With their troubles…wonder what they’ll do?
Don’t know how much it costs them to do all the sponsorship?
I suspect the demographics of the average IM participant is their target but will they tighten their belt?
Thats a very good point and one that I haven’t thought of. It will be interesting to see what happens with that. Maybe it will become the “KIA” Ironman…just doesn’t have the ring to it! “Volkswagon” Ironman?
FYI. Foster Grant was the title sponsor of the World Championship 70.3 race in Clearwater 2 weeks ago. It was a little strange seeing a new name on all the finsiher caps/race t-shirts, etc… At the merchandise tent at the race there were a few items that had Ford on them (must have been leftovers from last year) and the sales rep told me they could not sell anything with the Ford logo on it. Once they realized that, all of the old stuff was pulled…
If this is any indication of a new direction, it would appear likely that Ford would back out.
Sponsors frequently come and go in sports. I still have Izuzu Ironman stuff, and I have no idea if they are still even a functioning car company now. Sponsorship will be hard for everybody for a while. Luckily, Ironman have suckers… I mean people like us who pay incredinly high race entry fees.
Given the current situation, it’s a valid question to ask.
I know nothing about the Ford/WTC relationship, but at IMH amongst people in the know, the talk, generally speaking, where the economic problems may manifest themselves in the tri-market, is at the event sponsorship level. No surprise, as many of the non-endemic triathlon sponsors are companies that could possibly be very exposed right now and reflexivly, marketing $$$ are typically the first things companies cut back on. The irony is that over-all the sport is in a very good situation. Retail business this year has been great. Pre-season wholesale orders for next year are from what I have heard, very good. This year, many events and series had record numbers of people. Key races and events are sold out or approaching their caps for next year. In many respects it’s business as usual, albeit with some dark clouds on the horizon
Interesting times!
Subaru has been a loyal sponser of Ironman Canada and the Ontario Triathlon Series. As Ford was taking over title sponsorship, funny how IMC wasn’t mentioned much anymore. Greg Welch even said Bryan Rhodes had won the FORD Ironman Canada in '08. NAS can do what they want, but personally, I wouldn’t care if each IM had a different title sponsor.
In fact, I long for the old days when the expo had TONS of vendors, not just the “official” few we get now. IMO
I doubt it.
Yesterday on NPR I heard Ford CEO Alan Mulally speak on Capitol Hill about the current auto maker situation. He strongly defended the current business plan and car design concepts, and only blamed the banks and the lending situation of the banks for their current dilemma.
So it should all be good to go. 
And they flew in on their private jets costing 20K for the trip. Yep, they have nothing to do with their issue.
Dave
My rep friends are telling me the same. Orders have been placed, all systems go. (And these are the fluffy doctor/lawyer brands)
As for Ford…their approach to IM as been all wrong, IMO. While they have GIVEN a lot, I don’t see they gotten anything in return. Sure…Ford logos on all IM stuff, soem expo time and TV time. Bah. I posted a few years ago they should offer a $500 (or whatever) credit to all IM finishers who bring their medal to a dealership. I did implement this…sorta, but certainly didn’t monetize it. Sheees…put a friggen 50 cent piece of glossy paper in the damn bag that says “$500 off your next Ford card”. Offer up a “IM Branded” bike rack. Start up Ford running clubs are each dealership. Have Ford Fitness 5K runs at each location. Have Ford Dealer to Ford Dealer adventure races, winner gets a car at cost. Start to sell bikes (a la VW/Trek) along with the cars.
It gets me all pumped up when I think about the possibilities for both cost reduction and innovation.
Net result…in the grand scheme of things, Ford really doesn’t give a rip about triathlon or Ironman. A marketing program without a ROI. They are the egg, not the chicken.
I doubt it.
Yesterday on NPR I heard Ford CEO Alan Mulally speak on Capitol Hill about the current auto maker situation. He strongly defended the current business plan and car design concepts, and only blamed the banks and the lending situation of the banks for their current dilemma.
So it should all be good to go.
The Big Three are so far through the looking glass on this it is beyond belief.
Speculative on my part, but what Ford spends on Ironman each year is less than they spend on one weekend of NFL (US) football broadcasts. Their marketing types will analyze if they are getting decent ROI on this after four years and react accordingly. No big deal to them or WTC ultimately, as sponsors come and go (like Bud Light, Gatorade, Isuzu, Timex) at that level.
I posted a few years ago they should offer a $500 (or whatever) credit to all IM finishers who bring their medal to a dealership.
Subaru does that, only catch is you have to buy car from Canadian dealer.
My parents were/are life-long union types. Union wages helped put me through college. So, I don’t have an agenda in saying this, but from what I’ve read, the real problem US auto makers are having is with Union contracts—wages and health benefits for retired workers.
I know very little about Japanese, Korean and German auto makers, but, again from what I’ve read, they don’t have nearly the same dilemna.
Cutting marketing costs would only bring about a downward spiral for the US companies, and I think they know that.
And, since I’ve opened this can of worms, I don’t think a government bail-out will help. I think these companies need bankruptcy protection so they can re-negotiate their labor contracts, as well as other agreements.
This goes way beyond our little world of triathlon. It’s not good. Good is no longer a choice.
I think those would all be good ideas.
How about $20 off per mile run for your new Ford. At the location that is.
It’s interesting comparing to Subaru and their sponsorship of IMC. I don’t know all the key points of the Ford deal with WTC and NAS, beyond what I see, but Subaru Canada has really stepped up to the plate over the years and not just thrown their logos around at IMC. In an indirect way, Geoff Craig and the marketing team at Subaru Canada have been responsible for the remarkable run of success that Canada has had in the sport of Triathlon as a whole over the last 10+ years. Almost every major international success, that we have had, can be traced back to some form of support and sponsorship by Subaru. The sport in this country is grateful and thankful, for this amazing run of support that has gone on much longer than the typical marketing cycle.
I know this post is going off track but the domestic car companies have done themselves in, the banks didn’t do it, they need to go bankrupt and restructure. Nascar can’t save them anymore. I am a dieahard ford/mopar fan (vintage that is). I would never, at least in the near future buy a domestic car for a daily driver. You can only turn out s&%t that is made by people getting paid $50 an hour to hang a door on a hinge before people say enough. When I can get an easy 250,000 miles out of a ford before any major repairs like I can my toyotas then I would be happy to buy one again, no strike that, I would love to buy one.
And they flew in on their private jets costing 20K for the trip. Yep, they have nothing to do with their issue.
Dave,
Would it not have been better, if for no other reason than symbolism if they had driven from Detroit to Washington in a fleet of Ford Hybrid cars?
Bring back** BUD LIGHT **sponsership ,beer is recession proof
.
Bring back BUD LIGHT sponsership
Cheers to that.
I still recall traveling to races in the States back in the 80’s including IMH, and being handed a Bud Light in a cup soon after crossing the finish line of the race!
Bring back** BUD LIGHT **sponsership ,beer is recession proof \
Ya, another American company that has sold out to foreigner’s…You know times are bad when we have to outsource the making of the #1 beer in the world…I would like to see a Gunniess sponsorship, a beer that I would at least drink at the awards dinner…
.I would like to see a Gunniess sponsorship, a beer that I would at least drink at the awards dinner…
Mark,
Perfect - Bud Light at the finishline and Guiness at the awards!** **I would hate to see it the other way around!