T&F Athletes To Unionize

[guru]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

[mump boy]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

If No2 is something they want to strike about i'll join them on the picket line

[Ned Ryerson]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

I'm a top-class international track and field athlete. How is union membership a necessity to me?

[guru]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

I'm a top-class international track and field athlete. How is union membership a necessity to me?

Sometimes it's bigger than just you - something the headliners - to their credit - are realizing.

http://tracking.si.com/2012/09/21/repor ... orm-union/

A lot of athletes in our sport are severely underpaid, hold two or three jobs just to train and stay in the sport, and what pushed me over the edge to get on board and mobilize was just seeing how much money was generated from the Olympic Games.

"I do relatively well with great sponsors, but for the majority of my peers, that's not the reality and it's disheartening

[Ned Ryerson]

That doesn't tell me how it's necessary for me to be part of this in order to compete as I have been. It's very clear that, in order to have a career in the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL, I need to be a union member. How is that going to be the case here?

[guru]

That doesn't tell me how it's necessary for me to be part of this in order to compete as I have been. It's very clear that, in order to have a career in the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL, I need to be a union member. How is that going to be the case here?

A question all professional sports unions faced at their inception - why do we need a union to play this sport, and why do I need to be a member.

[Ned Ryerson]

That doesn't tell me how it's necessary for me to be part of this in order to compete as I have been. It's very clear that, in order to have a career in the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL, I need to be a union member. How is that going to be the case here?

A question all professional sports unions faced at their inception - why do we need a union to play this sport, and why do I need to be a member.

Because there's collective bargaining in determining the parameters of salaries, revenue sharing and benefits. That's not the case here. How do I need to be a union member to compete in the Diamond League, World Championships or Olympic Games?

[26mi235]

It might increase the ability to alter rules to be more beneficial to the athletes.

[guru]

It might increase the ability to alter rules to be more beneficial to the athletes.

Exactly. It may not be a collective bargaining advantage in this particular situation, but a group certainly can turn screws better than an individual.

[polevaultpower]

Develop the Track Club system in an organized manner

The big shoe companies are largely to blame for this. They want exclusive sponsorships of their athletes, and, with a few exception (Oregon TC), are unwilling to allow their athletes to add a club logo to their uniforms.

I don't have a problem with exclusive sponsorships per se, but the big players have also managed to twist the IAAF/USATF/USOCs arms to make logo rules that make it almost impossible for clubs to have a presence at the top level.

[Ned Ryerson]

It might increase the ability to alter rules to be more beneficial to the athletes.

Exactly. It may not be a collective bargaining advantage in this particular situation, but a group certainly can turn screws better than an individual.

But how does this go to point number one listed in the link you gave? How am I compelled to joing the union and how am I treated as a scab if I compete as a non-member?

[gh]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

If No2 is something they want to strike about i'll join them on the picket line

If No. 2 is high on the agenda, count me out. Track is struggling to make it and you want to make drugs (the subject that has most damned us) a big talking point? We have met the enemy, and he is us. Holy shit.

[GDAWG]

According to the TFAA Twitter page, Ruben Sanca (Distance Runner from Cape Verde) and Canadian Andrew Ellerton have joined.

[GDAWG]

That doesn't tell me how it's necessary for me to be part of this in order to compete as I have been. It's very clear that, in order to have a career in the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL, I need to be a union member. How is that going to be the case here?

Do you see many more European athletes joining? I think that's the key to this whole thing because the last thing Track and Field needs is a global split of unionized athletes (The Americas plus some African and European athletes) vs. non union (Euros, Asians and maybe other Africans).

Also, the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL are North American based. The team reps all speak one language (English) and therefore can come together and elect an executive to represent them in labor talks. With this, it'll be extremely hard to do. The representatives of the regions (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa) will have to come up with some sort of consensus to choose someone who will talk to the IAAF and the IOC on their behalf.

[26mi235]

....

The Europeans are less labor and union oriented than the US???????????????????????????????

[decafan]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

I didn't find this editorial great at all.
1. Make track and field a closed shop? How? Why? Good luck. Never gonna happen. Track is a sport of starving rats fighting over a tiny piece of moldy cheese. Most make no money. You are going to make them pay union dues just to compete? Nice.
2. Implement a stronger international drug testing pool? Please refer to GH's post. This won't help the sport.
3. Get sponsor rules changed? Yes. I agree in principle.
4. Force the IOC's hand for the 2016 Olympics? Here is where the writer jumped the shark. I pray this will never happen. The Olympics are about nations competing against each other. I have no problem keeping the USA on the singlet and keeping McDonald's off of it.
5. Organized track club system? Nice idea, but you can't legislate interest. Citing the OTC is hysterical. Does anyone sober think that club can be modeled elsewhere in the US?

As I see it, the problem has to do with too small a piece of pie to split up. The t&f stars' agents will never allow them to go along with a union that costs them money. Ain't gonna happen. They don't make enough to sacrifice any for the greater good. The 2013 league minimum for a rookie in the NFL is $405k. Few of our stars will make that amount. A star in the NFL can afford to be gracious. There is plenty to go around. Track? Not so much. I predict this union dies on the vine.

[j-a-m]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

I didn't find this editorial great at all.

That's putting it mildly. If the author's #1 about forcing athletes to join is supposed to be a serious suggestion, then that's the most pathetic thing I've read on this topic so far.

[lionelp1]

According to the TFAA Twitter page, Ruben Sanca (Distance Runner from Cape Verde) and Canadian Andrew Ellerton have joined.

wow!!!

[Flumpy]

The IOC are quaking in their boots now

[Ned Ryerson]

I don't see anyone sacrificing any meaningful part of their income or careers for this. Tell me why I need to join this union? I haven't heard any compelling reason. If the union decides to boycott all competitions in their quest to evoke the changes in policies they desire, why shouldn't I take my swing at winning a gold medal in Moscow this summer?

Is it just logos that are on the minds of those at the forefront of this movement? If they're really good, then their principle sponsor will offer them a contract that restricts other logos from appearing on their uniforms (and if they don't like that, they don't have to sign it). And if the IAAF does allows a free for all, then they can't be surprised when some competition doesn't extend an invitation to athletes featuring certain conflicting sponsors. I'd like to know who has lost out on how much money because they can't put additional logos on their uniform. I haven't heard a peep out of Robert Griffin III about how he can't have Subway's logo on his uniform, and yet Subway is his official training restaurant. How is that? Even in track, you will get additional sponsorships if you're profile is high enough.

I think all the comparisons with the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL need to be left behind. This is isn't a team sport. If you want to make it a team sport, then give up your individual freedom as an athlete and give up the World Championships, make the Olympics a sideshow and make a team record the most important goal of the season. That means getting well over a dozen track organizations to function as teams, arrange a season with a post season and a championship, a tv deal and official sponsors for the league, uniforms for each team with a single uniform manufacturer for the league (bye bye shoe contracts) and then working with the athletes association to form a draft. And once you're on a team, you're stuck there unless you get traded. No longer will Alan Webb or Kara Goucher be able to switch coaches if they feel like their current coaching arrangement is leading to stagnation. Rupp wants to run a marathon this spring? No way, he's running the full track schedule and we can't have him on injured reserve recovering from a non-league event. The top returning NCAA middle distance runner wants to take a shot running fast during his summer to tune up for the Olympics? No way: can't have a non-union athlete competing and to join the union would be giving up amateur status.

This is the reality of being an NBA or NHL athlete. Yeah, winning gold for your country at the Olympics is great but what fans want to see is a trophy at the end of the season. If they want to look at the ATP/WTA as models, that is closer to reality, but still a far cry from track. We've got dozens of different disciplines and essentially one global championship per year (and not every year), while tennis basically has one discipline (doubles aside) and four world championship opportunities every year.

[mump boy]

Excellent editorial regarding the path forward

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2012 ... field.html

If No2 is something they want to strike about i'll join them on the picket line

If No. 2 is high on the agenda, count me out. Track is struggling to make it and you want to make drugs (the subject that has most damned us) a big talking point? We have met the enemy, and he is us. Holy shit.

I ALWAYS want to make better testing a talking point and so should every fan. Or do you think the ridiculous sight of some of the OG winners is a better advert for the sport ?

[gh]

Is there any parade you can't rain on?

[18.99s]

4. Force the IOC's hand for the 2016 Olympics? Here is where the writer jumped the shark. I pray this will never happen. The Olympics are about nations competing against each other. I have no problem keeping the USA on the singlet and keeping McDonald's off of it.

They're not worried about logo restrictions on their competition uniforms. Their problem is with the restrictions against sponsorship outside Olympic venues during the Olympics. They can't even thank their sponsors on Facebook or Twitter during that time frame.

[GDAWG]

....

The Europeans are less labor and union oriented than the US???????????????????????????????

I have no clue.

[Conor Dary]

I didn't find this editorial great at all.

Yes, I agree. Everyone in a union? And if you don't want to be in one? And stronger testing? Yes, more positives! That is always great for the sport. And forcing the IOC's hand? What dreamland is this dude in?

And replicating OTC elsewhere? About as easy as franchising Hayward Fields all over the country. UCTC, among other clubs, were big....like 40 years ago....I guess he missed the fact that Oregon is track nuts and Phil Knight lives nearby.

[gh]

does anyone have a name list of the top 10 promoters in track and field?

bump.... as asked earlier, but never answered, exactly what are you asking for here? "Top" by what metric?

[gibson]

does anyone have a name list of the top 10 promoters in track and field?

bump.... as asked earlier, but never answered, exactly what are you asking for here? "Top" by what metric?

let the metric be guesstimated cash generated per promo dude.

[gh]

If "cash-generated" means profit, then it's probably very close to a multi-way tie at zero. These meets don't exist as revenue sources. The more revenue they have the more they spend.

[Conor Dary]

Track meets need some sort of jogathon to get the big bucks. Having just top class athletes is not where the money is.

[tandfman]

Track meets need some sort of jogathon to get the big bucks. Having just top class athletes is not where the money is.

But jogathons are not track meets. You might as well say they need some sort of fast food hamburger operation or a Toyota dealership to get the big bucks.

[rsb2]

The somewhat demeaning term jog-a-thon may be indicative of one of our problems. Instead of accepting and working with the local road-running communities, some look down on the road-runs and lose the chance to see them as important partners in the bigger picture of our sport.
Many of our larger road-races are not only paying good money to our elite athletes as appearance and/or prize money, but are often major supporters of elite track meets, which of course are also paying out $$$ to our best runners. Not to mention providing the public exposure that brings big money sponsors to the table, not only for the events, but also directly to the athletes.
In the bigger picture of trying to professionalize our sport, I think the road runs are a critical component towards a better funding picture for our athletes. Yes, of course I realize that the direct money goes to the distance runners, but a solid business model could also include funding of clubs, centres, meets, etc., and this is already happening in some places. As has been noted, this is where the real money in our sport is. For instance, I just read that the Vancouver Marathon, reasonably sized but not huge as big city Marathons go, brings an economic impact of 37 million dollars to the Vancouver area !

[Conor Dary]

Track meets need some sort of jogathon to get the big bucks. Having just top class athletes is not where the money is.

But jogathons are not track meets. You might as well say they need some sort of fast food hamburger operation or a Toyota dealership to get the big bucks.

Oh, dear. I should have put a smiley. With the Chicago Marathon coming up and their 120+ dollar entry fee, plus whatever, and 45,000 entries, I thought it was obvious I was joking.

[Conor Dary]

The somewhat demeaning term jog-a-thon may be indicative of one of our problems. Instead of accepting and working with the local road-running communities, some look down on the road-runs and lose the chance to see them as important partners in the bigger picture of our sport.
Many of our larger road-races are not only paying good money to our elite athletes as appearance and/or prize money, but are often major supporters of elite track meets, which of course are also paying out $$$ to our best runners. Not to mention providing the public exposure that brings big money sponsors to the table, not only for the events, but also directly to the athletes.
In the bigger picture of trying to professionalize our sport, I think the road runs are a critical component towards a better funding picture for our athletes. Yes, of course I realize that the direct money goes to the distance runners, but a solid business model could also include funding of clubs, centres, meets, etc., and this is already happening in some places. As has been noted, this is where the real money in our sport is. For instance, I just read that the Vancouver Marathon, reasonably sized but not huge as big city Marathons go, brings an economic impact of 37 million dollars to the Vancouver area !

All Great, but so what, unless you are a Kenyan. Their relevance to track and field is zero. In fact less than zero, since it is pretty obvious that the East Africans are abandoning distance races on the track for the marathon.

And 99% of the participants have zero interest in the sport.

And what is so demeaning about pointing out the obvious. Marathons these days are something for folks to finish. Or qualify for the Boston Marathon. Which I suspect has more fraud involved, as to qualifying, than anyone cares to admit.

[tandfman]

Track meets need some sort of jogathon to get the big bucks. Having just top class athletes is not where the money is.

But jogathons are not track meets. You might as well say they need some sort of fast food hamburger operation or a Toyota dealership to get the big bucks.

Oh, dear. I should have put a smiley. With the Chicago Marathon coming up and their 120+ dollar entry fee, plus whatever, and 45,000 entries, I thought it was obvious I was joking.

Sorry. I missed that. I'm delighted to know you were, indeed, joking.

[bushop]

Watch Finnish star Alexsander Barkov skate in backwards for nasty shootout goal (VIDEO)
Skating billboard... is this the add future of our sport?