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"Economy hinders athletes training for '10 Winter Olympics"



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 20th 09, 10:19 PM posted to rec.skiing.alpine,rec.skiing.nordic
Mike
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Default "Economy hinders athletes training for '10 Winter Olympics"

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Economy hinders athletes training for '10 Winter Olympics

Casey Puckett is 37 years old and has two children, including a
daughter with severe lung problems. His brother, a financial planner
at the investment firm Edward Jones, offered to help find him a cushy
job with the company.

But Puckett's medium-length beard and sun-worn face suggest where his
heart and ambition lie — out on the slopes, not behind a desk.

The four-time Olympian isn't ready to give up his pursuit of gold as a
member of the U.S. Ski Team despite a tough economy that has cut his
prize and endorsement money and made it more difficult to balance the
financial demands of raising a family and pursuing his dreams.

"At this point, a 9-5 office job wouldnt really fit," Puckett said.
"It's a great honor when you're named to an Olympic team. I don't
know, maybe I'm addicted to it. I love the lifestyle."

Puckett isn't alone. As the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver approach,
athletes are finding that the stress of full-time training now comes
with the added worry of depleted bank accounts in hard economic times.

Puckett left competitive skiing after the 2002 Winter Games in Salt
Lake City to coach. He now is trying his hand at ski cross, a
fledgling sport that features skiers racing side by side on a
serpentine track.

Puckett is one of the best in the world at the sport, but he's hardly
a wealthy man.

Most athletes receive stipends of just a few hundred dollars a month
from the United States Olympic Committee. Puckett's multiyear
sponsorship agreements with Visa, Universal Sports and others will
carry him through the Games that begin in Vancouver on Feb. 12, but
those deals barely cover his training costs.

Puckett tried coaching on the side to earn more money, but those jobs
are difficult to fit into a schedule that already includes
competitions and high-level training.

And the economic downturn has taken away much-needed extra income that
athletes once used to make ends meet.

Skiers, for example, had been able to earn prize money at pro tour
events, but that source of additional cash disappeared as hurting
companies dropped support for the tours.

That development produced yet another financial ripple: The decline in
the number of tour events led to a drop in sponsorship cash for
individual athletes.

"We had all these pro events, and now they're nonexistent," Puckett
said. "They went away. That was another source of racing, training and
income. To lose that was not only difficult because of losing the
prize money and the experience, but some of my sponsors counted on
that for TV exposure. So I got cut back by some of my sponsors."

Athletes in sports ranging from speedskating to curling all have
learned to do more with less and to find new ways to support their
Olympic dreams.

Getting creative

Shannon Bahrke turned to coffee.

The pink-haired mogul skier from Tahoe City, Calif., already was a
connoisseur of the java bean when, after being sidelined with an
injury, she put together a business plan for "Silver Bean Coffee" to
sell her own blends as a way to generate income for her and her
teammates.

Bahrke offers ski-themed coffees with names like "Powder" and "Velvety
Groomer." And for every bag of "athlete blend" she sells, $1 goes to
an Olympic athlete and the charity of the customer's choice — money
that will come in handy for skiers who, like Bahrke, find themselves
paying for part of their training out of pocket.

Bahrke says she's spent about $20,000 of her own money to train this
year.

"People think that you must live in this huge house and drive this and
Im like, Oh, you funny little thing,'" said Bahrke, a silver medalist
at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. "I think as the economy
has gotten hard, we're kind of the first thing that companies let go.
It's like, 'We're cutting employees, why am I paying her to represent
our product?' So that makes it really tough."

Teammate Michelle Roark, who won the U.S. Championships in moguls
earlier this year, tapped similar entrepreneurial ambitions as a means
to help make ends meet.

Using her degree in chemical engineering, she opened Phi-nomenal, a
company featuring all-natural perfumes and colognes. She offers a
perfume named "for Real" and others called "for Focus," "for
Confidence" and "for Balance." Roark also has branched out to sell
specially branded skis for women.

"I was always looking for a way to support my lifestyle," Roark said.
"I was looking for something that could help me afford the lifestyle I
love, keep pursuing this dream and this passion I have with moguls
skiing."

Neither business has generated much income as yet.

"I'm working two jobs, and I have to pay for them," Bahrke said of
skiing and her coffee enterprise. "Hopefully, they'll both turn into
paying jobs, and then I'll be all set."

Both women said they hope to use their businesses to support Olympic
athletes, even after they are done competing.

"Something we both have in common is wanting to leave a legacy,"
Bahrke said. "I want to carry my company into the future and support
the same programs that got me this far. If I can support athletes and
their Olympic dreams — that's a legacy I'd love to leave."

Sho Kashima was among the athletes who lost a job and was left
scrambling when recession hit.

Kashima, also a moguls skier, once supported his training by working
at Home Depot through a program that gave Olympians full-time jobs
with flexible hours that allowed them to train. That program — and
Kashima's job — were eliminated when Home Depot pulled its USOC
sponsorship.

"I went to a few camps just to make a little extra cash just to get
through this season," Kashima said. "The USOC helps out a little to
begin with and my personal sponsors Im hoping will kick down a few
bucks and maybe some incentives for performance and TV time."

U.S. Speedskating was sent reeling in October when Dutch Bank DSB went
bankrupt, voiding a sponsorship and leaving the team with a $300,000
budget deficit.

The team found short-term relief in the most unlikely of places:
Comedian Stephen Colbert used his satirical news program, "The Colbert
Report," to raise money and close the gap. Still, the team's long-term
financial situation remains gloomy.

"The Colbert Report is a nice plug for this year, but it's not the
same as having a sponsor that's on board for four years," U.S.
Speedskating President Brad Goskowicz said. "After these games, we'll
be in the first year of the next quadrennium, and everyone's eyes will
turn elsewhere. It will be a lot more difficult to get sponsorships
after these closing ceremonies are done — our worries will begin
again."

Corporate pullback

The stirring buzz that surrounded the Summer Games in Beijing last
year quickly was tempered by the collapse of the world economy.

By year's end, many companies that once supported the Olympics were
struggling. Some declared bankruptcy. Others were unable to justify
sponsorship spending to their shareholders.

Bank of America, Home Depot and Kellogg's ended their support of the
USOC this year. Kodak and Johnson & Johnson declined to renew long-
term sponsorships of the International Olympic Committee.

But USOC officials were determined to find a way to increase funding
to athletes despite the lost tens of millions of dollars in support.

They slashed budgets at USOC headquarters, cutting back on travel and
administrative costs and laying off more than 50 workers.

As a result, the USOC managed to boost funds to its national governing
bodies (NGBs) from $11.1 million during the 2006 Torino Games to $16.5
million for Vancouver.

"Todays economy has made it very difficult for our athletes and NGBs
to maintain consistency and continuity of their programs," acting USOC
CEO Stephanie Streeter said at the time. "We believe this funding is
essential in supporting our teams and helping our NGBs prepare their
athletes and on the ground in Vancouver next winter.

USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky pointed to new sponsorships with
Procter and Gamble and renewals with Deloitte and Touche and AT&T as
positive signs for Vancouver. Terms of those deals were not disclosed,
but the values typically range between $10 million and $25 million,
depending on the level of sponsorship.

We are pleased with the success the USOC has seen on the sponsorship
front heading into the 2010 Vancouver Games, especially in light of
todays economic challenges, he said.

Marketers said the public perception about sports sponsorships has
improved since last year, when members of Congress questioned whether
sporting events were a wise use of corporate dollars during the
recession. But the recovery might be coming too late for Vancouver.

"The problem that exists is that budgets have been spoken for for '09
and there was some uncertainty for the early part of 2010," said David
Carter, principal of the Los Angeles-based Sports Business Group. "So
it may be hard for these companies to be agile enough to take
advantage. Some of it is a timing gap that will play into this."

What's more, Carter said, many companies already are setting their
sights on the 2012 Summer Games in London, which are expected to
receive far more publicity.

"The Olympics are a little bit tough this time around, sandwiched in
between Beijing and London," he said. "It almost appears you're
reading more about London than Vancouver."

Getting by

The ability of the USOC to boost its support of athletes for Vancouver
has, at the very least, kept top athletes on track to perform well in
February. And in recent months the USOC has been able to replenish
some of its coffers with the Procter & Gamble, Deloitte and Touche and
AT&T deals.

"The Olympics still persevere and people still care," Carter said.
"There's still something very special about them, and I think that
gives corporations a fair amount of cover. I think they like the
branding halo of the games and can make a very strong case for being
there."

Carter said the Procter and Gamble deal was a big one for the USOC
because of the number of commonly used products that make for a
sensible fit with athletes.

Under the terms of the Procter and Gamble deal, several athletes
including speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, skier Lindsey Vonn and
bobsledder Vonetta Flowers, will appear in commercials for everything
from cough drops to deodorant.

"They're a great, red meat American company," Carter said.

Sandusky said companies have been aggressive in promoting their ties
to the Olympics since the 100-day countdown began in November.

"I have several sponsors right now and am very thankful for that,"
said short track skater J.R. Celski, who has support from Crest,
McDonald's and 24 Hour Fitness, among others. "The support we get from
these guys is tremendous. It really helps, it honestly does, because
Olympic athletes really have a hard time getting by."

Not that any athlete would ever make excuses.

"It's never easy," aerial skier Ryan St. Onge said. "It's never, 'This
is what I want to do and here's what we'll pay you to do it.' I think
in sports, it goes from different levels of going from hard to harder,
and people that can find a way do find a way."
Ads
  #2  
Old December 21st 09, 03:57 PM posted to rec.skiing.nordic
Ben Kaufman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 54
Default "Economy hinders athletes training for '10 Winter Olympics"

On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:19:57 -0800 (PST), Mike wrote:

SNIP
Casey Puckett is 37 years old and has two children, including a
daughter with severe lung problems. His brother, a financial planner
at the investment firm Edward Jones, offered to help find him a cushy
job with the company.

SNIP

Lovely, now his brother may be screwed at work. (no good deed goes unpunished)
:-)

Ben
  #3  
Old December 21st 09, 04:23 PM posted to rec.skiing.alpine,rec.skiing.nordic
jeff potter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 191
Default "Economy hinders athletes training for '10 Winter Olympics"

It sounds like dealing in cattle to buy your shoelaces.

Maybe athletes lost something when they broke the "silly" amateur /
pro dividing lines that existed until the early 80's. It seemed like
snobby, archaic rules were keeping athletes away from the (easy?)
money they needed.

Be careful what you wish for!

Maybe Western sport should've been left in its class-based condition,
letting the fancy lads have their fun -- and letting them get mopped
up by the Commies.

The converse is to democratize sport, letting "regular" people go for
the money -- throwing them into the hilarity of juggling dozens of
contracts which aren't very reliable in the end.

It's amazing to consider a mogul skier trying to invent two
businesses, paying to launch them, so that maybe in the end she can
run a business and make enough money so that she can be rich enough to
ski race. We're back to where we started! Ya gotta be rich to ski
race. In the day of the amateur athlete if they came from money we
just let the person ski. Now they have to create their own wealth
first! And of course that's a well-known 1-in-10 proposition. We
might've been as likely to get good skiers who can fund themselves or
put together their own financial structures from the pieces of dozens
of funding opportunities as we were to get good skiers out of the
already-wealthy amateur system.

Maybe this is why there's a market for agents. But do agents spend
much time representing minor sports? I suspect it's never easy for the
little guy. Such an athlete would have to do most of the work setting
up the situation and structure. Oh well, at least they have a chance,
of sorts.

Both old and new approaches seem to take a bit of sports-ability out
of the game and replace it with other skills or conditions.

That's part of the drama, I suppose.

Can the Home Depot employee come out on top? Can the coffee pitchman
prevail? Or, maybe it'll be a perfume-making, coffee-roasting, Home
Depot employee who is finally able to buy enough food, airfare and
coaching to put together a winning combination.

It might end up making a government/academic-sponsored situation --
that is, a Commie system -- look like the next sweet thing to pine
over. Then we'll have the double circle completed!

Then again maybe sports (even ski-cross! ...even moguls!) should be
part-time after all. Maybe hobby level is where they belong and there
are more important things to do with the bulk of anyone's day...

We'd find that out quick-like if ad expenses ever became taxable...

--JP
  #4  
Old December 22nd 09, 09:24 PM
Jan Gerrit Klok Jan Gerrit Klok is offline
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Default

US only vids :-(

I know for a fact it's not easy to make it to the top of the sport you like. Even if the body doesn't put much in the way of success.
I've been blessed, until 2003 at least, with prime health and a body built for one thing : speed endurance. Between 5 and 45 minutes of it, preferably. Without real help from coaches (one year) or or sponsors (one year, my employer, got me a slow bike and ungly outfit and nothing else) I did win my humble share of races and competitions, in the country also housing Olympic and World champs in all bike sports I tried.
Now, going less mainstream with XC Skiing (2003 health turn : summer allergies bringing me disastrous asthma) I notice how much of an uphill struggle ir really is.
Right this moment, I am contemplating where I should click "submit" to buy me a EUR1000 one-week skiing trip anywhere, or just stay at home bummed, but with 1000 in the pocket I really can use very well for security. I may be clumsy as hell and old as a steam train, but I have an ambition, and I am noticing how hard it is. Self-motivation seems to be the key driver to suggest. Yes, wealth helps. Some people can pretty much NOT have a job, and hang off the back of world cup fields. I have no idea how to fund such a life style. Hanging off the back of that field is not the hard part, trust me. I've done that. The hard part is to be able to consistently persue your sport and do the best imaginable, within reason, to get better. And then to buy the ticket to the next race, and proper hotel, with your wax man/coach/driver.
Skiing is elitist to all but a few lucky ones who were born on a ski bully, whether we like that ot not.
Make me think of Shany Davos for some reason. He grew up in a Chicago 'hood I seem to remember, where all his (black) buddies did short track skating. Only at a big state tournament he saw white folks on ice skate. "What, white folks also skate?". No way the guy would have gotten into the sport, having been a fast runner with interest in ice, coming from the outside. And he clearly is a genetical freak.
So, starting them young is great. If a kid loves a sport having tried it, and is fast to boot, help them out a bit. And for the kids that are fast at something else, help them out as well. I'm born in one of the richest countries of the world, and I always wanted to do competitive sports. But somehow, I had to self-fund it all my life. Bought my own bikes, club memberships, everything. Even a country with Olympic champs, has a hard time getting freaks like myself to enter clubs.
Maybe the strange US school sports system is better for this. I hate the scholarship thing though, that's not of this world. Want to go to school - get good grades first, look for sports options later.

Rant out.
 




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