Team Sky to finish in 2019

[chirpy999]

Hi, on their Twitter feed it says that Team Sky will end after 2019. You guys are probably all sleeping being over the pond. Is that good or bad news?

[Joxster]

At the Worlds this year I overheard a couple of the mechanics talking about what they were going to do when David leaves, I didn't hear the whole conversation so couldn't put it into contexted, they also had a big stack of pizzas.

They cynic in me thinks the sh17 is going to hit the fan with the Jiffy bag affair, a swanny getting busted with 10L of blood in his hand luggage and TUEs

I know that Sky and Jaguar were co-sponsoring a friend on a record attempt and a couple of hours before learned about a failed dope test 10yrs previous and pulled the plug there and then. They didn't want to be associated with his past.

[martl]

Originally Posted by chirpy999

Hi, on their Twitter feed it says that Team Sky will end after 2019. You guys are probably all sleeping being over the pond. Is that good or bad news?

The title is somewhat misleading. I read that *Sky* will *end their sponsorship*. Pro cycling teams are usually organized as business entities who employ riders + team infrastructure and "rent" themselves out to sponsors. So the team we know today as Team Sky may very well continue with a different sponsor.

[corky]

Yep Dave B said that they will carry on if another title sponsor can be found.......

Another nail in the coffin of how the sport of cycling is managed/funded

[572cv]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/46535894

It appears that the support for Team Sky came in no small part from James Murdoch’s affection for cycling. The takeover of Sky by Comcast and subsequent departure of Murdoch made support a corporate decision, not a personal one.

The entire Brexit turmoil has lent uncertainty to UK businesses. That will take some time to settle out, regardless of what the final condition looks like. And, in turn, would seem to affect the level of support they choose to give to something like cycling, or football perhaps, unless the owners, like Murdoch, choose to do so out of personal predilection.

That will probably make it even harder for Team Sky to replace their sponsor at the same high level of support.

[quickfeet]

This makes anyone who soured on the whole Ivan Sosa thing laugh.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by chirpy999

Hi, on their Twitter feed it says that Team Sky will end after 2019. You guys are probably all sleeping being over the pond. Is that good or bad news?

Bad for a slew of soon to be unemployed, team doctors, I'm thinking..

[cash05458]

The UCI is breathing a sigh of relief I bet...they can continue to ignore doing anything at all about budget caps.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Bad for a slew of soon to be unemployed, team doctors, I'm thinking..

Plenty of anti-aging clinics in the UK I imagine...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[LegendRider]

I wonder how Egan Berna's five year contract was written. I presume there is a clause that says if the team doesn't have funding the contract is voided or something similar.

[redir]

It's always bad news when a sponsor pulls out.

[Black Dog]

This will happen again and again as long as cycling is the centre of all the pro sports doping drama. Soccer should be giving $$$ to cycling for the distraction away from its massive doping.

[dcowboys31]

It was bound to happen at some point and ten years seems like a great run, especially for how much money they were getting from Sky. I cannot stand the team but hope they do get a new sponsor going forward.

Jay

[FlashUNC]

I hope they informed the team of the decision via unlabeled jiffy bag.

[wasfast]

Originally Posted by 572cv

https://www.bbc.com/sport/46535894

It appears that the support for Team Sky came in no small part from James Murdoch’s affection for cycling. The takeover of Sky by Comcast and subsequent departure of Murdoch made support a corporate decision, not a personal one.

This theme of sponsors being passionate about cycling is the norm, not the exception. Teams are more charity than business.