The price that is paid for a Legend

[racerralph]

Do you think there should be transparency about how much $$$ LA commands from organizers, besides what he gets from The Shack. Is this lack of transparency a negative?
Here's what some think in Australia
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/payout-to-cycle-star-armstrong-to-stay-secret/story-e6frg6nf-1225820170928

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=5684

 

[tifosa]

In a world filled with instant access to information, lack of transparency is always seen as a negative; it brings forth the question 'what are you hiding?'

 

[racerralph]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=5684

Aw man! I'm sorry! I thought I had researched that line of thought and was opening up a new topic. If the moderators would like to delete my thread, or move my comments, I understand. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[David Suro]

To be blunt, it is not anyone's business what financial arrangements are made by race organizers and riders to guarantee an appearance other than the parties involved.

If the organizers feel it is worth the appearance money to invite (or court) a rider to increase the exposure of their event then they have the right to offer the money. If a rider feels it is worth his time to appear, then he has the right to accept the money. It's business.

Prior to LA's involvement in the Tour Down Under, there was little or no media coverage of the event in the US. US tourism to Australia is a valuable market to tap. It's good business.

Similarly, no one outside of the US would care about the Tour of California or Missouri or Georgia if there was not an international field. It is worth the money to bring in riders who increase the exposure of the event. TV ratings give the organizers leverage for courting sponsorship dollars. Sponsorship dollars fund our sport.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

To be blunt, it is not anyone's business what financial arrangements are made by race organizers and riders to guarantee an appearance other than the parties involved.

If the organizers feel it is worth the appearance money to invite (or court) a rider to increase the exposure of their event then they have the right to offer the money. If a rider feels it is worth his time to appear, then he has the right to accept the money. It's business.

Prior to LA's involvement in the Tour Down Under, there was little or no media coverage of the event in the US. US tourism to Australia is a valuable market to tap. It's good business.

Similarly, no one outside of the US would care about the Tour of California or Missouri or Georgia if there was not an international field. It is worth the money to bring in riders who increase the exposure of the event. TV ratings give the organizers leverage for courting sponsorship dollars. Sponsorship dollars fund our sport.

Yeah, Yeah.......But, it's Lance Freakin Armstrong so it is NOT right. Not right I tell you. Heck this board cries about his Halloween costume. What does one expect. Obsession is a sickness. The sickness runs strong with this group. HaHaHa.....

For some reason nobody seems to understand. If they offer the man money he SHOULD take it. That is just smart. Living isn't free. Not even in America.

 

[ckfrancis]

every time

every time i am bored enough to read this forum i am amazed at the level of hate.

stop being such insecure freds and love the sport. i hated b. hinault for his antics with la vie claire against lemond. but hell, made it a great tour. this sport is a soap opera for middle aged men. it's great.

just stop bashing and appreciate. the good, the bad, the arrogant, the dopers. enjoy the entertainment, stop b&tching like little girls, and go for a ride.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Yeah, discussed before.

I'll say the same as before. If you don't think it's right, then the will of fans need to put pressure on the organizers to either reveal the information, or put an end to it.

If people think this is an issue of collusion, or bribery going on, then pressure needs to be put on for an investigation to take place, and if the collusion is legal and people don't like it, they need to seek to have the law changed.

 

[Anonymous]

Has any other rider been paid to appear at a race/event?

 

[joebloebloe]

this happens all the time in golf. Tiger, Phil Mickelson and many other top players garner big bucks for appearing in tournaments around the world, It is just business because it drives up viewer/fan interest, brings in tourism, attracts TV coverage deals and advertisers.

 

[Anonymous]

this happens all the time in golf. Tiger, Phil Mickelson and many other top players garner big bucks for appearing in tournaments around the world, It is just business because it drives up viewer/fan interest, brings in tourism, attracts TV coverage deals and advertisers.

That's right. But it wasn't secret. I didn't know at the time there was a golf tourney in Australia a couple of months ago, but I know that Tiger Woods was paid $1.5 million in appearance money to be there. And that's great, he deserved it. But Tiger made no indication that the money would go to charity rather than him, or that he was unselfishly donating his time to make the world a better place, or as with Armstrong last year, going without a salary.

 

[cyclingfool]

Has any other rider been paid to appear at a race/event?

Yes - Best example off the top....Jersey winners (and others I imagine) at the Tour get paid to appear @ post Tour Criteriums

 

[Polish]

Eddy and Alfredo were paid relatively big bucks way back when....Paid to stay home!

Hey, maybe we should take up a collection for you know who

 

[Oldman]

Yes - Best example off the top....Jersey winners (and others I imagine) at the Tour get paid to appear @ post Tour Criteriums

+much more. Every Promoter that wants a major team or player gets shaken down; probably on every continent. It gets pretty egregious at times but has always been a part of sports. How do you think they got Major Taylor to race a bike against a horse? Tell him the horse had no respect for him?

Public funds to promote an event should always be part of disclosure. Politicians using tax money to gain endorsements from celebrities should be as out in the open as possible. Says much about who is the prostitute and who is doing the .....ing.

 

[flicker]

I agree it is not about the money.
It is about the sport.just stop bashing and appreciate. the good, the bad, the arrogant, the dopers. enjoy the entertainment, stop b&tching like little girls, and go for a ride.


A foot note: Being in Northern California, racing during the LeMond era a freind just told me;


Bob LeMond, Greg LeMonds' Dad had an answer for Gregs' European patrons:

Ohhh my son Greg, hes' not going to ride for less money. He is too good he deserves more or he won't race for you.

Thus Greg became the first million dollar rider. Prior to that Eddy Merckx at his prime earned one-half million per anum.

 

[Race Radio]

I agree it is not about the money.
It is about the sport.just stop bashing and appreciate. the good, the bad, the arrogant, the dopers. enjoy the entertainment, stop b&tching like little girls, and go for a ride.


A foot note: Being in Northern California, racing during the LeMond era a freind just told me;


Bob LeMond, Greg LeMonds' Dad had an answer for Gregs' European patrons:

Ohhh my son Greg, hes' not going to ride for less money. He is too good he deserves more or he won't race for you.

Thus Greg became the first million dollar rider. Prior to that Eddy Merckx at his prime earned one-half million per anum.

Greg never made a million a year, he sign a 3 year deal worth $1 million

 

[Race Radio]

Yeah, Yeah.......But, it's Lance Freakin Armstrong so it is NOT right. Not right I tell you. Heck this board cries about his Halloween costume. What does one expect. Obsession is a sickness. The sickness runs strong with this group. HaHaHa.....

For some reason nobody seems to understand. If they offer the man money he SHOULD take it. That is just smart. Living isn't free. Not even in America.

I do not question Armstrong's ability to make money. What is questionable is his ridiculous pretense that his comeback is about "Cancer Awareness"

"Everybody in cycling has a team and takes a team salary. I am essentially racing for free. No salary. No bonus. Nothing on the line.… This one’s on the house. And you know what? At the end of the day, I don’t need money.… Not only will I be fine, my kids will be fine, my grand kids will be fine.”

If Armstrong did not deliberately misdirect I do not think many would question. As he continually lies people will continue to question.

 

[bianchigirl]

Since the media, race organisers and the sport's governing body won't question the myth somebody has to

 

[Anonymous]

That's right. But it wasn't secret. I didn't know at the time there was a golf tourney in Australia a couple of months ago, but I know that Tiger Woods was paid $1.5 million in appearance money to be there. And that's great, he deserved it. But Tiger made no indication that the money would go to charity rather than him, or that he was unselfishly donating his time to make the world a better place, or as with Armstrong last year, going without a salary.

But the golf comparison doesn't work. Golfers are self-employed. They have a right to do what they want, when they want, including whether to play or not. Cyclists (yes, even Armstrong) are not self-employed. They are paid by a team to race, and to fulfill sponsor's commitments. If LA's salary to do his job isn't good enough and so doesn't want to ride the TdU, why should the Australian tax payer supplement it?

And surely LA would do whatever was best preparation for the TdF, so again, why does he need an appearance fee to assist his preparation for the TdF?

I personally think that Australians have every right to be peeved and LA is taking whats-his-name premier bloke as a complete fool. If LA would rather ride the Tour of Lankwai or whatever it's called* at this time of year, let him. My guess is he'd be in the TdU in any event.




edit: *Tour de San Luis

 

[Murray]

But Tiger made no indication that the money would go to charity rather than him, or that he was unselfishly donating his time to make the world a better place, or as with Armstrong last year, going without a salary.

1) Did LA ever say that his appearance fee would go to charity?

2) In his comeback announcement, I interpreted that he would not be taking a salary from the team he was racing for. I don't think he was implying that he would not make any income at all.

3) Celebrities (sports, actors, politicians, etc..) get appearance fees.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Please continue this discussion in the official Lance Armstrong thread.