US Postal not seeing value to sponsorship... why?

[Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles]

I may have a bit of the puzzle figured out. On the surface, we're all
thinkin' geez, look at all the magazine covers, TV shows etc with US Postal
(ok, more specifically Lance representing US Postal). $8 million/year seems
like a bargain! But then think about the type of guy who makes the
decisions on high-end sponsorship/marketing. They're used to spending
$1500+ for great seats at a tennis tournament or basketball game. They
associate high-end sports with extreme exclusivity (with very high prices)
for the elite spectator. But for cycling? The best seats in the house
might be miles from nowhere, 3/4 of the way up a mountain pass that you have
to camp out or ride or walk for hours to get to.

Cycling is, in a way, a sport for the common man. Certainly nothing that a
CEO would brag about having ringside seats to watch.

I'm actually amazed we get the support (at the Division I level) that we do!

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

 

[Carl Sundquist]

"hold my beer and watch this..." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Who cares?
>
> Maybe they'll spend the money on improving service (but I doubt it).
>

Would you be satisfied with a 0.00001% improvement?

 

[hold my beer and watch this...]

Who cares?

Maybe they'll spend the money on improving service (but I doubt it).


"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> I may have a bit of the puzzle figured out. On the surface, we're all
> thinkin' geez, look at all the magazine covers, TV shows etc with US
Postal
> (ok, more specifically Lance representing US Postal). $8 million/year
seems
> like a bargain! But then think about the type of guy who makes the
> decisions on high-end sponsorship/marketing. They're used to spending
> $1500+ for great seats at a tennis tournament or basketball game. They
> associate high-end sports with extreme exclusivity (with very high prices)
> for the elite spectator. But for cycling? The best seats in the house
> might be miles from nowhere, 3/4 of the way up a mountain pass that you
have
> to camp out or ride or walk for hours to get to.
>
> Cycling is, in a way, a sport for the common man. Certainly nothing that
a
> CEO would brag about having ringside seats to watch.
>
> I'm actually amazed we get the support (at the Division I level) that we
do!
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
>
>

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "hold my beer and watch this..." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Who cares?
> >
> > Maybe they'll spend the money on improving service (but I doubt it).
> >
>
> Would you be satisfied with a 0.00001% improvement?

I always get a delight out of comments like Trdina's. As if he had the
vaguest clue what he was talking about. US Postals system delivers more
reliably than any other postal service in the world and I think for about
half the price. For the last couple of years they've been making money
instead of losing it.

Now if Trdina could be half the winner than US Postal is he wouldn't have to
since to fighting in a ring with some other muttonhead.

 

[Richard Adams]

I think the biggest problem with the sponsorship was that nagging
governemnt watchdog group (no, I won't mention their name here because I
don't agree with them at all on this issue and would rather not promote
them), which would be better serving the public by self immolation on
the mall in front of the whitehouse to protest Bush's "don't tax, but
spend like there's no tomorrow" policies.

After serveral well publicized, thanks to television news which has all
the substance of a bag of cheese puffs (and does to the mind what the
cheese puffs do to the gut), regarding disgruntled 2nd amendment
worshipers who legally toted their firearms around until they stepped
into the office and began reducing headcount, USPS needed some positive
image enhancement, which I think they got in spades and for a bargain
price. Consider the alternative, form task forces, perform expensive
studies, discuss every little detail, shuffle a bunch of people around,
and wait for the next shooting.

Too bad some of these watchdog groups can't see the forest for pissing
too long on only one tree.

Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles wrote:

> I may have a bit of the puzzle figured out. On the surface, we're all
> thinkin' geez, look at all the magazine covers, TV shows etc with US Postal
> (ok, more specifically Lance representing US Postal). $8 million/year seems
> like a bargain! But then think about the type of guy who makes the
> decisions on high-end sponsorship/marketing. They're used to spending
> $1500+ for great seats at a tennis tournament or basketball game. They
> associate high-end sports with extreme exclusivity (with very high prices)
> for the elite spectator. But for cycling? The best seats in the house
> might be miles from nowhere, 3/4 of the way up a mountain pass that you have
> to camp out or ride or walk for hours to get to.
>
> Cycling is, in a way, a sport for the common man. Certainly nothing that a
> CEO would brag about having ringside seats to watch.
>
> I'm actually amazed we get the support (at the Division I level) that we do!
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
>
>

 

[Michael]

I think Trek should buy the team.

Mike

 

[Benjamin Weiner]

Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles <[email protected]> wrote:
> I may have a bit of the puzzle figured out. On the surface, we're all
> thinkin' geez, look at all the magazine covers, TV shows etc with US Postal
> (ok, more specifically Lance representing US Postal). $8 million/year seems
> like a bargain! But then think about the type of guy who makes the
> decisions on high-end sponsorship/marketing. They're used to spending
> $1500+ for great seats at a tennis tournament or basketball game. They
> associate high-end sports with extreme exclusivity (with very high prices)
> for the elite spectator. But for cycling? The best seats in the house
> might be miles from nowhere, 3/4 of the way up a mountain pass that you have
> to camp out or ride or walk for hours to get to.

> Cycling is, in a way, a sport for the common man. Certainly nothing that a
> CEO would brag about having ringside seats to watch.

> I'm actually amazed we get the support (at the Division I level) that we do!

Mike, you may have a point, but cycling teams have something that
corresponds to the executive-box-seats perk. Sponsors and VIPs
get access: rides in the team car during races, meet-the-team at
various events (training camps?), seats at team presentations,
celebratory dinners with Robin Williams as MC (whether that's a
plus or minus is up to one's taste). The issue with USPS is
probably partly caused by the sponsorship audit and partly
because USPS is really a Europe-based team.

 

[Ewoud Dronkert]

On 24 Apr 2004 23:37:20 -0800, Benjamin Weiner wrote:
> The issue with USPS is
> probably partly caused by the sponsorship audit and partly
> because USPS is really a Europe-based team.

About Europe; I don't think so. 90% of Americans know Lance Armstrong,
that's enough exposure. I think it's a question of added value of
another year or years of sponsorship after (already) 5 years of striking
gold.

 

[Richard Adams]

Michael wrote:

> I think Trek should buy the team.
>
> Mike
>
>

I doubt Trek has the money to sponsor it to the degree USPS did. They'd
probably have to pull support from a lot of other vectors, killing other
domestic teams, to accomplish it.

Now maybe Trek/Giro/Subaru/Berry Floor/Dial Soap and a few others could
be pulled together it might happen, though they'd have a kit that looks
like some of those italian ones, completely covered with logos to the
point you can't even read some of them.

I think one main sponsor works best and the bizarre thing is you'd think
there was enough money in US businesses to put up. I noticed mighty
Microsoft has some div II or III team somewhere. With their monopoly
fattened wallets and anti-trust problems, maybe tossing a few bucks
behind a Div I team would be the thing ... then again, if the team
dominated the tour like USPS has, their critics would probably hate them
even more.

 

[otto]

"Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> I always get a delight out of comments like Trdina's. As if he had the
> vaguest clue what he was talking about. US Postals system delivers more
> reliably than any other postal service in the world and I think for about
> half the price.

What other countries have you lived in? While it's not bad
(considering the size of the US) US Postal if far from the best. That
would be the UK's royal mail, or at least it was 8 years ago. Two
deliveries a day, next day service nationaly, and once i put a
postcard in the mail (in Edinburgh) on a friday, and it arrived in San
Francisco on the Monday. Now that's service.

 

[Chris]

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> I may have a bit of the puzzle figured out. On the surface, we're all
> thinkin' geez, look at all the magazine covers, TV shows etc with US
Postal
> (ok, more specifically Lance representing US Postal). $8 million/year
seems
> like a bargain! But then think about the type of guy who makes the
> decisions on high-end sponsorship/marketing. They're used to spending
> $1500+ for great seats at a tennis tournament or basketball game. They
> associate high-end sports with extreme exclusivity (with very high prices)
> for the elite spectator. But for cycling? The best seats in the house
> might be miles from nowhere, 3/4 of the way up a mountain pass that you
have
> to camp out or ride or walk for hours to get to.
>
> Cycling is, in a way, a sport for the common man. Certainly nothing that
a
> CEO would brag about having ringside seats to watch.

Nothing that an *American* CEO would brag about. Some of them might. As a
matter of fact, I worked for an American CEO and he is a huge cycling fan. I
am sure he is just one of the very few exceptions though. And of course they
don't brag about ringside seats, they brag about driving in the team car,
etc.


> I'm actually amazed we get the support (at the Division I level) that we
do!
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member
>
>

 

[Michael]

"Richard Adams" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Michael wrote:
>
> > I think Trek should buy the team.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
>
> I doubt Trek has the money to sponsor it to the degree USPS did. They'd
> probably have to pull support from a lot of other vectors, killing other
> domestic teams, to accomplish it.
>
> Now maybe Trek/Giro/Subaru/Berry Floor/Dial Soap and a few others could
> be pulled together it might happen, though they'd have a kit that looks
> like some of those italian ones, completely covered with logos to the
> point you can't even read some of them.
>
> I think one main sponsor works best and the bizarre thing is you'd think
> there was enough money in US businesses to put up. I noticed mighty
> Microsoft has some div II or III team somewhere. With their monopoly
> fattened wallets and anti-trust problems, maybe tossing a few bucks
> behind a Div I team would be the thing ... then again, if the team
> dominated the tour like USPS has, their critics would probably hate them
> even more.

Microsoft would be a great sponsor. If people hate you for your success
in athletics, then you're doing ok, IMO.

M.

 

[Tom Kunich]

"otto" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > I always get a delight out of comments like Trdina's. As if he had the
> > vaguest clue what he was talking about. US Postals system delivers more
> > reliably than any other postal service in the world and I think for
about
> > half the price.
>
> What other countries have you lived in? While it's not bad
> (considering the size of the US) US Postal if far from the best. That
> would be the UK's royal mail, or at least it was 8 years ago. Two
> deliveries a day, next day service nationaly, and once i put a
> postcard in the mail (in Edinburgh) on a friday, and it arrived in San
> Francisco on the Monday. Now that's service.

Three or four. But the Royal Mail, if I remember correctly costs about twice
what it does in the USA. Having two deliveries a day doesn't impress me. And
Pro Bike Kit sends me stuff via US Postal and I've gotten it from England in
two days - normal mail.

There are most certainly other mail systems that appear to be more effective
but they are dealing with much smaller countries with smaller populations
and with much higher fees.

 

[Steven L. Sheffield]

On 04/25/2004 01:01 PM, in article
[email protected], "Tom Kunich"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> "otto" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>>
>>> I always get a delight out of comments like Trdina's. As if he had the
>>> vaguest clue what he was talking about. US Postals system delivers more
>>> reliably than any other postal service in the world and I think for
> about
>>> half the price.
>>
>> What other countries have you lived in? While it's not bad
>> (considering the size of the US) US Postal if far from the best. That
>> would be the UK's royal mail, or at least it was 8 years ago. Two
>> deliveries a day, next day service nationaly, and once i put a
>> postcard in the mail (in Edinburgh) on a friday, and it arrived in San
>> Francisco on the Monday. Now that's service.
>
> Three or four. But the Royal Mail, if I remember correctly costs about twice
> what it does in the USA. Having two deliveries a day doesn't impress me. And
> Pro Bike Kit sends me stuff via US Postal and I've gotten it from England in
> two days - normal mail.


Actually, if they are sending it from the UK, they are sending it Royal
Mail, which is then delivered by US mail once it's in the States.

But, since Probikekit.com has US warehouse/shipping facilities, if the
stamps are American, it actually shipped in 2-days from within the good old
US of A


> There are most certainly other mail systems that appear to be more effective
> but they are dealing with much smaller countries with smaller populations
> and with much higher fees.
>
>

--
Steven L. Sheffield
stevens at veloworks dot com
veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net
bellum pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est
ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti ay aitch
aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you
double-yew double-ewe dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash

 

[Carl Sundquist]

"Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
> > What other countries have you lived in? While it's not bad
> > (considering the size of the US) US Postal if far from the best. That
> > would be the UK's royal mail, or at least it was 8 years ago. Two
> > deliveries a day, next day service nationaly, and once i put a
> > postcard in the mail (in Edinburgh) on a friday, and it arrived in San
> > Francisco on the Monday. Now that's service.
>
> Three or four.

You don't know how many countries you've lived in?


Carl
Has lived in one country, traveled to many others

 

[Ewoud Dronkert]

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 14:18:34 -0500, Carl Sundquist wrote:
> "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Three or four.
>
> You don't know how many countries you've lived in?

Maybe one of them was Canada.

 

[Sam]

"Ewoud Dronkert" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 24 Apr 2004 23:37:20 -0800, Benjamin Weiner wrote:
> > The issue with USPS is
> > probably partly caused by the sponsorship audit and partly
> > because USPS is really a Europe-based team.
>
> About Europe; I don't think so. 90% of Americans know Lance Armstrong,
> that's enough exposure. I think it's a question of added value of
> another year or years of sponsorship after (already) 5 years of striking
> gold.

Just because people know about USPS does not mean they are getting more
business. I have not mailed much of anything over the past 2 years. It is
not like I am thinking "Man I am going to write more letters and pay more
bills via snail mail to support USPS." The intent (at least stated before)
was to get into the Euro overnight market. Perhaps the sponsorship money is
not justified. That is fine; companies come and go. Plus I am sure that
with Lance's post 2004 career in question (does he retire?) it might be a
good time to pull out.

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You don't know how many countries you've lived in?

Hell no! Is there any reason I should? Letmesee, Canada which doesn't count,
Guam likewise, Japan and Thailand. Traveled to Mexico, Switzerland and
France. And if I ever get the urge to travel anymore it will be in the good
old USA which has enough cultural diversity for me and less poisonous water.

 

[Tom Kunich]

Sam, US Postal cost about half of what other freight organizations charge.
$28 to ship a bare frame in a box UPS and $14 Postal. I shipped a guitar
from a UPS Store and it cost me $85 two week delivery and they offered two
day delivery at - get this - $300!!!!! US Postal is Boss.


"Sam" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Ewoud Dronkert" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On 24 Apr 2004 23:37:20 -0800, Benjamin Weiner wrote:
> > > The issue with USPS is
> > > probably partly caused by the sponsorship audit and partly
> > > because USPS is really a Europe-based team.
> >
> > About Europe; I don't think so. 90% of Americans know Lance Armstrong,
> > that's enough exposure. I think it's a question of added value of
> > another year or years of sponsorship after (already) 5 years of striking
> > gold.
>
> Just because people know about USPS does not mean they are getting more
> business. I have not mailed much of anything over the past 2 years. It
is
> not like I am thinking "Man I am going to write more letters and pay more
> bills via snail mail to support USPS." The intent (at least stated
before)
> was to get into the Euro overnight market. Perhaps the sponsorship money
is
> not justified. That is fine; companies come and go. Plus I am sure that
> with Lance's post 2004 career in question (does he retire?) it might be a
> good time to pull out.
>
>

 

[Tom Paterson]

>From: "Steven L. Sheffield"
(Tom Kunich wrote):

>>And Pro Bike Kit sends me stuff via US >>Postal and I've gotten it from
England
>> in two days - normal mail.

(S.S. replied):

>Actually, if they are sending it from the UK, they are sending it Royal
>Mail, which is then delivered by US mail once it's in the States.
>
>But, since Probikekit.com has US warehouse/shipping facilities, if the
>stamps are American, it actually shipped in 2-days from within the good old
>US of A

Total Cycling, Ireland, sends things Fed Ex, two day delivery from Ireland.

FWIW, the bike race sponsorship has been a real morale boost to the USPS
workers. Given that "going Postal" has entered the vocab, not a bad thing for a
small part of the overall budget.

The attacks on sponsorship are part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the USPS
so that private persons can make big bucks doing a lousy job of delivering your
mail. Compare to the airlines, before/after deregulation for an indication of
what is in store. Opinion, also true. Thanks. --TP