#46
|
||||
|
||||
I did donate and probably will do more when I can.
As she stated, she was contracted through the end of this season. Things clearly went south. She, and others have been working to try and build a workable situation with no luck. If you have that kind of experience, I would think you would be a bit more understanding. She is a very driven individual but few women in the current US CX scene can beat her when she is in form and none have the same success at Worlds. And yes, she is a friend so I am a little defensive when folks take shots at her. BK
__________________
HED Wheel afficianado Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter. |
#47
|
||||
|
||||
On my list of donating priorities a sportsperson would be very, very close to the bottom. But that's just me. If they want to pursue their chosen sport then let them pay for it - whatever it is.
|
#48
|
||||
|
||||
The "market" was and never will be a vacuum and the action of the invisible hand is blocked by structures, obviously. Some of these structures are old, some newer. Most of these structures are part of the culture and are hard to change because they represent real preferences and/or some truth about reality.
It seems likely to me that equally paid female cyclists participating in equally elaborate races with equal press exposure would get more attention. It also seems to me that the same thing could be said for almost any other group, senior citizen tour de france, special tour de france, displaced people tour de france, people of color tour de france, tour de france for the not especially athletic (possibly the best reality show ever?), transgender tour de france, tour de france for the veterans, etc. Any group you care to identify could benefit from a hi paying cycling career with worldwide TV coverage. The question to me is not if it would be possible to make something more popular but why do it and who decides. I would prefer a route that avoids tyranny, perhaps we could distribute the decision making to the people? Every single one of us can decide by supporting a sport or cause that we like or believe in with whatever attention we can give it. That support can build over time into real change. Would I like to have access to more bike racing, Yes. Would I like more/easier access to female bicycle racing, Yes. Do I think that means the current level of sponsorship and support for female racing is wrong or unjust, No. (possibly in state sponsored efforts or in cases of direct and overt sexism) If I thought that everything that I wanted but was difficult to access was part of some larger conspiracy of injustice............ I would be really grumpy. I actually think the most fair thing would just be for Women to compete with Men. Would that not be the most equal? If equality is the real goal here than just go for a level playing field. Equality of opportunity not equality of outcome (we are supposed to believe in equality of opportunity - communists believe in equality of outcome). If equality of outcome is the goal we would have to pay anyone who claimed to be a bicycle racer the same amount and then force people to watch the races while making sure that everyone wins in every race an equal amount. Sounds like an exaggeration but it is the logical conclusion to that line of thinking. Is it unfair that women and men have different physiques and are inherently unequal when competing in physical sports? Is it unfair that people enjoy watching one thing rather than another? I don't see how one can answer yes or no to these questions, even if we could decide, who do we send the complaint to? In the end sponsors pay the bills, they pay for what people watch. What people watch is a product of history, billions of peoples decisions and desires. It is easy to point out all the faults in history and society, really easy. What I am saying is the structures that are unfair are also the very structure of reality itself. If we want to make a change then it is up to us to do so directly by changing our own actions. P.S. If the female 50% percent demanded female cycling they would get it. Saying they would demand it if they already had access to it and grown to like it and thus should be provided with it based on this presumption is a little too Nostradamus for me. Rant over Quote:
__________________
please don't take anything I say personally, I am an idiot. |
#49
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
1. I think you will see much more equality (i.e., other women's national teams reach equality with the USWNT) and that is a great thing. Historically the USWNT leverage the women's college talent pool but other countries lacked any women's soccer infrastructure. that is changing. As a result, the overall level of women's soccer will improve & the matches will become far more competitive. That is a good thing. But you won't see the USWNT dominate as much as in years past. Again that is a good thing. 2. The men's game is far more mature & developed. The USMNT is undoubtedly on an upward arc as it starts to catch up to the rest of the world. To compare results between the USMNT & USWNT is a bit unfair. The depth & level of play is so different. 3. The latest women's cup last summer WAS played on turf. But that was because Canada stepped in when no one else did to host it. there was a distinct lack of interest in hosting the Women's world cup. same cannot be said for the men's side, where millions of dollars in bribes flow like water. Both FIFA's men's & women's games have significant issues -- they just differ greatly in what their issues are. Just my 2 cents.
__________________
Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo. - Ovid |
#50
|
|||
|
|||
Mani
The truth is that racing in the US is on life support- Road, cross, track, mtb- men, women, whatever.
So finding a sponsor during this time is really tough- especially sponsors within the bike industry. Quote:
|
#51
|
|||
|
|||
Not to be a smarta$$, but this really means nothing in the scheme of things as the ability to pedal a bike well does not translate to financial success or stability. Unfortunate but true, quickest route to being a barista. Taking the money from the crowd funding and taking golf lessons would be a much better investment. Or go back to school, acquire a skill for a flexible job that pays well...then go race. Unfortunately...that's the market. It blows but that's the way it is. Mens cycling of any discipline might be a half a step behind it.
On the other side of the coin (from another niche sport), Dean Wilson rode MX for Red Bull KTM in 2015/2016, got hurt a bunch and was cut at the end of last season and was cut...unemployment. The dude is a hammer and a proven winner. For 2017 he invested is himself, trained, surfed couches, borrowed a year old bike and showed up at the first several supercrosses in a beat up van with a few friends to help him out. We're talking Privateer Island. He managed some great finishes and after a few months he is now Jason Anderson's teammate and riding a factory Husky after somebody was moved on. He's rolling better than ever and if you asked him he would probably tell you that the entire experience made him more focused and appreciative of his situation. He's also been know to rock a mtb pretty hard in his spare time http://www.vitalmx.com/features/Trai...an-Wilson,5279 |
#52
|
||||
|
||||
I think this is as much of the reason as anything. 'Bike racing' in the US is really struggling, in spite of the 'crowds'(non paying) you might see on TV.
__________________
Chisholm's Custom Wheels Qui Si Parla Campagnolo |
#53
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
If you don't want to read it all, the sums things up; Quote:
Quote:
However, you're correct that it's very hard to watch any women's races. Some of the races in Holland and Belgium are shown live but Twitter updates are the norm for "watching" for the most part. The Giro Rosa for instance wasn't live, though it did have videos from multiple sources which were put out a few hours after the finish.
__________________
"I am just a blacksmith" - Dario Pegoretti
|
#54
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
This should have shut down the thread. This is what it comes down to. I want to find a way to talk about the fact that America's most talented cyclocrosser has actually sat out the last couple of seasons and that its very likely that the process of doing the sponsorship bit and finding a team and having to commit may have played a role in that. But if you know who that is, you probably know what Im talking about, and it needs no further discussion and is slightly speculative on my part. Also, I think Caroline is awesome, but as others have said, when you have kids dying every day in Syria, water that's undrinkable in American cities, or homeless families on the street, this isn't something I can wrap my head around donating to. |
#55
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
__________________
"I am just a blacksmith" - Dario Pegoretti
|
#56
|
|||
|
|||
I think Cam Dodge has/d the potential to be a World Championship contender.
Your point is well taken though. Katie is definitely to date the best American Cyclocrosser ever. And it aint close. |
#58
|
||||
|
||||
I would also bet that being the French National Chsmpion would carry more weight in Europe than the US.
BK
__________________
HED Wheel afficianado Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter. |
#60
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
So how much money does it take to run a small cross team per season? I think House/RS are regional focused, and Caroline wants to run US Series, defend French National jersey and go to Worlds. Unless some cyclocross brand is willing to ante up, I don't see how this would work. |
|
|