david@mediacopy, those guys can all train in their native countries, all year-round if necessary.
And there are vast amounts of money in those sports, so a public subsidy is not necessary. Minority sports, with small audiences and relatively little commercial interest in the UK, don't fare so well.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
hyweljenkins, or often Spain. But the flip side is that they also have to find a way of funding very expensive kit.
rob@rar,
Quote:
And there are vast amounts of money in those sports, so a public subsidy is not necessary. Minority sports, with small audiences and relatively little commercial interest in the UK, don't fare so well.
I'm not sure that is the case until you get to the highest levels of the Sport.
I don't see why skiing should be any different and the skier cross proved the point that it can be a main-stream sport. The crux is getting decent TV coverage to give the competitors exposure. The FIS should really be pushing to get it's coverage shown more extensively on terrestrial TV in the same way that race promoters do for motor-sport, and that's to say nothing of TV money for the competitors & teams.
From the athletes point of view, in the short term I'd be trying to find support from European companies rather than British ones. They already understand the upside from skiing and a high scoring Brit could bring them a lot of exposure.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
david@mediacopy wrote:
It's a very emotive problem but there are lots of expensive sports where as 'Brits' we do well and produce world Champions without any public funding. Button in F1, Fogerty & Tosland in WSB and the current crop of World Super Bike guys who'll be fighting it out for a world championship who have no public money at all. A season's motorsport makes a season's skiing look pretty cheap in comparison.
What those guys prove is that it is possible to reach the top level of sport with private funding and no public money.
Two totally different scenarios, Your talking about big business sponsorship on the whole world circuit, without this there is no way it would happen as it stands. They are not National sports (even if the drivers/riders are given national identities) it is a commercial business plan.
FIS World cup/Olympic skiing is a more regional thing, North America/Europe are its biggest catchment areas, this is not a truly global sport and as such cannot get (I wish it could) the same commercial sponsorship deals.
Therefore it needs more "help" for the national team.
FIS World cup/Olympic skiing is a more regional thing, North America/Europe are its biggest catchment areas, this is not a truly global sport and as such cannot get (I wish it could) the same commercial sponsorship deals.
You mean the same as any other sport at a national level ?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
david@mediacopy, Yes but you was comparing it to F1 and WSB and I was responding to that.
I also have had dealing with british superbikes a few years ago, my ex wife worked with a rider - he had a day job - raced at weekends out of a caravan.When it came to the bike and equipment there was sponsorship and corporate days etc.
Not only TeamGB having to answer for a less than stellar performance at the games...
Mercilessly culled from the good people at The Register...
Quote:
Those of you who like your Russia strictly old school will be delighted to learn that president Dmitry Medvedev has suggested that those responsible for the country's lamentable performance at the Vancouver Winter Olympics would be well advised to clear their desks.
Russia clocked up three golds, five silvers and seven bronzes at the games, a result described by United Russia’s Supreme Council supremo and State Duma Speaker, Boris Gryzlov, as "a systemic failure".
Well, near as damn it. The Russian big cheese warned: "Those who were responsible for training should be responsible now. Those responsible will have to have the courage to step down."
He chillingly added that if the guilty parties were unwilling to walk the plank, "we will help them".
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
RobW wrote:
Red Leon, Pretty obvious really. If you give the money to an athlete, then they can train/compete full time. If you don't give them the money, they can't train/compete full time, as they have to have a day job to pay the bills. Therefore they cannot be as successful.
Jon.L wrote:
Red Leon...see above. More money gives more opportunity to train. More opportunity to train gives better chance of success. Do you think the nancy-boy footballers of Chelsea et-al would be able perform to the standards they do if they only trained one day per week instead of five?
Full-time vs part-time - a point I willingly conceded in my post
Plugboy,
You seem to have worked yourself into something of a frenzy over my genuine questions about how extra funding would help. I have been enlightened somewhat and am grateful to those who took the time to explain.
The bottom line is that your son has decided to take up a minority sport with considerable financial demands but few facilities and little commercial interest in his homeland. In common with many other people in many other walks of life, it seems he may not be destined to reach his potential. Had he been born an Austrian or a Swiss, he may have fared better but he wasn't - shame but there it is. I dare say there are plenty of people living in, say, sub-Saharan Africa whose chances in life would have been enhanced had they been born in Norwich.
Still, fingers crossed TJ has the talent to overcome his disadvantages and fulfill his potential. Plenty do.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Red Leon wrote:
I dare say there are plenty of people living in, say, sub-Saharan Africa whose chances in life would have been enhanced had they been born in Norwich.
Norwich? Hmmm, not sure about that one
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Red Leon, I'm not quite sure you understand the competitive nature of Olympic sports. No, not everyone skis so they can be the best in the world at it - I don't. But for us, it's a hobby. For anyone who goes to the Olympics in any sport, they do want to be the best in the world at it. This needs money for training camps, food, coaches etc to train up a broad squad. though perhaps not on useless nutritionists
True, guys like JT exist in every sport and they are, largely, funded by their parents when they are younger. Nearly all sports per ipse are - I'm deliberately not counting football because i view that as sport per entertainment, hence all the money. I agree that the way funding is allocated based more on prior form than potential is dodgy to say the least.
all I can say is, best of luck.
And everyone can help - organisations such as Sportsaid help fund young athletes, not just low-end community sport stuff.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Bode Swiller wrote:
Chemmy, on comparably very limited resources, would make it into ANY nations A team. What other non-alpine nations get as far up the leaderboard?
Australia - 2 Gold's and a Silver!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Eddd wrote:
Red Leon, I'm not quite sure you understand the competitive nature of Olympic sports. No, not everyone skis so they can be the best in the world at it - I don't. But for us, it's a hobby. For anyone who goes to the Olympics in any sport, they do want to be the best in the world at it. .
I disagree. Very few Olympic athletes - in any discipline - go there believing they have a genuine chance of victory. They are there to represent their country and do the best they can. For most, it's the pinnacle of their sporting life but they don't expect to win.
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