Comments on: Wow. Now What Bike Industry? http://www.interbiketimes.com/2006/06/30/wow-now-what-bike-industry/ The Official Blog Of Interbike Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:48:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tim Jackson http://www.interbiketimes.com/2006/06/30/wow-now-what-bike-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Tim Jackson Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:30:58 +0000 http://www.interbiketimes.com/wow-now-what-bike-industry/#comment-14 The industry took a hit in 1998 with Festina. This latest scandal will kick that scandal in the teeth because we aren't talking about one team. Since we are talking about the best of the best spread out over several teams, this will be much farther reaching. I predict (I'm notorious for predictions too) that the industry will see a drop in road sales this summer. It will hopefully rebound when people get over the initial shock and disgust, but I think the industry will have to take a long hard look at whether team sponsorships are the place to put their money. This really hurts. Doping is as old as the sport and is prevalent in all sports, nobody should kid themselves otherwise. The clean riders, and there are lots of them, will now live under a shadow of doubt and suspicion. I feel bad for them. I also feel bad for any team about to try and get sponsor dollars too. Those are going to be really uncomfortable conversations. Expect to see some team budgets getting smaller. There will be a lot of fallout and this is just getting started. The industry took a hit in 1998 with Festina. This latest scandal will kick that scandal in the teeth because we aren’t talking about one team. Since we are talking about the best of the best spread out over several teams, this will be much farther reaching.

I predict (I’m notorious for predictions too) that the industry will see a drop in road sales this summer. It will hopefully rebound when people get over the initial shock and disgust, but I think the industry will have to take a long hard look at whether team sponsorships are the place to put their money.

This really hurts. Doping is as old as the sport and is prevalent in all sports, nobody should kid themselves otherwise. The clean riders, and there are lots of them, will now live under a shadow of doubt and suspicion. I feel bad for them. I also feel bad for any team about to try and get sponsor dollars too. Those are going to be really uncomfortable conversations. Expect to see some team budgets getting smaller.

There will be a lot of fallout and this is just getting started.

]]> By: Rusty http://www.interbiketimes.com/2006/06/30/wow-now-what-bike-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Rusty Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:10:39 +0000 http://www.interbiketimes.com/wow-now-what-bike-industry/#comment-13 You know, I look at the baseball industry and doping, (I'm a huge baseball fan) and the funny thing is, in that situation, I felt like the organization basically let it all happen. They didn't want to bring down people who were helping the popularity of the sport! I don't think the fans minded either. But, when it comes down to it, people say "hand the cheaters." When guys are doing amazing things (doped or not) people love it because at the end of the day, they are still human. We see pictures of someone on TV and we love it. You know, I look at the baseball industry and doping, (I’m a huge baseball fan) and the funny thing is, in that situation, I felt like the organization basically let it all happen.

They didn’t want to bring down people who were helping the popularity of the sport! I don’t think the fans minded either. But, when it comes down to it, people say “hand the cheaters.”

When guys are doing amazing things (doped or not) people love it because at the end of the day, they are still human. We see pictures of someone on TV and we love it.

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