Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
- Ross
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Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Ross » Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:29 pm
I guess you could look at other cycling sponsors such as Orica GreenEDGE and say they aren't ethical either due to environmental concerns.
Should cycling only have ethical sponsers or should they just accept whatever money they can from whoever wants to give it to them?
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby redsonic » Wed Dec 11, 2013 9:00 pm
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby DavidI » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:56 am
Do we reject Subaru because their cars pollute?
Do we accept a manufacturer of vitamin supplements that haven't been clinically proven?
"Ethics" depends on the person. Do we reject sponsorship from a local butcher just because a certian percentage of participants are hard-core vegan and believe animal products are unethical?
Do we reject sponsorship by a local brothel because some people believe such things are unethical (even if they are 100% legal, at least in this state)?
Not having a go, just trying to open up the debate.
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Xplora » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:10 am
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby march83 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:14 am
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby silentbutdeadly » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:21 am
From my perspective, my LBS is both a sponsor of my cycling club and an arrogant thief with the customer service skills of an electrocuted elephant. So his sponsorship is not ethical to me. But I'm happy for the club to take his money. Especially since few of us really personally support his business. So my ethics are...untainted.
Same likely goes for Cycling Australia or Mountain Bike Australia members...most of whom probably don't buy that many Subaru's or Mars confectionery either. Take their money, chase their prizes...
Therefore...if you are CA or MTBA member then you really don't have any cause for concern or alarm. If you aren't....too bad, so sad...your ethics are your problem.
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby il padrone » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:22 am
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby ldrcycles » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:31 am
On the ethics side of things though, I think it's on the nose for Amgen, a company that makes EPO, to sponsor the Tour of California.
I eat take away like maccas whenever I feel like it, but am a hell of a long way from fat because I do plenty of riding. The reason there are so many overweight people around is because they don't do enough strenuous activity, obviously living on maccas and coke every day won't help matters but it is far from the sole cause. I think there is far too much focus on foods and diet as the cause/cure for obesity.
- Ross
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Ross » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:31 am
I welcome your input but I think you may be taking this to the extreme. I'm sure if you looked hard enough and had an extremely long bow you could find ethical fault with pretty much any company/sponsor. I was just pointing out the glaringly obvious ones.DavidI wrote:Define "ethical" though?
Do we reject Subaru because their cars pollute?
Do we accept a manufacturer of vitamin supplements that haven't been clinically proven?
"Ethics" depends on the person. Do we reject sponsorship from a local butcher just because a certian percentage of participants are hard-core vegan and believe animal products are unethical?
Do we reject sponsorship by a local brothel because some people believe such things are unethical (even if they are 100% legal, at least in this state)?
Not having a go, just trying to open up the debate.
In the V8 Supercars some years ago cigarette advertising was banned and there was much hand wringing and people predicting the end of this sport but new sponsors were found and today it flourishes (well, it did until the 2 main manufacturer participants said they are going to cease manufacturing in Australia in a few years time...but that's another issue). It would cost a lot more to sponsor motor racing than bicycle racing so surely it can't be that hard to find other, more ethical sponsors?
Maybe the banks could step up and sponsor some cycling events or teams, they seem to make plenty of money, but then their ethics might be on the nose too...
- g-boaf
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby g-boaf » Thu Dec 12, 2013 1:13 pm
But isn't that what everyone does on here, in the interest of a good debate? Fight your point to the death until the other guy gives up.Ross wrote: I welcome your input but I think you may be taking this to the extreme. I'm sure if you looked hard enough and had an extremely long bow you could find ethical fault with pretty much any company/sponsor. I was just pointing out the glaringly obvious ones.
Personally, I'm no fan of cigarette sponsorship or alcohol sponsorship. As for Orica, it is not that good either, but what can you do?
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby The 2nd Womble » Thu Dec 12, 2013 1:42 pm
Basically you go looking for sponsors rather than accept money from those trying to minimise the damage to their brands as a result of what their products or services inflict on the broader community.g-boaf wrote:But isn't that what everyone does on here, in the interest of a good debate? Fight your point to the death until the other guy gives up.Ross wrote: I welcome your input but I think you may be taking this to the extreme. I'm sure if you looked hard enough and had an extremely long bow you could find ethical fault with pretty much any company/sponsor. I was just pointing out the glaringly obvious ones.
Personally, I'm no fan of cigarette sponsorship or alcohol sponsorship. As for Orica, it is not that good either, but what can you do?
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby richbee » Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:58 pm
Putting aside the abuse of this particular substance by a large proportion (lets not tar all of them) of the 90's and early 00's peleton, EPO is a very useful drug for the treatment of totally non cycling related ailments such as cancer induced anemia, and anemia in young babies. The product was developed for a valid medical use and it's hardly likely Amgen promoted it's use in the peleton given the negativity of any discovery (BALCO anyone).ldrcycles wrote:On the ethics side of things though, I think it's on the nose for Amgen, a company that makes EPO, to sponsor the Tour of California.
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby djw47 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:39 pm
"Nearly everybody is overweight"? really? There's a lot of larger people about, but I don't think that nearly everybody is.Ross wrote:Following on from Bicycle Network and Coca-Cola sponsership thread I notice that the Cycling Australia Road National Championships has naming rights sponsor of Mars, the confectionary company. Another of the NRS races, the Grafton to Inverell, is sponsored by McDonalds. With nearly everybody being overweight is this the right thing to do? What's next, Domino Pizza Fitz's Challenge, Victoria Bitter Amy Gran Fondo or maybe the Winfield Blue Tour of Bright?
I guess you could look at other cycling sponsors such as Orica GreenEDGE and say they aren't ethical either due to environmental concerns.
Should cycling only have ethical sponsers or should they just accept whatever money they can from whoever wants to give it to them?
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby The 2nd Womble » Thu Dec 12, 2013 4:04 pm
http://m.couriermail.com.au/news/queens ... 6745496679" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Xplora » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:43 pm
Yes. That part.Ross wrote:Banks.... but then their ethics might be on the nose too...
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby antomeno » Fri Dec 13, 2013 1:45 am
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Lukeyboy » Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:59 am
In the early 80's to late 90's or even early 00's cigarette companies were funding motorsport by huge amounts. The development in F1 such as traction control, stability control, ground effects, active suspension, computer controlled components (ECUs, active suspension, sensors, paddle shifters etc) and engine and turbo performance wouldn't have been as developed for that time. Group C's demise was brought down by the costs of the advancing technology, smaller/mid field teams struggling pay the bills to remain competitive to attract more advertising and the FIA getting more and more greedy. Huge amounts of money were being thrown around and coming into the 2002 F1 season alot of countries were now starting to ban cigarette advertising which made up a big chunk out of some teams budget so the rules were modified to keep costs down so the field wouldn't lose teams like Jordan, Jaguar, Minardi, BAR and Sauber (Having lost Prost at the start and Arrows midway through the 2002 season) which didn't have big manufacture backings of the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, Williams (BMW), Renault and Toyota who were just arriving on the racing scene. V8 sponsorship was similar. Its now a bloody expensive sport as the whole series has changed to what it was like in the early stages of smoking bans so the likes of the old mid and lower field teams have vanished from the scene all together. Entries are now capped at a particular amount and one race teams are pretty much banned. Testing is pretty much banned for a small allocated amount. Look at the huff that team dynamic? had created a few years back with breaking testing bans and skipping a couple race meetings.
Basically you have to take what you can get as its a cut throat world out there when it comes to sponsorship.
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Ross » Fri Dec 13, 2013 7:43 pm
Didn't know the connection between all those products and companies. That reinforces my earlier reply to DavidI that if you dig deep enough you will probably find dirt on nearly every company. But if you could have say Pedigree Dog food or Whiskas as a sponsor even though their parent company is Mars, there is not an obvious ethical issue. AFAIK there are no connection between pet obesity and Pedigree Dog food or Whiskas. I guess this sounds a bit hypocritical but by the sounds of it it's about as ethical as things get.Lukeyboy wrote:What about being sponsored by Pedigree Dog food or Whiskars cat food? They are both owned by the same company that makes Mars bars, M&M's and 5/extra chewing gum. Maybelline is owned by Loreal but Nestle has a 30-45% ownership of Loreal. CocaCola owns Vitaminwater, Sprite, Fanta, Powerade, Mount Franklin Water, Pump water and Mother energy drinks. Remember those ads for Goulburn Valley fruit drinks way back? They are owned by CocaCola too. Pepsico owns KFC and Pizza Hut which is why you can only find their own products such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7up, Sunkist etc in their stores. Vegemite is owned by the same parent company that owns Cadbury, Craft and that Natural Confectionery co. If you are going to get really ethical you're going to be in for a big shock.
I fear you are right. Good to have a discussion about it anyway.Lukeyboy wrote:Basically you have to take what you can get as its a cut throat world out there when it comes to sponsorship.
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Robinho » Fri Dec 13, 2013 8:09 pm
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Farmer Elvis » Fri Dec 13, 2013 8:58 pm
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby The 2nd Womble » Fri Dec 13, 2013 9:27 pm
Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby Lukeyboy » Fri Dec 13, 2013 10:02 pm
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby RonK » Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:43 am
Well, on environmental grounds you would have to say the sport of cycle racing is unethical considering the number of cars and buses and the amount of air travel involved.Ross wrote:I guess you could look at other cycling sponsors such as Orica GreenEDGE and say they aren't ethical either due to environmental concerns.
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Re: Ethical sponsorship of cycling events
Postby The 2nd Womble » Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:49 am
Alright that's it. Everyone out.RonK wrote:Well, on environmental grounds you would have to say the sport of cycle racing is unethical considering the number of cars and buses and the amount of air travel involved.Ross wrote:I guess you could look at other cycling sponsors such as Orica GreenEDGE and say they aren't ethical either due to environmental concerns.
Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
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