Tag Archive for 'sponsorship'

Challenge

Published on July 20, 2010 in Biking. 0 Comments

As cyclocross season continues to come up, I can see it on the horizon. I have sent out many sponsorship packages and have had many positive responses. One company who answered the call and I have set up a great deal with is Challenge. They have been around for a while and started innovating and pushing the limits with tires and I am grateful to be able to use these awesome tires!

After much deliberation with Adam and my dad, I settled on using both Grifos and Fangos. Luckily, with the new UCI rules I didn’t have any real decisions to make with width and am going to ride all 32mm tires.

Cyclocross, here I come! Thanks Challenge!!

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, bicycles, bicycling, bikes, Biking, cross, cyclocross, sponsors, sponsorship, tires, tubulars, veldrijden.

Canada Dry reflects

Published on July 8, 2010 in Biking. 0 Comments

I started writing this post on Monday night at Dave’s house…

Then I opened it up again at the Boston airport…

And it’s been in an open tab ever since I got back to Ottawa…

I felt pretty good going into Monday’s crit at Fitchburg. I was able to race conservatively for the first half and use as little energy as possible. As the race progressed, I stayed nearer the front. A good-looking break went at 14 laps to go, so when I felt the chase slow, I jumped hard and almost caught them in half a lap, but then I eased coming down the hill and struggled to close the gap. That break came back within a few more laps, so it really wasn’t that big of a deal.

I tried to put myself in a position to throw down in the last few laps, but couldn’t quite make it happen. So I settled in for the sprint and just finished in the group, while Jim finished 2nd on the day!

I ended up losing 11th to the guy who got 3rd on the day and was tied with me on GC.

All in all, I can be happy with my race in Fitchburg this last weekend. I learned some things. I know what I should have and could have done. I have come away a better bike racer and I will take all those things with me into my next races.

And a huge thanks goes out to everyone who took care of me this weekend. Dave for hosting me and driving me around, Landen for driving, his parents for support and feeding, and all the NEBC team. And thanks to Vince and Scott Racing for letting me off the hook for a few days… Oh, and of course my parents and all those who have emotionally supported me!

Now my thoughts turn to the second half of the road season and Cyclocross!!! If you want to help me out or know somebody who might, check out my sponsorship package or the S.Club. Anything and everything is always greatly appreciated!

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, bicycles, bicycling, bikes, Biking, competition, cross, cyclocross, racing, sponsorship, sport, support, travel, veldrijden.

More borrowed concepts

Published on June 8, 2010 in Biking and Thoughts. 0 Comments

I just found this interview with Gerard Vroomen of Cervelo and Cervelo Test Team on cyclingnews.com. I think it relates nicely to the post I put up earlier from Richard Sachs. I will mention that I’m not a big fan of all the doping talk, so feel free to ignore those parts…

Vroomen has set about instilling a philosophy within his riders that goes beyond the demand of winning at all costs. Instead the team place race success alongside product development and fan access as their top goals.

Obviously the biggest goal within sport is to win. The question is what are you willing to do in order to achieve that? I don’t want to change cycling for riders to aim at finishing last and if it’s a choice between wining and coming second, you’ll try and win. However, winning at all costs is a particularly strange concept in cycling. What I mean is within cycling, winning from a financial point of view is not nearly as important as it is in other sports.

For the rider, winning is important and if he doesn’t have the drive to win he’ll never make it to the top level. For us as a sponsor, winning is not that important because on the one hand we also focus on product development and fan access. But also, winning is not that big a factor in how much exposure you get. So even for companies just looking for exposure, winning is not that important as say winning in soccer.

the return on investment in cycling is so great. The investment is so good even if you did finish seventh in a major race. Cycling is essentially unsophisticated in how it’s marketed. So you have these companies getting 60 million in exposure and they pay a tenth of that so even if you have a bad year your exposure is still a great deal.

I think Mr. Vroomen may be a little optimistic in some of his thoughts here, but they still make a good point. Over the last few years I have realized that it’s not always the guy who wins that is the best person to sponsor. As I have searched for sponsors, I have found that it is best to be personable, to provide brand recognition wherever possible, to be a positive influence, to make yourself known, visible, and have a good image. Being fast and having results can make those things easier. But talking to people, showing off your sponsor’s stuff, and just being in the action can almost make up for results.

Lots of good things coming now. Stay tuned…

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, bicycles, bicycling, bikes, Biking, cervelo, competition, cross, cyclocross, dope, doping, image, racing, sponsorship, Thoughts.

Yeah? Or something like that? Maybe?

Published on March 9, 2010 in Life and Thoughts. 0 Comments

Thanks Tom. Thanks for all the good people in the world. Every single person out there that makes the world go ’round… Thanks!

I think this letter sums up a lot of what has been on my mind. I don’t have the same motivation bringing me to same conclusions (by conclusions, I mean questions), but I do come to a similar place in the end. If you’ve been reading my blog, this has hopefully been coming through in a lot of my posts.

As the boss puts it, there are two major questions at play here:

One is in the meaning or importance or role of sports in society.
The second is the idea of simply being good at whatever it is that you do. It doesn’t matter what it is that you do, just that you do it honestly, sincerely, excellently.

Let me take you back to an old post and this video…

And another video with Adam Kreek; it is actually Mr. Whitfield who pointed me over to this clip…

There are so many things going on here. I could go on for days and write so many posts about all the great things these guys say. But I’ll let you mull them over and maybe come back later…

But here is an idea I borrowed from John Verheul:

It’s the idea that even 1% can help. For all those that have helped me, I want to pass the buck. One day soon, I also want to pass on more than that; I want to pass on my time!

There are so many people out there who need help. There are so many people who don’t have the same opportunities. There are so many people out there who are struggling in pain.

Many people in developing countries. Many people that live in my neighbourhood. Young kids. Adults. Elders. Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes!

I want to do my part. My first 1% will be Kidsport. After all, that is the idea that has stimulated so many of my blog posts in the last little while! That is why I believe in the Olympics and elite sport. So at least 1% of all revenues generated from Shaun Adamson Training and the Shaun Adamson Supporters Club will be donated!

Thanks to everyone who has helped me reach for my dreams thus far and to all those will help me to make my dreams in the future. I just hope I can pass on as much as I have received!

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, bicycling, bikes, Biking, coaching, competition, kidsport, Life, money, racing, sponsorship, sport, support, Training.

Published on February 20, 2010 in Thoughts. 0 Comments

Simple title, lots and lots of thoughts!

I think my previous Olympics/money/sport posts have been taken in a different light than I was intending. But I got lots of good comments and feedback, so thanks. After re-reading my posts I think I just said what I was trying to say poorly (what else is new?!?).

But after getting a chance to go downtown in Vancouver yesterday, I got a renewed perspective. Not a new perspective, but a reminder of what I thought or was trying to say.

Sport is a great thing! People are great. Sport bringing people together must then be really, really great! No?

I don’t know if that’s what the Olympics has really come to. But I certainly appreciate the sport. I appreciate that it brings people and fans together to cheer on their favourites! I like when Olympians encourage kids to try new things, to push their limits, to motivate them! That is one great aspect of the Olympics!

And sports and athletes are unreal! That’s all I have to say!

I LIKE THE OLYMPICS!!!

But are they the best for society? That’s what I don’t know.

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, bikes, competition, money, olympics, racing, sponsorship, sport.

Sport and money

Published on February 15, 2010 in Thoughts. 3 Comments

So here is my dilemma:

I have spent the last few years seriously trying to further my career as a cyclist. Or make my career as a cyclist. What does/has that involved?

Well, training and racing of course, but also attempting to find sponsors. I am trying to find people to give me product (either really cheap or free) and people to give me money (for travel, etc.) so that I can focus on racing and training. This is a daunting task.

And as I have been successful (Thanks Juventus, United Cycle, Transcend Coffee, Mom and Dad), I just haven’t quite had that breakthrough yet. For me that begins to beg the question, what the heck am I doing?!?!?

Let’s assume that I can guarantee anybody a 100% return on investment, is that really the best use of their money? Would they and me and the world be better off if they gave me that money and I helped distribute it to the people who really need it? To kids who don’t eat breakfast? To kids who don’t get to play any sports? To people who don’t have warm clothes to wear in the winter? To people who struggle with addiction, etc.?

I don’t know…

I mean, I need money too. Unfortunately we all do. We all have different definitions of what we need, but we all need money to some extent. We all need to eat, have a place to live, clothes to wear.

So we work. We make money. We spend it. That’s economy. But are we doing it right?

Now that I’ve pretty much written off any potential sponsors that read this, I am not sure what I think. So don’t get me wrong. I love cycling and training and will always want to be competitive, pushing myself and others to be the best.

It seems more like I’m questions jobs and money and the economy and our society than sport, but this all came out of my thoughts and questions surrounding the Olympics.

What do you think?

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, bicycles, bicycling, bikes, Biking, coaching, competition, competitve, cross, cyclocross, economy, jobs, money, occupations, olympics, racing, society, sponsorship, sport, sport's, status quo, Thoughts, Training.

The Olympics

Published on February 13, 2010 in Thoughts. 0 Comments

Well, they’re here.

I don’t know… what do you think?

Here are Poul’s thoughts.

Here are some thoughts from Dallas.

Here are some of my old thoughts.

Well, I don’t know if I can say what I think. I don’t think I know what I think anymore.

I have always LOVED the Olympics! I remember just loving sports. I was looking through some old photo albums with a friend and apparently there were lots of me doing sports, being around sports, and she said, “I guess you liked sports, eh?”

“Yup!” I like sports!

But what about all the money that goes into it? What about sponsorship from companies like Coke and McDonalds? Do you just say that they have money and without them the Olympics wouldn’t be what they are?

I mean, we all know that these athletes don’t actually eat the food they’re endorsing; but do we? Do we want people to think this food is actually good for them? As Food, Inc. says, we need to make carrots more affordable than chips. But how do we really do that?

Ok, I’ve gotten a little off topic, but those are some thoughts. This will be the first of (hopefully) many posts over the next few weeks about the Olympics and sports and athletes.

I still also want to talk about the 168 hours I recorded… I guess I’ve had a bit of busy time…

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: 2010, ::Cycling, bicycles, bicycling, bikes, Biking, canadian, competition, food, money, olympics, racing, sponsorship, sport, sport's, vancouver, vanoc.

Here’s the story

Published on January 7, 2010 in Thoughts. 1 Comment

I always come up with these brilliant ideas of why I think somebody should sponsor me. Or why somebody should donate money. Or why I should get free product.

But then I have a discussion about the politics of health care in Alberta and around the world. I hear the politics of social work. I hear the politics of health pandemics. I hear of hunger and famine all over the world.

And I’m torn.

Should I race my bike? Or should I go out and change people’s lives and the world? Can I do both?

Should I convince you that you should give me money? What are the benefits? Or should I convince you to help me feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and help those in need? Now that has benefits!

Again I’m torn.

I don’t think everybody needs to go to third world countries and try to change everything. Nobody can do that on their own. Everybody simply has to do their part. But what exactly is our part?

Do we race our bikes? Do we support local companies? Do we buy discount products from Walmart? Do we buy cheap clothes made in poor labour conditions? Do we buy expensive clothes made locally, in good working conditions? Do we make our own clothes? Do we make sure not to waste any food? Do we grow our own food?

Oh boy. My head is going to explode! All this simply from thinking about how to get sponsorship for cycling, the sport I love and a huge passion of mine!

::SAdamson

Tags: Tags: ::Cycling, Biking, money, sponsorship.

Sponsor Spotlight: Transcend Coffee

Published on September 7, 2009 in Biking. 0 Comments

I had a good meeting last week with Poul and James at Transcend and we worked out a few details of our new partnership! It’s going to to be good. But the best is yet to come.

Until their new website is ready, please link through this post or their logo on the right for your purchase in order for me to get part of the money you spend. But most importantly, stop by the shop, check out their website, watch their podcasts. Check it out! It’s awesome!

Things are coming together. I just need that big-money sponsor now!

::SAdamson