Softball USA Olympics

[Hitter]

Pops you must first understand the system and the parties involved in making this all happen...look up how the ISF and the current ASA staff get along with each other and ask why Ron and Don can not come across the so called aisle and get along for the common good of the sport? Kind of like republicans and democrats isn't it? They all say we are in it for the sport of softball...whose name is on the paycheck?

Easton's abstaining to vote because of his owning a sporting goods company would be a conflict of interest....did he think being on the Olympic Committee that at some point would not involve some type of sporting goods products his company was making would be an issue or just softball and baseball products? If he thought that why did he ever accept a position on the committee as a owner of a sporting goods company? His plan in my opinion backfired as he got the negative attention by not voting he thought he was going to get by manning up not to vote would get him!

The sport is not going to die, as there are many other venues like the Pam AM games, ISF Championships, Canada Cup etc. However the ASA cash cow, the USA National Team may suffer some by not having a Bound for Beijing Tour and associated sales from merchandise associated with it. Some body made a bat bag load of money and I am sure it was not the athlete either.

Other than Team USA what other countries are you aware of that feel as passionately as you do about the sport being voted out? Have you tried to communicate with any of them and if so what were their responses.

Thanks Howard

 

[MTR]

You need to remember that this isn't the first time a petition has been circulated. Jamie Gray's has been around since 2008.

BTW, the US wasn't alone. There were similar petitions around the world.

 

[Ken Krause]

In the sporting world, as in most other areas of life, money talks. I agree that the IOC is neither interested in nor impressed by petitions, cries of outrage or other such displays. They will take interest, however, if major sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Allstate Insurance, Snickers, etc. quietly take them into a back room and explain that they want softball in the Olympics, and will withdraw support if it's not reinstated. Short of that, the IOC will do what it wants.

So if you really want to make a difference, figure out how you can get to the decision-makers for major sponsors and get them to take up the cause. It will be far more effective.

 

[MTR]

Ken,

Don't forget the big one! The TV network who does a fair amount of the marketing lining up sponsorship.

I don't know how their offer is packaged, but if they broke it down by marketable sports and just refused to pay for sports not marketable in the US or other parts of the world, it may make a difference.

 

[sluggers]

The Olympics has taken the NCAA business model for making money off "amateur athletes" to a whole new level.

The Olympics committee meeting:

A: "Hey, what if we could get Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, and Nick Faldo to play in a golf tournament?."
B: Wouldn't that cost a lot of money?
A: That is the beauty of it. We won't pay them a dime. We''ll just give them a gold medal if they win.
B: *Snicker* We get those cheap enough.
A: Then, we'll charge the public an arm and a leg to attend, and we'll get all the TV advertising revenue also.
B: That is great for us, but why would an athlete want to do that?
A: Because if they don't play, we'll have some sports writers start saying that "they don't love their country." You know--a couple of editorials in a big newspaper should do the trick. Fox News will eat them alive. They'll have to play.
B: This'll be just like a charity golf tournament--except WE'RE THE CHARITY!

 

[MTR]

The Olympics has taken the NCAA business model for making money off "amateur athletes" to a whole new level.

The Olympics committee meeting:

A: "Hey, what if we could get Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, and Nick Faldo to play in a golf tournament?."
B: Wouldn't that cost a lot of money?
A: That is the beauty of it. We won't pay them a dime. We''ll just give them a gold medal if they win.
B: *Snicker* We get those cheap enough.
A: Then, we'll charge the public an arm and a leg to attend, and we'll get all the TV advertising revenue also.
B: That is great for us, but why would an athlete want to do that?
A: Because if they don't play, we'll have some sports writers start saying that "they don't love their country." You know--a couple of editorials in a big newspaper should do the trick. Fox News will eat them alive. They'll have to play.
B: This'll be just like a charity golf tournament--except WE'RE THE CHARITY!

They just didn't plan on Elin Nordegren wanting to play through.

 

[FJRGerry]

Wouldn't it be enlightening to have a breakdown of viewership by sport VS. add revenue by sport?

 

[MTR]

Wouldn't it be enlightening to have a breakdown of viewership by sport VS. add revenue by sport?

You would think, but since the viewer doesn't have an option and must watch what the network offers when the network offers, I don't know how helpful it would be.