I suppose its more the case, that for the most part Bike manufacturers don’t need to be the “main sponsors” for Grand tour Pro-cycling teams, they’re seen more as Just equipment suppliers and the proper Big money comes from Comms, Banking, Pharma, maybe the odd Car company…

The UK was of course awash with big money sponsorship sports this weekend…

I suppose you have to take a bit more of a “Global Perspective” on cycling sponsorship; Pro-cycling’s popularity across the rest of the world, especially continental Europe, the rolling TV coverage the big tours get, how many column inches and nice big photos the tours get in French, Spanish, Italian, etc papers and magazines, and who might be reading those… Its a fair bit of exposure for a relatively modest outlay if your a big global company…

Set it against a sport like F1 where sponsors will be spending a lot more to get their logo on a cars side pod and have it on TV for 19 weekends worth of coverage, for a front running team that’s probably something like ~60 hours of screen time along with the “positive associations” for sponsor’s brand if its all over a Winner’s car… On top of that there’s print media exposure, not bad if you want the world to be aware of your brand and see it positively…

The viewing demographic for both sports is probably quite similar, as reflected by the similar types of sponsorship they pick up, Middle-upper middle classes, with disposable income and free time, ideally, if you’re a Comms/Pharma/Buiness management Software/Banking outfit, with some influence over buying decisions…

This article adds a bit of perspective IMO it’s old now (2010/11 ish) but it talks about typical rider pay levels, and how at the top of the sport suscessfull riders will be negotiating for upwards of 1 million GBP/USD/EUR per season, where the top five F1 Drivers are probably upwards of £10 Million…

Interesting that the British stages of the TDF have attracted some rather more British sponsorship (See McCain comment above) I don’t think the UK still quite see cycling in the same way as the rest of the world, hence its used to promote Oven Chips rather than Blue Chips over here…

Acording to a recent article in some trade journal advertisers where turning away from ball sports, due to the failure to actually win anything, the drunken lout image of football supportors, and high over paid wages they get, making the middle clases disalusioned with them.

Where as cycling is seen as an outdoor, fittnes thing, with lots of cheaper so far advertising oportunities on local cycling clubs and local events and some of the bigger national events, with unlimited space for free advertising on spectators shirts, we do buy trade team tops, and shorts, and also on vehicles.
Just look at how many sky shirts where in evidence on spectators along with all the Skoda cars, that will just be sold on after the race .

Kattusha is Russian for Cathy or Katie dunno what they think they advertise though

I thought it was named after those multiple rocket launchers from the second world war. (in the same way as Leopard Trek was partly named after a WWII panzer). I think Katusha is indirectly funded by some fairy large Russion businesss including Gazprom

Acording to a recent article in some trade journal advertisers where turning away from ball sports, due to the failure to actually win anything, the drunken lout image of football supportors, and high over paid wages they get, making the middle clases disalusioned with them.

Indeed. There are certain values you want to attach to your brand. And you want to be associated with winners. I’d imagine that a few marketing departments are presently cringing every time Sturridge, Joe Hart or Rooney appear in the World Cup Ad Breaks in their slots pre-booked months ago.

Paying a fortune to be associated with, without a doubt, the worst team in the competition, who went out at the first hurdle, with a whimper, after a truly pitiful performance.

Money well spent there then eh?

Cycling on the other hand seems to have cleaned up its act immensely after the dark days of full teams getting sent home in disgrace for doping. What this weekend showed is that it now has genuine mass appeal. A fact no doubt observed in marketing departments and ad egencies throughout the country

The good thing seems to be that its a very different thing to football. Contrast the FA, with all the money funnelled to the top, while the grassroots game is left to whither. Then look at the Sky sponsorship, with money being put into the grassroots, and public participation. Same with Wiggle and the sponsorship of the womens team. So it bodes well that if theres big sponsorship money coming into the sport then its going to the right places. Can’t see how this is anything but a good thing really.

yay, let’s hope they do more to cement the image of cycling as mainly for white middle class males.

I struggle to see a problem with any aspect of cycling being “normalised” in mainstream media.

🙂

Many of the brands on the hoardings at World Cup matches I’ve also never heard of.

Acording to a recent article in some trade journal advertisers where turning away from ball sports, due to the failure to actually win anything, the drunken lout image of football supportors, and high over paid wages they get, making the middle clases disalusioned with them.

Football sponsorship you say?

Something tells me the financially secure, middle classes are not the target demographic…

I still see a fella commuting the other way to me in a Livestrong Top quite often (He’s not the friendly nod type, very serious looking), I’m assuming he’s either wearing it “Ironically”, He’s not been watching the news much lately, or his only other cycling jersey is covered in Swastikas….
Brand Value and Associations can be rather choppy, you want to be careful who you sponsor these days, There must be quite a lot of good quality cheap Yellow and Black Nike kit still floating about out there with no bugger wanting to buy it…

What is ‘Bellysol’? A cream you rub on your abdomen?

Sportpursuit are currently selling off lots of Livestrong clothing. I’ll bet it doesn’t function any worse than it did two years ago.

If I had any Livestrong kit, I’d still wear it, and if anyone decided to be a dick about them I’d tell them Lance is my hero because he pisses Hora off so much.

Sportpursuit are currently selling off lots of Livestrong clothing. I’ll bet it doesn’t function any worse than it did two years ago.

You know what I Just had a quick look, even with the discounts they have its still a bit steep IMO, I don’t doubt the kit functions very well indeed, but the branding is quite a deterrent that was really my point, the LS brand is completely devalued…

I could do with some cheap new Bib-shorts but having “Livestrong” across My arse and Up either leg just puts me off, I’d pay a tenner, maybe £15 and then do my best to remove the branding but pay good money to dress up as the most hated man in cycling?… Nah.

I’d rather go for a ride in this get up:

Hs anyone ever bought anything (not bike related) because of advertising seen at the Tour or some other bike race etc?

No but I’m having myself one of these – http://eurohorns.com/shop

I’m assuming he’s either wearing it “Ironically”, He’s not been watching the news much lately, or his only other cycling jersey is covered in Swastikas….

Or maybe he is just able to separate the cancer charity from the fallen idol that founded it?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/04/01/lance_armstrong_livestrong_how_the_charity_came_back_from_the_scandal.html

Huge opportunities for SME,s and larger companies to now get on board the cycling band wagon and sponsor teams in local races or even events.

Many small shops and cafes have had world wide advertising due to the pictures beemed from england around the world, and mostly for a very small outlay.

Much of the sponsorship is about hospitality opportunities rather than selling stuff to the general public. Run purchasing for a chain of hotels? Hmm, they might buy a shed (or warehouse) full of laminate flooring. Ride in a team car at the tour Mr Purchasing Manager? Nice lunch? Meet the riders?