Vesey Article On Armstrong



"B. Lafferty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> http://iht.nytimes.com/protected/articles/2005/09/14/sports/bike.php


"The paper [l'Equipe] is owned by the same corporation that runs the Tour de
France, which made millions of dollars from American tourism and corporate
involvement during the Armstrong years".

I didn't know that. I always thought Armstrong made millions of dollars
because of the Tour, but it seems to be the other way around. But how? Do
the American tourists pay money to see the Tour? Is one of the officials
"partners" of the Tour, the four companies investing miillions in the Tour
American? Skoda/Volkwagen perhaps? Or is it Crédit lyonnais, Aquarel/Nestlé
or Supermarché Champion? Curious.

Benjo
 
"benjo maso" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "B. Lafferty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> http://iht.nytimes.com/protected/articles/2005/09/14/sports/bike.php

>
> "The paper [l'Equipe] is owned by the same corporation that runs the Tour
> de France, which made millions of dollars from American tourism and
> corporate involvement during the Armstrong years".
>
> I didn't know that. I always thought Armstrong made millions of dollars
> because of the Tour, but it seems to be the other way around. But how? Do
> the American tourists pay money to see the Tour? Is one of the officials
> "partners" of the Tour, the four companies investing miillions in the Tour
> American? Skoda/Volkwagen perhaps? Or is it Crédit lyonnais,
> Aquarel/Nestlé or Supermarché Champion? Curious.
>
> Benjo


Perhaps from the sale of TdF branded items to the Touristas. I wonder if
the companies taking US cyclists over to watch the Tour have to pay a fee
for access. Did the price of a city paying to host a Tour stage go up
during the Armstrong years based on the increase in tourists from the
States?

I would think that Armstrong's presence was a lure for corporate sponsors to
the Tour.
 
I think you have to excuse Vecsey. He is a good writer, but his approrach to
"European" sports (soccer and cycling ) is similar to that of a zoologist
classifying some newly discovered insect species. His reporting on world cup
soccer would make anybody in europe or south america laugh.

"benjo maso" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "B. Lafferty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> http://iht.nytimes.com/protected/articles/2005/09/14/sports/bike.php

>
> "The paper [l'Equipe] is owned by the same corporation that runs the Tour
> de France, which made millions of dollars from American tourism and
> corporate involvement during the Armstrong years".
>
> I didn't know that. I always thought Armstrong made millions of dollars
> because of the Tour, but it seems to be the other way around. But how? Do
> the American tourists pay money to see the Tour? Is one of the officials
> "partners" of the Tour, the four companies investing miillions in the Tour
> American? Skoda/Volkwagen perhaps? Or is it Crédit lyonnais,
> Aquarel/Nestlé or Supermarché Champion? Curious.
>
> Benjo
>
>
 
"alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I think you have to excuse Vecsey. He is a good writer, but his approrach
>to "European" sports (soccer and cycling ) is similar to that of a
>zoologist classifying some newly discovered insect species. His reporting
>on world cup soccer would make anybody in europe or south america laugh.



I picked it out because it seems to add a new element in the new
pro-Armstrong strategy: how can anybody even think that has been using
illicit substances? Because of the French. They are jealous because they
can't win themselves, etc., etc. and what's more, they are also unthankful.
They earned a lot of money thanks to poor Lance, but instead of being
grateful, what are those bastards trying to do? Trying to kick him, no that
he can't defend himself, etc., etc.

Benjo
 
benjo maso wrote:
> "B. Lafferty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > http://iht.nytimes.com/protected/articles/2005/09/14/sports/bike.php

>
> "The paper [l'Equipe] is owned by the same corporation that runs the Tourde
> France, which made millions of dollars from American tourism and corporate
> involvement during the Armstrong years".
>
> I didn't know that. I always thought Armstrong made millions of dollars
> because of the Tour, but it seems to be the other way around. But how? Do
> the American tourists pay money to see the Tour? Is one of the officials
> "partners" of the Tour, the four companies investing miillions in the Tour
> American? Skoda/Volkwagen perhaps? Or is it Crédit lyonnais, Aquarel/Nestlé
> or Supermarché Champion? Curious.
>
> Benjo


And you don't know who benefits from the Tour's success? Can it
really be, the authority on the sport? Aaah, but you are just being
disingenuous. How clever.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

benjo maso wrote:
> "B. Lafferty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > http://iht.nytimes.com/protected/articles/2005/09/14/sports/bike.php

>
> "The paper [l'Equipe] is owned by the same corporation that runs the Tour
> de
> France, which made millions of dollars from American tourism and corporate
> involvement during the Armstrong years".
>
> I didn't know that. I always thought Armstrong made millions of dollars
> because of the Tour, but it seems to be the other way around. But how? Do
> the American tourists pay money to see the Tour? Is one of the officials
> "partners" of the Tour, the four companies investing miillions in the Tour
> American? Skoda/Volkwagen perhaps? Or is it Crédit lyonnais,
> Aquarel/Nestlé
> or Supermarché Champion? Curious.
>
> Benjo


And you don't know who benefits from the Tour's success? Can it
really be, the authority on the sport? Aaah, but you are just being
disingenuous. How clever.

Of course the ASO benefits of the Tour's international succes. Without
television rights the Tour would never make any profits and the more
countries are interested in the Tour the better for the ASO. So from time to
time an American or Asian victory can be very useful. Sure. I know that and
I have written it already several times. And if Vesey had been mentioned it
that in that way the ASO is is benefitting financially, he would be
completely right. But no, he didn't. Two possibilities: he doesn't know it
or, knowing that the profits óf an ARmstrong victioy aren't that big (a
French victory would probabbly much more favorable), he thinks it's
necessary to embellish it in such a way (American tourists :))) that he can
present the Equipe as ungrateful. In other words: he is ignorant or
disingenious. I am only pointing it out.

Benjo