BMX News Editorial: What Does It Mean To Be Sponsored? Options

[Brett Middaugh]

IMO, in BMX racing, WAY too much emphasis is put on being sponsored and not enough on getting more riders into your sport...
I mean go to a local race and an overwhelming amount of riders are "sponsored" from BEGINNER to Pro.
You guys need a bigger base to work from.

This goes back to the original post that has been taken down twice, why do some of the top guys not give it their all at certain times...because over the years BMX racing lost the "hero" aspect it once had.
Racing went downhill in that aspect when the now defunct nbl decided in it's infinite dumdom to give beginners and novices national number plates, then you have no real non-bias (most of racing's current literature in the USA...all?...is put out by the sanction not an independent author) news reporting on who the heroes are and you have a sport without an identity for itself.

BMX minu...I mean plus! (can't forget the exclamation point....ugh...) covers races but it doesn't feel lifestyle enough, heck it doesn't feel over 12ish enough. The best things racing has right now for media are BMX News, and BMX mania...mania though has that whole super long scroll thing going on...but I digress.

Being sponsored means you are making people want to buy the product you are running, that brings in revenue to the companies which in turn grows the sport which in turn increases salaries, pro payouts, incentives, etc....
Right now some of these BMX racing companies would be better off putting their stuff on jersey shore (ugh) or some other high profile celebrity to gain exposure...as repugnant as it sounds it will up your "WTF is this?" numbers...

[MikeCarruth]

This goes back to the original post that has been taken down twice, why do some of the top guys not give it their all at certain times...because over the years BMX racing lost the "hero" aspect it once had.

^^For the record, this editorial is not related to the thread taken down on Monday. This article has been in the works since April, but came together last week when I sent the panel the questions.

I definitely agree that sponsorship should be more exclusive than inclusive.

I was thinking about this the other day on the way home from Louisville, when passing an outlet mall. It once was the case where outlets had mark-down and no-sell merchandise for a given chain (Nike outlet had the purple leather AJs with the yellow swoosh, in size 15, and so on). Then there was an outlet MALL, which brought a whole bunch of those outlets together...then you had the stores creating original SKUs FOR the outlet stores (in otherwords, this downmarket product skipped the mainstream Nike, Gap or Nordstroms stores, and went directly to the folks cruising bargains the outlet mall). I'd be interested to see how often the outlets outsell some of the mainstream stores.

How long will it be til a BMX company is founded exclusively with the intent of selling the product directly to consumers for cheap, via a "sponsorship" program that allows all comers? I think there are a some companies that are a few steps away from that now, but none that seem to make it a business model.

Interesting stuff.


M

[HRPdesigns]

It was a good read for both the Teams and the riders. Think I might just pas this link on to the team. Now with the season 3/4 complete I have been thinking about next year for my team, and the incite from your panel has made some tough decisions a little easier. Thanks Mike.

[nickdawghaters]

BMX minu...I mean plus! (can't forget the exclamation point....ugh...) covers races but it doesn't feel lifestyle enough, heck it doesn't feel over 12ish enough.

Watch your mouth buddy... Ben @ BMX Plus! Doesnt need to attend races to get coverage so be thankful that the one real magazine that does come out, even really does come out.

[MeredithJL]

Watch your mouth buddy... Ben @ BMX Plus! Doesnt need to attend races to get coverage so be thankful that the one real magazine that does come out, even really does come out.

How many racers subscribe to it these days because of the race coverage? After reading a race report identical to the one in the ABA's mag last year, I didn't see a need to pay for a subscription again. i know their focus is mostly street/dirt and freestyle (whatever you call it these days) but really: why should we be grateful for repeat (ie, a reprint of an article published elsewhere) coverage at a price? I don't think it's convincing their main subscriber base to try racing, do you? I don't consider it a 'real' magazine with regard to BMX racing. Other websites (like Mike's other ones) and the ABA mag are the leaders there. I'm not intending to start an argument, that's just how I see it.

This post has been edited by MeredithJL: Sep 8 2011, 11:07 AM

[reedhamilton]

http://vimeo.com/28561688

The guy loves his "cigarettes". Five minutes of smoking - one minute of riding.

[Brett Middaugh]

Since Mike enlightened me on plus (not anything bad just facts I never knew about over on Action), I'm even less of a fan than I was as a kid.

Sponsorship in BMX racing today is pretty watered down...I'm seeing Mike's model coming down the pike in the not too distant future.

Mike, why not do a quarterly BMX Now (no exclamation point please, LOL!...oh dang I exclamated...) mag on the magcloud thing.

Well why not barring...time, money, people to get to help, etc, lol...again.
Would be cool to see some editorials in print that can get the blood boiling like the 'ol Oz days....

Ah I remember when....

Brett...shut up.

[bystickel]

Has there ever been a successful brand without a team (racing) or sponsored riders (freestyle)?

Has there been a successful brand that didn't also have regular print/web advertising?

Although it proves little, the team seems to be the main indicator of the product's legitimacy, equal parts Barnum and Cronkite.

[BS]

Good article, Mike.

I actually think that sponsorship, for the most part, is bollocks in BMX and try to promote the value of NOT being sponsored in my activities but this is a good topic and a good one to have in the hands of someone who aspires to be a real journalist. Nice work.

[BS]

Has there ever been a successful brand without a team (racing) or sponsored riders (freestyle)?

Phil Wood

Chris King

True Precision (Stealth) - had a team but no more I believe.

Honestly, in many areas of industry, brands that don't advertise also happen to be the brands of the highest quality. How often do you see Rolls Royce TV commercials? If a high quality brand has to start advertising that's usually a sign of trouble. Could even be an indicator that quality has gone down hill and they need to do something to cover their backside quick.