Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[Cimber]

Are you calling Becca a liar?

I think some of the employees on the team would call him that.

 

[webvan]

No, I'm saying that Becca is presenting the situation in his favor. And he didn't say that "Americans are not owners."

Dude, he said there was nothing American in the team apart from the sponsors, surely that includes "owners". Not sure what your beef is here anyway, it seems you were privy to some partial info and now feel you have to stand by it regardless of what's come out since and what we've been discussed here, what's the point? Things change, move on.

 

[Archibald]

This is what I have been attempting to find out.
Obviously Becca won't be running the show himself - but is he the one calling the shots?
Most people who put their own money in to something believe they have ownership, but often legally they have little influence.

But in Beccas case he appears to have the licence and if so then everyone else is on contract or an employee - and they way things have gone since Leopard have arrived that could be short-term.

I'm thinking 'Abramovich and Chelsea' - ie; an owner who changes managers more often than his underpants and supposedly doesn't interfere with said manager's decisions

 

[HL2037]

Brian Nygaard has now officially been fired:

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/nu-er-nygaard-fyret-hos-leopard-trek

He is stopping immediately.

 

[Arnout]

So, are you guys all die hard Lampre, Liquigas, Movistar fan boys or something? I still don't get the hate.

This Becca guy is a businessman. This is a business. He saw the opportunity to improve and he did it. He not only improved his roster, but he brought in sponsors to pay the bills. Whatever you think of Bruyneel, he's a better manager than Nygard. Maybe with experience Nygard will prove himself better, but Becca wants to win now. And frankly, he doesn't care what you think, he's not trying to win a forum contest, he wants to win the Tour period. Can you really blame the guy? If he's telling the truth, that CSE wasn't going to renew their license January 1, 2012, then he gets credit.

Chess, cycling, and business are games of strategy. The merger, takeover, whatever it's called was interesting to me. I'm not a prosecutor, that's for another forum called the clinic. I'm a cyclist, not professional racer. And a businessman. And it's clear to me that the investment RadioShack is making, is to gain exposure in Europe, probably through micros stores and kiosk sites. Nissan has a presence there too. These are not huge budgets for them. Nissan spent over 690 MILLION in the USA alone in 2009 and then increased it 100 million this year. RadioShack is a far smaller, so they have much more to gain.

For the haters, the real RadioShack is gone.
For the haters, Andy is still there, and more powerful than ever.
For the rest of us? It's just entertainment. Don't forget that.
The strength of this team is going to make the other teams step up, and try harder to lure sponsorship. And that's where there are other "Beccas" willing to take their skill and bring it to this game.

Don't you understand? Leopard was supposed to be a project, people were interested and joined. A year later, the project stops, people are simply dumped and weeks after rumours started and days after official merger most people on the team (including DSs) don't have a clue about their future.

That's not only bad for cycling, that's bad in general.

This is not cycling. This is just bad manners.

Although Nygaard deserves to be fired for his stupid comments about integrity. Did he forget what he did last year?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Don't you understand? Leopard was supposed to be a project, people were interested and joined. A year later, the project stops, people are simply dumped and weeks after rumours started and days after official merger most people on the team (including DSs) don't have a clue about their future.

That's not only bad for cycling, that's bad in general.

This is not cycling. This is just bad manners.

Although Nygaard deserves to be fired for his stupid comments about integrity. Did he forget what he did last year?

gotta agree with this, terrible for cycling as far as I'm concerned. The current system encourages a circus, not a profession sport which is in need of long-term commitments.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Brian Nygaard has now officially been fired:

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/nu-er-nygaard-fyret-hos-leopard-trek

He is stopping immediately.

I hate what is happening although I really like this for nygaard, that arrogant pile of ****

he is only a loud mouth with nothing to back it up and this year he went hard on his face. good riddance. he lives like he's of royalty but what has he ever done other than having some contacts that in the end betray him like becca and rightfully so

 

[HL2037]

I hate what is happening although I really like this for nygaard, that arrogant pile of ****

he is only a loud mouth with nothing to back it up and this year he went hard on his face. good riddance. he lives like he's of royalty but what has he ever done other than having some contacts that in the end betray him like becca and rightfully so

I think he did some good PR work for Saxo. Being administrating director of a team the size of Leopard was clearly too big a task for him. And he should have known better than to trust traitors.

I still think it is wrong to lure people into leaving good secure positions by promising four years of financial backing - and then dump them like this after less than one year.

 

[Arnout]

I think he did some good PR work for Saxo. Being administrating director of a team the size of Leopard was clearly too big a task for him. And he should have known better than to trust traitors.

I still think it is wrong to lure people into leaving good secure positions by promising four years of financial backing - and then dump them like this after less than one year.

He will get a nice fee no doubt.

 

[Anonymous]

Perfect!
chicharrones was too much. I like Team Porkskins! I saw your reply tweet, I was only fooling around. I was not trying to harp on the hate angle.

Team Porkskins it is!

Team Porkskins
Team Green Eggs and ham
Team Too Many ****ing Belgians
Who else...?

 

[No_Balls]

And where does this put Contador...

If he is as focused as in Giro (and that kind of shape) they could call themselves Radio Shack-Leopard Trek-Nissan-Coca-Cola-Snickers-McDonalds cycling team and still be left in the gutter.

Am i the only one thinking that this new team could be harmful to Schlecks?

 

[HL2037]

He will get a nice fee no doubt.

Probably. What is worse is the riders struggeling to find a team for next year. If they don't, they will still get paid if they have a contract, but they will lose a year of their career. That will damage their value and put them in a bad position when it comes to find a team for 2013.

Edit: I suggest team backstab

 

[T-Nielsen]

If he is as focused as in Giro (and that kind of shape) they could call themselves Radio Shack-Leopard Trek-Nissan-Coca-Cola-Snickers-McDonalds cycling team and still be left in the gutter.

Am i the only one thinking that this new team could be harmful to Schlecks?

It may help the team, giving stronger lineups during the entire year, but for the Schlecks in the tour, I don't really see the first 9 being that much stronger.
Will the 5-6th man climb a little better ? Perhaps. But setting a high pace in the mountains will do ----all when they don't have the man who can drop the rest.
And none of them, short of the Schlecks, will be stronger in the high mountains, then a rested and peaking Navarro.

 

[HL2037]

It may help the team, giving stronger lineups during the entire year, but for the Schlecks in the tour, I don't really see the first 9 being that much stronger.
Will the 5-6th man climb a little better ? Perhaps. But setting a high pace in the mountains will do ----all when they don't have the man who can drop the rest.
And none of them, short of the Schlecks, will be stronger in the high mountains, then a rested and peaking Navarro.

Yes. This year Leopard already had the strongest team - that didn't help a lot, did it. Go on and fire all management, the Schlecks are the problem, and there is no (legal) way Bruyneel can fix that.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

So, are you guys all die hard Lampre, Liquigas, Movistar fan boys or something? I still don't get the hate.

This Becca guy is a businessman. This is a business. He saw the opportunity to improve and he did it. He not only improved his roster, but he brought in sponsors to pay the bills. Whatever you think of Bruyneel, he's a better manager than Nygard. Maybe with experience Nygard will prove himself better, but Becca wants to win now. And frankly, he doesn't care what you think, he's not trying to win a forum contest, he wants to win the Tour period. Can you really blame the guy? If he's telling the truth, that CSE wasn't going to renew their license January 1, 2012, then he gets credit.

Chess, cycling, and business are games of strategy. The merger, takeover, whatever it's called was interesting to me. I'm not a prosecutor, that's for another forum called the clinic. I'm a cyclist, not professional racer. And a businessman. And it's clear to me that the investment RadioShack is making, is to gain exposure in Europe, probably through micros stores and kiosk sites. Nissan has a presence there too. These are not huge budgets for them. Nissan spent over 690 MILLION in the USA alone in 2009 and then increased it 100 million this year. RadioShack is a far smaller, so they have much more to gain.

For the haters, the real RadioShack is gone.
For the haters, Andy is still there, and more powerful than ever.
For the rest of us? It's just entertainment. Don't forget that.
The strength of this team is going to make the other teams step up, and try harder to lure sponsorship. And that's where there are other "Beccas" willing to take their skill and bring it to this game.

Cycling is a sport - not a business.
I certainly do not "hate" Radioshack (either sponsor or team) and that you can only use that worn out term is far more revealing about your position than anything else you wrote.

How is breaking contracts and acting in bad faith good for business, or indeed cycling?

If Radioshack are as you say out to "gain exposure in Europe, probably through micros stores and kiosk sites" they have done nothing over the last 2 years in Europe to capitalize on their investment.
Radioshack are an American sponsor with American interests - and I think JB has delivered enough for them in the US to justify that investment.

But if Radioshack get burned on this deal it will make it very difficult for any team to get a US sponsor on board again.
It is the short term thinking of buying your way in to the sport (& the UCI points system which encourages it) that have cycling going from one mess to another.

 

[No_Balls]

It may help the team, giving stronger lineups during the entire year, but for the Schlecks in the tour, I don't really see the first 9 being that much stronger.
Will the 5-6th man climb a little better ? Perhaps. But setting a high pace in the mountains will do ----all when they don't have the man who can drop the rest.
And none of them, short of the Schlecks, will be stronger in the high mountains, then a rested and peaking Navarro.

We will have that too. BUT the peoples champion will probably have tons of commercials in front of him, charity rides for Livestrong together with Lance etc. This for a man known for his lack of disicipline.

Looking at the athlete perspective: Well, they have some temposetters, but none for steeper climbs who can make AC break a sweat, bar AS, but they gained a lot of aged egos, and Brajkovic, who might want to go for the victory as well. Will there be a new Astana 2009? Doubtful AS can handle a situation like that if it occurs.

 

[180mmCrank]

Cycling is a sport - not a business.
I certainly do not "hate" Radioshack (either sponsor or team) and that you can only use that worn out term is far more revealing about your position than anything else you wrote.

How is breaking contracts and acting in bad faith good for business, or indeed cycling?

snip...

Cycling is a sport it's neither business nor entertainment. It doesn't mean it can't be run with good business sense and /or it can't be entertaining.

I think it's easy to look at all sport through a "US Pro Sport" lense. US Pro Sport is a hybrid sport/entertainment business model often designed to make money - or at least try to! It is essentially designed around the fan (customer) experience. Most other sports are not 'designed' with making money in mind (or even the fan!) - they are more centred around the competitors - this is true of most if not all Olympic sports. In my experience when established sports try to make themselves more appealing or accessible to fans (entertaining?) they can sometimes lose their way - not always.

It's hard to really tell what is going on here but it's fun to speculate. And I agree that acting in bad faith is never a good thing. I am great believer in the karma principle of 'what goes around comes around'

 

[Nielsa]

If Radioshack are as you say out to "gain exposure in Europe, probably through micros stores and kiosk sites" they have done nothing over the last 2 years in Europe to capitalize on their investment.

They really didn't. If they had wanted to do anything in Europe, they would've done it when Lance was in the team. He had good marketing value in Europe before and during the 2010 TdF. Sarkozy made an appearance during an interview with Lance during the Tour, said Lance was an inspiration and model to follow.

The market is oversaturated with Radioshack-like stores in Europe anyway. Tons of them on the streets and in malls, and then there's internet shopping anyway.

 

[Angliru]

Ooops, I just received an infraction for trolling lol.
If you have any questions for me - save them for later thanks

...and just for the record, how many of those infractions have you received over the course of your stay here? Seriously, I'm quite curious.

 

[LarsAU]

Not all happy campers at Leopard...

Fuglsang, Monfort and Bennati have agents looking for new teams.

Original link
http://www.feltet.dk/nyheder/sure_ryttere_soeger_vaek_fra_leopard/

Translated
http://translate.google.com/transla...nyheder/sure_ryttere_soeger_vaek_fra_leopard/

The auto translation is not good. It makes it sound like there was good internal communication in the team when it should be the other way around.

"Sure" should actually be Upset...

 

[rickshaw]

i konw, late to the party

Not all happy campers at Leopard...

Fuglsang, Monfort and Bennati have agents looking for new teams.

Original link
http://www.feltet.dk/nyheder/sure_ryttere_soeger_vaek_fra_leopard/

Translated
http://translate.google.com/transla...nyheder/sure_ryttere_soeger_vaek_fra_leopard/

The auto translation is not good. It makes it sound like there was good internal communication in the team when it should be the other way around.

"Sure" should actually be Upset...

wonder how everyone (except UnoHoo) on Leotard Trek being treated like a disposable indentured servant might effect "team spirit"?

 

[HL2037]

wonder how everyone (except UnoHoo) on Leotard Trek being treated like a disposable indentured servant might effect "team spirit"?

No amount of teambuilding is ever going to fix it.

 

[Siriuscat]

wonder how everyone (except UnoHoo) on Leotard Trek being treated like a disposable indentured servant might effect "team spirit"?

Scroll down and read some of the other stories, Mercedes are not happy either!!

 

[HL2037]

I wonder how Becca will react when he finds out he got played by Bruyneel...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Cycling is a sport it's neither business nor entertainment. It doesn't mean it can't be run with good business sense and /or it can't be entertaining.

I think it's easy to look at all sport through a "US Pro Sport" lense. US Pro Sport is a hybrid sport/entertainment business model often designed to make money - or at least try to! It is essentially designed around the fan (customer) experience. Most other sports are not 'designed' with making money in mind (or even the fan!) - they are more centred around the competitors - this is true of most if not all Olympic sports. In my experience when established sports try to make themselves more appealing or accessible to fans (entertaining?) they can sometimes lose their way - not always.

It's hard to really tell what is going on here but it's fun to speculate. And I agree that acting in bad faith is never a good thing. I am great believer in the karma principle of 'what goes around comes around'

Firstly - I am not American, although I spend a lot of time there.
I have no problem with sports being run as a business, to develop and make a profit. In fact I worry about teams that are not.

Pro cycling teams run as a business have many difficulties in that regard - no gate receipts, assets, player transfers or TV revenue - means that it is reliant on sponsors.
The current UCI point structure means a team can buy their way up the ladder to gain automatic selection for the key events - it is this that has led to the demand for inflated team budgets and is why many teams are reliant on sugardaddys. This is not a long-term viable strategy.

They really didn't. If they had wanted to do anything in Europe, they would've done it when Lance was in the team. He had good marketing value in Europe before and during the 2010 TdF. Sarkozy made an appearance during an interview with Lance during the Tour, said Lance was an inspiration and model to follow.

The market is oversaturated with Radioshack-like stores in Europe anyway. Tons of them on the streets and in malls, and then there's internet shopping anyway.

The Radioshack deal (as a sponsor) always puzzled me - because as you rightly point out they have little business outside the US and none in Europe.

However, Cycling is (relatively speaking) a cheap form of sponsorship - so they may be satisfied with the exposure they are getting from their performances in the US.
But I am not sure how Becca and having FrAndy as the leaders will build on that.