The E3 organisers clearly tried to compensate with their cowgirl inspired launch.
Cycling thread
- Thread starter Bruce Wayne
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The E3 organisers clearly tried to compensate with their cowgirl inspired launch.
Armel
Player Valuation: £15m
Are you referring to this years poster because that's Tom Boonen on a bike (well not the real one since he wasn't available but an imitator).
Originally they were going with something else but because of #metoo they didn't went through with it.
Are you referring to this years poster because that's Tom Boonen on a bike (well not the real one since he wasn't available but an imitator).
Originally they were going with something else but because of #metoo they didn't went through with it.
Thinking more this
Armel
Player Valuation: £15m
Okay had not seen that. Quite weird after they ended up changing this years poster because it would lead to controversy. The E3 organisers are really weird. *sigh* Probably to be expected though, they call Harelbeke the Texas of Flanders because it's full of weird, rich, backwards people.
I mean why would you do that. The banner's over the top but hey let's use strippers seems like an okay alternative -strange train of thought.
Aye, it is odd, but 'shocking' promo has kinda become their thing hasn't it?
Armel
Player Valuation: £15m
Yes I suppose. Works to a certain extent, if you were able to read about the controversy in foreign press.
Whilst they're a popular team to hate, with Lotto pulling out and Astana rumoured to be following them, I'm not sure Sky leaving would be that good for the sport.
Armel
Player Valuation: £15m
Lotto is no problem; they just made way for Jumbo (second biggest supermarket chain in the Netherlands). Astana is weird; apparently they are only paying the riders atm.
Maybe it's good, they could revisit the revenue model in cycling. Less dependent on sponsors. Don't think it will happen though.
Comparison between Ajax and Sky:
Lotto is no problem; they just made way for Jumbo (second biggest supermarket chain in the Netherlands). Astana is weird; apparently they are only paying the riders atm.
Maybe it's good, they could revisit the revenue model in cycling. Less dependent on sponsors. Don't think it will happen though.
Comparison between Ajax and Sky:
My worry with a reduction in sponsorship as a source of revenue is whether it would fundamentally change the nature of the sport? We already have the VIP area in the key part of Flanders. Might a drive for revenue encourage them to shut off the key climb of the day and charge entry? Might they look to commercialise the coverage more so it's less freely available on some of the more accessible TV channels?
One of the beautiful things about the sport is just how accessible it is to the average fan. It'd be a shame to lose that.
Armel
Player Valuation: £15m
Yes that's a valid objection. The sport should remain accessible, it's one of the main selling points. There can be no compromising on this.
It's just that every time a sponsor leaves there are loads of personal dramas. For the lesser talented riders, and the staff. The teams should be able to get a somewhat bigger part of the cake; ASO (and others) makes millions but only very small fractions go to the riders who deliver the spectacle. On top of that it keeps getting more expensive... I was very displeased when Sporza lost the rights to broadcast the Giro. I don't want things like that happening; I just think there should be a somewhat fairer way. I get angry when I see commercial breaks on Eurosports during a race. It completely ruins the whole experience.
Black Belt Jones
Player Valuation: £25m
Wouldn't be too bothered if Sky folded tomorrow, but I don't think it would change GT racing all that much. They perfected the team seige tactics that have dominated the TdF, that many people dislike, but the old time ding-dong racing was dead and buried long before Sky ever showed up.
Would obv support any shift in team financing that rewards riders more as Armel says above - obv the top dogs are amply renumerated but it's built on the peleton of very talented, very hard men who probably don't get paid all that much for elite athletes in a popular sport.
Would obv support any shift in team financing that rewards riders more as Armel says above - obv the top dogs are amply renumerated but it's built on the peleton of very talented, very hard men who probably don't get paid all that much for elite athletes in a popular sport.
Black Belt Jones
Player Valuation: £25m
Strade Bianche tomorrow - conditions potentially horrendous with melting snow and ice on the gravel so will be a war of attrition. Right up Wout van Aert's street, but obv asking a lot to mix it with the likes of GvA, Kwiat and Sagan after the CX season - would be nice to see him involved though. Stybar quite heavily fancied by the odds-makers.
Armel
Player Valuation: £15m
Top 10 would be an incredible achievement. His tactics need some work though; he kind of ruined it in the Omloop. He later admitted it in the aftershow on Sporza.
Yeah I also think Stybi won't be far from first place.