World Series Cycling

[karlboss]

One way to make the WCS work is to run races on auto race circuits, charge spectators admission, award big money prizes, and allow betting.
I'm not advocating this approach, just presenting it as an option.

I submit mt panorama, bathurst, australia. about 6km around, low point 700m high point 875. Quick calculation average each lap 3km up and down at 5.8%. Run that 40 times for a WC

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The problem is, until there are riders who've grown up dreaming of winning these races, they will always be worthless. Do we think Tony Martin grew up dreaming of winning the Tour of Beijing, or Paris-Nice?

We can only judge these things as success stories in a generation's time, when there has been enough time for a generation of fans of the sport to grow up idolising those riders who did the WS races. Until that happens, the kids who love cycling and want to go into it dream of winning the Tour, the Giro, the Vuelta, the Monument classics and the elite stage and one-day races, and as a result that's where all the coverage is, the best riders are, and the sponsorship money goes.

 

[Mambo95]

The problem is, until there are riders who've grown up dreaming of winning these races, they will always be worthless. Do we think Tony Martin grew up dreaming of winning the Tour of Beijing, or Paris-Nice?

As fans we like to buy into the romance of dreams and think that our 'heroes' share that idealism.

But ultimately, dreams don't pay the mortgage, dreams don't buy that farmhouse, dreams don't buy that sports car.

The Packer affair (detailed in length above) shows that money trumps dreams every time.

Any new World Series needs to be sold to the sponsors and TV viewers. Riders are easily bought.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As fans we like to buy into the romance of dreams and think that our 'heroes' share that idealism.

But ultimately, dreams don't pay the mortgage, dreams don't buy that farmhouse, dreams don't buy that sports car.

The Packer affair (detailed in length above) shows that money trumps dreams every time.

Any new World Series needs to be sold to the sponsors and TV viewers. Riders are easily bought.

But when you're a kid, being inspired, you are idealistic.

The grown-ups get realistic, and thus Tony Martin doesn't waste his time on a pipe dream to win Lombardia, he goes and wins Beijing. But the kids out there today who will be the riders in a decade's time don't dream of winning Beijing. If the race continues to run, then maybe in a decade or two some kids will come through the ranks who were inspired by those that won Beijing and will equate it with the same prestige. The Bahrain GP is in theory equal to the Monaco GP. It pays as many championship points and as much prize money. But if a driver wins both, which one is he telling his grandkids about?

If you want TV viewers, you can't just throw money at the problem. You may get an audience, but you need to retain that audience. Events with in-built prestige have the headstart on that. The WS has to prove itself sustainable not just from a sponsorship point of view but from an entertainment point of view as well. And if it entertains people and brings in crowds, maybe then it will develop the prestige and attract the hopes and dreams of idealistic kids. If it doesn't bring in fans and viewers because the racing isn't good, then the sponsors will desert as a result of that, and it will be left as another folly.

 

[595RED]

I would go for the event. A bunch of amateurs racing a Giro-like course would be more interesting than the current pros racing an artificial event optimized for viewing by fatasses sitting on their couches.

When bike events are changed in a quest to make them more spectator friendly it always ends in tragedy. Just look what they have done to XC mountain bike racing. It is one step away from being BMX raced in a stadium. Look at the travesty that is ITU triathlon.

Totally agree, the new riders riding the traditional races we all identify would become the new heros and the stars racing on the concrete motorways of China would become little in reality.

 

[595RED]

I get the idea no problem and I agree with increasing the size of the pie and so on and do have some personal perspective to pro cycling as couple of my friends race in professional teams, both men and women.

I don't think that there is that much media revenue to be had without changing the sport and race concept. But maybe the professional cycling as it is right now should go belly up before things can change. Maybe there is no place for Ronde, P-R or L-B-L and others in global professional cycling and these will turn into amateur or local pro races.

Are you for real, there is so much prestige in these races they are the ones any pro worth his weight wants to win. The new events are heartless souless hollow events that really are only worth a gloss over of a read.

 

[karlboss]

wow, just lost a long post.

The short version.

Races
3 GTs
7 Stage races
World cup classics.

If I was arranging points. It'd be something like
Gt 200, 150, 140, 130, 120...
Classics 150, 100, 90, 80...
Stage race 100 50, 40, 30...
Any stage 30 points, no points for second.

15 teams. Teams of 7 in every race, Full team of 15 riders.
Series kicks in part of team budget maybe 2.5 million euro of 10 million budget. Team budget capped or at least rider salaries. Teams keep points.

Next promotion relegation. Any ideas?

 

[OJ....]

Are you for real, there is so much prestige in these races they are the ones any pro worth his weight wants to win. The new events are heartless souless hollow events that really are only worth a gloss over of a read.

I agree. Is the current cycling fan base where the big money is at or is the potential new fan base larger with more money? Maybe the current fan base keeps following the Ronde while new fans would rather watch some other concept big money league. Why would these business men give ratts bum about tradition etc. if the money is to be made elsewhere and if there's big enough prize money, the fastest riders would go and race for the big money.

If the pro cycling is to be made into big time entertainment, why would they stick with old races that may not appeal to your average UFC crowd? Or maybe they would stick to the traditional approach and just try to make the best out of that. We don't really know that do we?

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Bakala sends shockwaves to Lausanne

Quick Step owner Zdenek Bakala calls for reforms via a new breakaway league (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bakala-adds-weight-to-cycling-reform-and-breakaway-league). He believes in 5 years professional cycling will be completely different from the way it is run today.

Since generating revenue will be a bit part of any new league, a result of this could be that the days of viewing a live broadcast (e.g. on Eurosport, Sporza, Rai, etc) for free could be gone by then as well. It could become more like Pay-per-View.

 

[big.gear]

I know it's a long shot (and I'm late to this thread), but aside from races and rankings, I would like to see this league do something really different with teams--return to regional or civic teams. It would be complex, but I really feel like the best long-term move for cycling would be to return to regional/civic teams at some point, like the Premier League in football (where sponsors still feature very prominently, but can count on a much more die-hard fan base due to regional loyalty and team longevity).

Being in the US, I feel like the New York Giants would have a pretty feeble following if they were the "Hoover Vacuum football team," changing sponsors and locations every few years. But that's what we're asked to follow as cycling fans. We have nothing to which we can attach our loyalty for more than a few years at a time. There is no "I was raised a fan of this team," etc.

Of course, one big difference is that Road cycling has no stadium/structure where a city invests and focuses events. But, if a city/region could be convinced to invest a little money in a "financial structure" that helped ensure team longevity (basically, insurance for sponsor changes) maybe in return they could receive team appearances, maybe a smaller new race, the team's image for alternative transportation programs, etc. Most of the team's money would still come from the sponsor(s), but now there would finally be an anchor to add stability to teams, race scheduling, fan loyalty, and even positive long-established associations for the sponsor.

 

[thehog]

Well I was wrong.....

RadioShack just signed up or the World Cycling League.

The ProTour just died.

 

[thehog]

Well I was wrong.....

RadioShack just signed up or the World Cycling League.

The ProTour just died.

Almost half of the top 18 squads including the one funded by Radioshack Corp., have signed up for the new series, and those participating will get 64 percent of the equity, the people said. Simon Chadwick, a professor of sports business strategy at the U.K.’s Coventry University, said the teams are trying to change a model that denies them a share of race revenue. Those funds now go to organizers like Amaury Sport Organisation, a family business that has controlled the Tour de France since World War II.

“This is potentially a real change in the balance of power in cycling,” Chadwick said in a telephone interview. “The teams are being driven by the marketplace instead of history.”

 

[Swede1]

Well I was wrong.....

RadioShack just signed up or the World Cycling League.

The ProTour just died.

Is this league something that is actually happening? I know teams were talking about something like this but i never thought it would actually be created.

 

[thehog]

Is this league something that is actually happening? I know teams were talking about something like this but i never thought it would actually be created.

Done deal. They've now taken it to the UCI to say are you in or out on our terms......

 

[cyclelicious]

Is this league something that is actually happening? I know teams were talking about something like this but i never thought it would actually be created.

article in question:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...aid-to-agree-to-breakaway-cycling-series.html

Sports marketing company Gifted Group Ltd. is seeking approval from the sport’s ruling body to start its new World Series Cycling in 2014, according to the people, who were granted anonymity because the project isn’t public. The 10-race championship would co-exist with the Tour de France and eight other high-profile races, the people said.

-the people referred to in said article are 2 anonymous sources

 

[Swede1]

article in question:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...aid-to-agree-to-breakaway-cycling-series.html



-the people referred to in said article are 2 anonymous sources

Oh thats interesting. I think the league is a great idea, but it would only work if the big existing races (aka the gt's and classics) were brought into it. And once the league gets going the teams might turn into named permanent teams like in the US. But I like the idea.

 

[sherer]

It's all aimed at 2014 so I suspect this is just to get the UCI to give the teams more money from revenue.

They don't have the classic races to make this work but by going down this route they are trying to make the UCI panic and force them into giving the teams more money.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

You missed the actual critical part of the article tho:

The series is said to be based on football's Champions League, but could be a “difficult sell” outside of the tradtional European cycling countries, Chadwick said.

“Cycling has no history, no established market and no big stars in new and emerging markets. The acid test is how good they are at packaging this and selling it.”

But basically if the UCI keeps ASO on board, they have nothing to worry about. Other way around too, if ASO keeps the UCI on board. And I can see ASO keeping the UCI close, seeing how UCI is shoving some nice deals in their direction.

 

[Sophistic]

the guys who are behind this league seem to be even dumber than the folks at the UCI...10 new 4day races????The value in procycling is in, and just in the "classic" races, if you water it down by adding more and more races, you just destroy value.

 

[Zweistein]

Radioshack has a lot of dirt.
Armstrong tried to buy the TDF.
This isn't about reform.
This is about anti-reform
Don't want independent control?
Start your own league.
Don't like scandal.
Start your own league.
Do you believe these new races will draw?
Who is watching the Tour of Bejing as it is?
Do you think this is about money?
I have a bridge to sell you if you do.
Do the math.
This isn't about money
Not at all.