Cannondale-Drapac will honor 2018 contracts

[malbecman]

Good news, hopefully something more long-term will pan out:

http://www.velonews.com/2017/09/news/breaking-cannondale-drapac-will-honor-2018-rider-contracts_447600

[MattTuck]

If it turns out to be Heinz, I am going to laugh... whoever suggested that the other day.


I do hope they are able to post a strong showing in the classics next year.

When I heard they were having issues, I started doing a bit more reading about Axeon Hagens Berman... I have to say, that seems like a team mission more deserving of a crowd funding campaign.

[peanutgallery]

"As of right now, I am informing you that if you have a contract with Slipstream Sports for 2018, we are enforcing your contract. More to come," Vaughters said in the email, according to VeloNews.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-cannondale-drapac-tells-riders-it-will-enforce-2018-contracts/

Sounds a bit more like bluster and a pay cut to me, but I'm a cynic

[Bruce K]

Bluster it may be but a contract is s contract.

Vaughters either has to close shop or pay them what they are owed.

BK

[peanutgallery]

Didn't he basically release them a week or so ago? Hard to put the genie back in the bottle. Love to see this one on Judge Judy or something

Bluster it may be but a contract is s contract.

Vaughters either has to close shop or pay them what they are owed.

BK

[Macadamia]

Europe has all these home/appliance companies like Soudal, Bora, Hansgrohe, Quickstep. Why not an American home supply company? Yellawood-Cannondale? Home Depot-Drapac?

[BdaGhisallo]

Do Yellawood or Home Depot have stores in Europe where they could benefit from the publicity the team would generate? The vast majority of the media exposure would surely come in markets they don't operate in.

[oldpotatoe]

Do Yellawood or Home Depot have stores in Europe where they could benefit from the publicity the team would generate? The vast majority of the media exposure would surely come in markets they don't operate in.

US Postal?? Ha ha, just kidding...

[Alan]

My $100 pushed this over the top. Seriously this is good for US cycling. Garmin/Cannondale/Drapac has the most US riders etc. Pro cycling is not a fun nor easy business especially for US audiences.

This year they have done a much better job showing in races and winning along with TV time.

[FriarQuade]

Europe has all these home/appliance companies like Soudal, Bora, Hansgrohe, Quickstep. Why not an American home supply company? Yellawood-Cannondale? Home Depot-Drapac?

The ROI on cycling sponsorship is a hard sell for American companies. You basically need somebody with enough pull at a company to be a super fan and convince their board that it's worth spending millions to sponsor a top level team in a meaningful way.

[oldpotatoe]

New sponsor for 2018

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/09/cannondale-drapac-announces-ef-education-first-2018-title-sponsor/

[GonaSovereign]

Yep, that's a win for Vaughters/Slipstream.
I worked for EF many years ago, and at that time the company's cash was invested in sponsoring big time sailing. Cycling should be a bargain in comparison.
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/dec-1997-team-ef-education-and-language-sail-testing-during-the-picture-id1921288?s=612x612
http://mediakey1.ef.com/~/media/centralefcom/about-us/history/events/1998/01.jpg

[Climb01742]

Nice twist that an avid amateur cyclist like John Kerry brought the folks together.

[MattTuck]

Glad they got the money. I hope the sponsorship works well, though I dislike the name EF Education First. Would be like calling a team IBM International Business Machines.

We'll see what the commentators really call it.

[GonaSovereign]

Glad they got the money. I hope the sponsorship works well, though I dislike the name EF Education First. Would be like calling a team IBM International Business Machines.

We'll see what the commentators really call it.
They could use the Swedish name. EF stands for engelsk ferienbad or something like that. Make those commentators earn their pay.

(All the then 20-somethings who worked there know EF also stood for something else that can't be repeated on air, reflecting the fun working environment. Those were good times.)

[old fat man]

They could use the Swedish name. EF stands for engelsk ferienbad or something like that. Make those commentators earn their pay.

(All the then 20-somethings who worked there know EF also stood for something else that can't be repeated on air, reflecting the fun working environment. Those were good times.)

When did you work there? I worked there in 2002-4. Empty promises, ****ty pay, and boring work. Only good thing I got there was my wife.

[mistermo]

The ROI on cycling sponsorship is a hard sell for American companies. You basically need somebody with enough pull at a company to be a super fan and convince their board that it's worth spending millions to sponsor a top level team in a meaningful way.

This is a very well explained article on the merits of pro cycling sponsorship for US companies.

Pro cycling is the best sponsorship deal in sports that brands are missing out on. (http://www.businessinsider.com/pro-cycling-best-deal-in-sports-sponsorship-2017-5)

SNIP>>
"The increasingly participatory nature of millennials and the democratization of sports viewing have the potential to reward forward-thinking companies. Consider, for instance, that there are more events than ever before available through live streams.

Traditional team sports do not have the same appeal to millennials that they did to older generations; millennials want to participate in sports and their orbiting cultures, not simply sit in recliners with their remotes and consume them. This tech-savvy generation is finding ways around traditional broadcasting avenues, streaming huge amounts of content, sports included.

Considering all that, is there a riper fruit for the picking than pro cycling?"

[GregL]

This is a very well explained article on the merits of pro cycling sponsorship for US companies.

Pro cycling is the best sponsorship deal in sports that brands are missing out on. (http://www.businessinsider.com/pro-cycling-best-deal-in-sports-sponsorship-2017-5)

SNIP>>
"The increasingly participatory nature of millennials and the democratization of sports viewing have the potential to reward forward-thinking companies. Consider, for instance, that there are more events than ever before available through live streams.

Traditional team sports do not have the same appeal to millennials that they did to older generations; millennials want to participate in sports and their orbiting cultures, not simply sit in recliners with their remotes and consume them. This tech-savvy generation is finding ways around traditional broadcasting avenues, streaming huge amounts of content, sports included.

Considering all that, is there a riper fruit for the picking than pro cycling?"
Ummmm... look at the name of the author. A bit of a conflict of interest to say the least.

Greg

[mistermo]

Ummmm... look at the name of the author. A bit of a conflict of interest to say the least.

Greg

? Yes, Vaughters is clearly spelling out the advantage to corporations of pro cycling sponsorship. I wouldn't call it a conflict, rather a position paper intended to highlight the maybe-not-too-obvious merits that pro cycling sponsorships offer.

He's right that millennials have different consumption habits than we, the geezers, on this forum. From the article, I'd agree with him that Netflix might've been the perfect spons