Most pros are now groping around with ‘Yeah, we should have some sort of union.’ That’s the depth of thought we have now. Not a sincere look at the sport, their place in it, how it operates, and where or how they can develop a strategy that will either change their financial situation independently or force WTC to change policy. To do that, with good articulate business arguments.
A pro union is not the answer to the non ITU problem. It will help with a point of reference for business within the sport, but it will not fundamentally change anything .
We see age groupers now turning on pro’s, without any knowledge from within the sport, (ie: Olympic Champions should be treated like the rest of us.) That naivety is developed and cultivated by WTC itself as a weapon against increasing the pro’s prize pool. Yet do these age groupers think that friends of the administrations don’t get freebies, or if perspective sponsors ask for a spot, that they don’t get one? Please, don’t insult my intelligence.
It’s all about keeping the pro’s locked in their own little world, of one day it will change.
So I want not just pro’s but everyone to look at these numbers.
These numbers are the numbers that Mr. Messick, former McKinsie analyst, knows only too well, as he worked with these groups. He doesn’t want not just the pros but the age groupers understand, these numbers are the reality in real pro sports.
Get your tissues ready because your going to read and weep!
All numbers for the pro sports were cut, during their last round of bargaining, so they were larger.
But here is approximately how they stand now:
Sport % of Revenues
NBA 49% of all gross revenues to players
NHL 46.5% of all gross revenues to players
Baseball 43% and individual addons to players
NFL The most successful of all, so a little more difficult Their agreement 55% of national media revenue 45% of NFL revenue streams 40% of all individual club revenues
These are professional sports run as a business. The numbers may vary but only a 1 or 2% here and there.
How do they stack up to what you guys get in triathlon: Full gross revenue, you get a whopping 1%. (if I’m being generous to WTC.) Do a little calculation on the stated number in 2008 of $500 million (that was also not fully correct) but use it because that will make sure you get my point. And use 40%, the lowest of the above numbers.
So why a shrink? Well when someone comes along who has been in the sport 24 years, who has been the most successful person on a results basis in it, and is known personally by about 80% of the real pros, not the banker bike on the hood brigade, and says:
‘Guys, I can show you how you can get 30% of gross revenues but also pay the age groupers 30% back as a thank you for helping us.’
The response,
‘He must be mad. He doesn’t know the sport. He is a communist. How could he make that happen. Don’t want to talk to him and find out how it could be done. No sir,we going to get a posse of pro athletes together and our next tactic is run to Challenge and say save us.’
Why? Because they have a different business model?
Errrr no, or let’s see, we do that ’cause its the easiest way for us not to have to do anything, that’s why.
Felix is a good guy, and you know what I’ve known for 15 years and he is, but I met Mr Messick and I think he is a good guy too.
Wasn’t long ago I had about 20 pro’s telling me Charlie from Rev 3 is a good guy and going to save the pros. I don’t know Charlie, but he did more to annihilate most pros that had decided to support his series, than even WTC.
Here is the truth I might not be thought of as a good guy or your cup of tea. You might not like the truth, but when someone offers you a way to take home 30% of gross revenues, and how you can give as a present 30% back to the people who do this for the love of it, and says there is a way, then I believe it's insane not to at least ask, ‘how could we do that?’
Conclusion Its said, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different out come is a premise for insanity.
As it was put to me ‘You keep kicking the top pros, how will they ever join you’?
There in lies the secret of making this work. I don’t want them. They can stay in the troff of WTC, while those less fortunate rebuild the sport on the foundation of decent values, health, fitness, lifestyle and caring for others. New champions will rise, and they will be the recipients of the hard graft of the now not so fortunate athletes. These are the people I want to work with.
Andrew is so right about one thing, the sustainability. The trick is to do it again and again. Take note guys, he is so right. What is happening to you is totally shrinking and unsustainable.
You don’t need a shrink to tell you that.