[bizutch]

Who's jumping ship to who??? And who's going to be the most in demand person demanding the fattest payday (although small by sports standards)...

I'm talking MTB racers in general. I just wonder who's contracts are up and whon are the most in demand riders to sign.

i.e. Gracia, Kovarik, Shephard, Green, Mconnelly (or soumthin') Pascal, Keene, Sanjay, Hill...who are the big teams gonna try to sign...and who's gonna be without a sponsor

 

[spoke80]

Anyway, i would imagine that the shuffle should begin fairly soon. Is there any news about a new NCS sponsor? I think I remember hearing something about some japanese car company coming in, either way the sport needs to step that paper up.

 

[Echo]

I cleaned up the thread. Maybe just this once someone could discuss the topic.

 

[spoke80]

I cleaned up the thread. Maybe just this once someone could discuss the topic.

All that disappearing jibber-jabber was pretty confusing, I thought I was seeing things. Thanks for the help.

 

[Echo]

I think Sanjay should ride for Kona

 

[narlus]

my precious posts. all turned to electron dust.

i think that palmer is gonna ride for v-process.

 

[spoke80]

I think Sanjay should ride for Kona

He was mind boggling at Snowshoe.

 

[dhtahoe]

Santa Cruz= same rides (except for me I'm a privateer pro)
Intense= need riders now
GT= Lopes/Sanjay (just a rumor I heard)
Iron Horse= Same Same
Giant=same
Mongoose=same
Luna=gone (contract is up)
KHS=????
Go-Ride=??? but I hope they keep the same riders... great crew!!!

 

[narlus]

what about the maxxis riders? and is kovarik still gonna race w/ intense?

 

[bizutch]

Does anybody understand who SPecialized is supposed to be sponsoring and how?
herndon's my bud and I never bother him with this cause he's never worried about it himself.

They've got about 4-5 different guys that are freeriders, but I've noticed some are "crossover" athletes like Lunn. Powell seem to have soem sort of backing from them. Now they've introduced a full on DH race bike in the Demo 8. I would expect they'd be eyeing a flagship rider to stick on it.

Also, Trek...do they "want" to win DH races...do they consider themselves competitors on the DH scene.

XC teams...are they getting smaller and smaller or what? Seems most teams aren't sporting a "team" anymore.

 

[spoke80]

Does anybody understand who SPecialized is supposed to be sponsoring and how?
herndon's my bud and I never bother him with this cause he's never worried about it himself.

They've got about 4-5 different guys that are freeriders, but I've noticed some are "crossover" athletes like Lunn. Powell seem to have soem sort of backing from them. Now they've introduced a full on DH race bike in the Demo 8. I would expect they'd be eyeing a flagship rider to stick on it.

Also, Trek...do they "want" to win DH races...do they consider themselves competitors on the DH scene.

XC teams...are they getting smaller and smaller or what? Seems most teams aren't sporting a "team" anymore.

THe smaller companies that sponsor XC teams are going to have to do something when the new UCI rule kicks in. THe advantage will diffiently go to the large teams that can maintain more than 1 xc rider.

 

[Dingus McGee]

GT= Lopes/Sanjay (just a rumor I heard)

I don't know Metal, but doesn't Lopes seem a little too straight for him?
I mean Lopes seems a bit, uh how to say, Suburban American Jock
while Metal is more,.......architectural sketchy spracker.

I suppose Sanjay could learn from lopes one season and then return the favor the next!

Sanjay should keep piloting the fiberous plank to the top baby!

Take me to the top -Crue

 

[Metal]

I think Sanjay should ride for Kona

Have you heard back from Dorion about this. Any information would be nice.

 

[Echo]

Have you heard back from Dorion about this. Any information would be nice.

I sent him an email... I'll follow up with him and see what's up.

 

[bizutch]

Have you heard back from Dorion about this. Any information would be nice.

2 quick things here bro that I want to ask you:

1. Have you thought of contacting a sports agent to get you a job? And I mean this in all seriousness. Palmer, Lopes...they have agents. You might think it's silly b/c your name isn't Kobe, but an agent can get you set up. And they do it to make themselves money....but you are the one who will reap the most rewards from it.

2. You are more or less your own brand. I don't know if you even realize it, but you're just as well known as any rider in the market right now and you deserve to cash in on it. Your marketing potential is huge for a lot of companies and it would be a shame to see you have to "privateer" it next season.

Best of luck!
Butch

 

[Metal]

2 quick things here bro that I want to ask you:

1. Have you thought of contacting a sports agent to get you a job? And I mean this in all seriousness. Palmer, Lopes...they have agents. You might think it's silly b/c your name isn't Kobe, but an agent can get you set up. And they do it to make themselves money....but you are the one who will reap the most rewards from it.

2. You are more or less your own brand. I don't know if you even realize it, but you're just as well known as any rider in the market right now and you deserve to cash in on it. Your marketing potential is huge for a lot of companies and it would be a shame to see you have to "privateer" it next season.

Best of luck!
Butch

Last summer, Firth was talking to me about getting this Skippy guy to be my contractor. Nothing really happened though. I guess he would keep 15% of whatever I made, but I assumed he would make nothing as there is no money in the industry right now.
I didn't know I was that well know. Yeah people locally know who I am and a small number of people on a couple forums know me, but I thought it didn't go much further than that.

 

[dhtahoe]

Last summer, Firth was talking to me about getting this Skippy guy to be my contractor. Nothing really happened though. I guess he would keep 15% of whatever I made, but I assumed he would make nothing as there is no money in the industry right now.
I didn't know I was that well know. Yeah people locally know who I am and a small number of people on a couple forums know me, but I thought it didn't go much further than that.

What??? what a humble dude. Your a legend before your time. I really wish more riders had your attitude, sense of humor, and overall love of the sport. You WILL be a major player in the sport if you stick with it. Tour a hella awesome rider and an even better person.

TOWN

 

[bizutch]

well, look at it in these terms. You are in the magazines, your name is on top of the results pages everywhere, you're in videos and also online.

I'm fairly certain that several companies out there would pay for your services and put you to work. But do they ALL have your name and phone #? Have you sent your race resume in, then called to follow up with the sponsorship coordinator and sent a Thank You card?

I'd be willing to bet money you can get on a team for a minimum of $10,000 with all travel and food paid. That might not sound like much, but all you'd have to spend money on is beer and panties. Now add to that money you can snag at local races(not Nats), plus selling all your gear at year's end...you've made $15-$20k of spending cash.

 

[stinky|Dan]

Metal, so HOT right now.

 

[Wumpus]

http://velonews.com/race/mtn/articles/7124.0.html

 

[ÆX]

ok sanjay. here is my offer.
ride your frame again this year,
AND!!!!!!!! i GIVE you TWO new team bcd jerseys!

wow what a deal.

 

[CTR]

i don't think you guys will be seeing CK stateside for 05

 

[bizutch]

who is CK?

 

[Curb Hucker]

who is CK?

im assuming Chris Kovarik

and yes sanjay youre too humble for your own good, you need to be on a big team, or at least have 2 bikes so you dont need to go borrowing bikes for your race run

 

[Damn True]

http://velonews.com/race/mtn/articles/7124.0.html

sad........
This sport NEEDS to find someone to develop an effective means of marketing this product. Hell, hire a marketing whiz away from NASCAR or the NBA, do SOMETHING before this sport takes its last breath.

 

[BMXman]

at the very least Sanjay could try sponsorhouse no???....D

 

[bizutch]

I noted the quote about lack of demographic information in that article. I think the problem is that people expect the demographics to come from within the industry or from USAC or NORBA. I found out demographic info on cyclists by asking the potential sponsor.

Subaru can tell you what the activities of their customers are and what proportion list cycling. Land Rover tried to give us money one year because they found out that of their clients, 85% listed cycling as their #1 activity....I won't go into the stupid reason it didn't happen.

But, the article was correct in regards to demographics of those consumers who actually own a mountain bike. It is tough info to find. But the stats are out there. I think the biggest issue is that mountain biking still to this day is marketed as a grown-up sport. Kids....are the key to getting advertising. If you can show sponsors how kids are actively involved in mountain biking, they come running.

 

[Metal]

ok sanjay. here is my offer.
ride your frame again this year,
AND!!!!!!!! i GIVE you TWO new team bcd jerseys!

wow what a deal.

Alex,

You know, if I don't get signed up with some team for next year, I will be racing my BCD next year.

 

[Greyhound]

Kids....are the key to getting advertising. If you can show sponsors how kids are actively involved in mountain biking, they come running.

That's a very good point, B. But, what you gotta ask is "Why would kids get involved in mountain biking?" I know that sounds a bit askew, but if a kid can plunk down $400 for a great BMX bike, why would he need to go mountain biking? All kids want to do with a bike is dirt jump like TJ Lavin and flip like Mirra. Why would they want a $4000 DH bike when the same $$ buys a MX bike they can do nac-nac's on like Pastrana? The X-games have laid to waste many forms of competitive mountain biking.......if ONLY they could have stuck Lopes, King, Bootes, Peat, etc on that stupid DH BMX course, then we would have seen the spike in the numbers you're looking for. I know I'm stating the obvious, here......but HOW can the sport bring in new riders is definately the question of the year.

 

[bizutch]

I think anyone who's watched the video of Crankworks has seen what part of our sport will wind up on the X-Games if any. That wreaks of X-Games more than anything we've seen to date. Now whether any of the riders will be in 1 piece come time for the finals....

 

[Greyhound]

Oh man...you hit the nail on the head, there! That's one of the first things out of my mouth when I saw the footage. But....at least it pushes our sport to an area that BMX can't really touch, and that's a good thing, I think. But, if that's something that opens the door for the new-school, I'm all for it. I don't want to see anything in our sport die(except for maybe banana-hammocks in spandex). This is a good section of this thread........it would be good to hear some serious brainstorms on how to reach better numbers.

 

[CTR]

That's a very good point, B. But, what you gotta ask is "Why would kids get involved in mountain biking?" I know that sounds a bit askew, but if a kid can plunk down $400 for a great BMX bike, why would he need to go mountain biking? All kids want to do with a bike is dirt jump like TJ Lavin and flip like Mirra. Why would they want a $4000 DH bike when the same $$ buys a MX bike they can do nac-nac's on like Pastrana? The X-games have laid to waste many forms of competitive mountain biking.......if ONLY they could have stuck Lopes, King, Bootes, Peat, etc on that stupid DH BMX course, then we would have seen the spike in the numbers you're looking for. I know I'm stating the obvious, here......but HOW can the sport bring in new riders is definately the question of the year.

just on that note, DH BMX has been booted by ESPN (as has flatland) off the X-Games, it just didn't rate well enough apperantly.

 

[stiksandstones]

Couple notes..
-I am trying like hell to get Sanjay on GT...its hard when office jockeys dont listen.

-Lopes has never had a sports agent

-Speaking of X games and BMX, its soooo hard to sell MTB this year. On March 22, 2004 NBC Sports and Clear Channel Entertainment announced their plans to launch a new Action Sports Tour in 2005. The tour will include a NASCAR-like points system and year-end champions will be crowned in several action sports including skateboarding, stunt bike, motocross, and in some locations, inline skating and surfing.

The five-city tour is part of NBC's strategy of bypassing major sports leagues in favor of alternative events that don't require large rights fees. "Action sports, which burst on the scene in the last five to seven years, have been growing in popularity and participation," says Jon Miller, senior vice president of programming for NBC, which will own and operate the tour with Clear Channel. Mr. Miller also noted, "Sponsorship of actions sports events like the X Games and BMX reached $80 million last year, and the same time, action sports haven't become TOO popular. One thing that makes action sports popular with advertisers is they do not have to pay enormous premiums that go to contracts and bonus money for many other top sports."

Clear Channel Entertainment will run the tour events and the NBC Sports will produce and live broadcasts during the April-to-October season. The events are also expect3d to be broadcast on a cable outlet that has not yet been selected..

The Action Sports Tour will start in April of 2005 and run through October.

So it makes sense to get a whole fleet of dirt vert guys for your brand, get live TV coverage, give em a shot at making HUGE prize money. WHen asked to include MTB in this new series they laughed, because they saw past TV coverage of MTB. So we have a huge multi million dollar deal with HYUNDAI and they get wind of this NBC stuff and thats all the exposure they want/need. HYUNDAI still loves what we give them from MTB (GT/HYUNDAI and Mongoose/HYUNDAI) but this bmx stuff is perfect. I beleive I heard $50,000 to each winnner, of each sport, each weekend!

Out

 

[bizutch]

good point stik...but we just need to stay positive on it. It will work at some point. THe format of Crankwerx and Monster Park are what I see being the most viable events that may hit the major markets on TV as exciting and grab peoples eye. Events like Rampage won't do it I think just because the size and scale of the action is not presentable on TV.

Take into consideration that Canadian Drop-In TV didn't exist 5 years ago...but it's out now. We didn't have ddownhill/freeride parks at major mountains until the last 2-3 years. These indicate a huge increase in participation in our style of riding nad most importantly, a place to ride consistently. One would have to assume it indicates growth. The resorts wouldn't do it otherwise. A downhill & freeride park would have fell flat on it's face 4 years ago.

In regards to Crankwerx separating our tricks,etc from BMX'ers....I thought so at first. But I was watching Paul B. do that tailwhip off the scaffolding at Crankwerx and within a few days, a guy throws one off the drop down start ramp of the X-Games. I thought to myself....well...they got that one too....

My firm belief is that downhill is the best overall bet for TV. Having seen the coverage of the Worlds on the net....I have new hope for it. All it takes is the right camera crew to put us up there with downhill skiing. But it will definitely take a European film company to bring the intensity and excitement to the TV.

One day, you'll be eating at Applebee's and on the big screen will be the finals of Worlds.....

 

[dhtahoe]

Yeah if all the corruption comes to an end, and WE quit letting whorba line their pockets with our money.

 

[ÆX]

Yeah if all the corruption comes to an end, and WE quit letting whorba line their pockets with our money.

all the freeride events that are good for tv don't involve snnnorba.

the dh shouldn't either! we will get it to Ski racing caliber better on our own.!

 

[neversummersnow]

back to the old debate where we all recogonize these problems that the mid-nintees created but nobody is quite sure how to fix them...maybe we should start thinking more in terms of 10-15 years instead of TOMMOROW

And by the "problems the mid-nintees created" I mean all the coverage the sport got when it clearly WASN'T ready for it. I think we can all agree its a new sport today....