to sue their contract-breaking athletes. The USOC gives USS a deadline of June 1 to rewrite their athlete agreement, or else they will pull funding from the federation.
8. As part of the plan in continuing to back its athletes up against the wall, USSPEEDSKATING pressures the ISU to enforce a new rule on racing uniforms, saying that every skater from a country's team must wear an identical uniform, including identical logos. In effect, USSPEEDSKATING says to the ISU, "Give us an official excuse to screw our own athletes out of opportunities, to increase our own financial burden, and to scare sponsors away."
What is the point?
posted by Eva at 5:41 PM
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