Team RadioShack to appear before UCI Disciplinary Commission

[yello]

Who knows if it will happen but it's certainly the type of thing that does happen. Sponsorship doesn't come free. You have to consider the interests of your sponsor. Radioshack corp could well decide that they don't want their image and brand manipulated by a hero Texan with a hot head and a different agenda.

Not all publicity is desirable. Not all column inches are welcomed.

 

[Noodley]

I saw a RadioShack shop for the first time a few weeks ago, and didn't go in as I thought "I'm not giving my money to any company that funds Lance"....looked quite a nice shop as well.

 

[johnnyh]

Used to get Radioshack stuff in Tandy stores years ago.

The Radioshack people will have authorised the production of those jerseys and most likely known about it. You think the average shack customer in the good ol us of a will care what some French race organiser thinks? As said, Radioshack can put whatever spin they like on this, as can Livestrong,

Even better than a load of Dutch models in orange dresses being kicked out of a world cup game!

 

[yello]

The Radioshack people will have authorised the production of those jerseys and most likely known about it.

Known of the jerseys, I'd agree. "most likely" knew of their use... maybe. Totally aware of the circumstances of there use? I somehow doubt.

I personally very much doubt any corporation would okay a deliberate violation of rules. They certainly are not going to admit to it. Even the rules of some foreign bike race. Imo, that's bad publicity no matter how you spin it. The sort of stuff that, at the very least, has frantic corporate emails and memos flying about. Radioshack corp will be asking questions, of that I'm sure.

But we're in the world of conjecture. Neither of us know what happened. One thing is fact, Radioshack are facing fines for a breach of rules.

 

[rich p]

It was sad as I thought it showed Armstrong up as a self-promoting, self-serving, manipulative opportunist pr*ck whereas until then I'd alsways thought of him as a self-promoting, manipulative......

Oh, hang on a minute!

 

[yello]

My take, trying to take a non-critical middle ground, is that Team Radioshack/Livestrong/Armstrong genuinely believed that they could act in a manner that disregarded both Corp Radioshack AND theTdF/UCI because fighting cancer was more important.

I think, as a PR 'stunt', it wasn't calculated to pan out as it has. In that respect, I'd say it was a failure because it's out of control. Radioshack have now to respond and 'spin' to mitigate damage.

Looking further down the line, I'm now wondering whether for Armstrong personally it might actually backfire. Pissing off UCI is perhaps not a good idea when they're on the eve of receiving info from the Feds on the actions of team USPS. If there are/were friends in high places then there might well be the sound of rats and sinking ships going in different directions!

 

[johnnyh]

And there we have it, the horror is fuelled by personal feelings to Lance.

The fine will be of little significance to a large corporate retailer, and the UCI have already given both Shack and Livestrong the perfect outcome with the donation to a cancer charity. If Armstrong really wants to gain more from it all he has to do is match the amount in donation and look an even bigger hero back home.

Think what you like but the man knows what he is doing, and the Shack people know it too.

 

[John the Monkey]

And there we have it, the horror is fuelled by personal feelings to Lance.

...

Think what you like but the man knows what he is doing, and the Shack people know it too.

ALL U HATERZ R JUS JELUS...?

Far more about having *some* respect for a race with 100 years plus of history, for the other competitors, and for the sport as a whole, which needs further controversy like it needs holes in its bidons.

 

[johnnyh]

ALL U HATERZ R JUS JELUS...?

Far more about having *some* respect for a race with 100 years plus of history, for the other competitors, and for the sport as a whole, which needs further controversy like it needs holes in its bidons.

The Tour is one big 3 week rolling advertisement, money and exposure is key in the same way as any other big event.

If the UCI were really hacked off, and I reckon they are more hacked off at JB for his tweet than the jerseys, then they could simply deny Radioshack a place in next years tour... but I don't see that happening either.

 

[yello]

And there we have it, the horror is fuelled by personal feelings to Lance.

I have no idea how you reach that as a conclusion! I was actually trying to see it from Armstrong's perspective! So please point out to me the statements that have lead you to believe what you do and I will do my best to explain my thinking behind them.

The fine will be of little significance to a large corporate retailer

Corp Radioshack won't pay the fine - Team Radioshack will. And, to the corp, it'll not be about the fine but damage to their corporate image. The sponsored the team to promote their brand and image, not the reverse. They will clearly question the effects that this stunt has had on them.

and the UCI have already given both Shack and Livestrong the perfect outcome with the donation to a cancer charity.

To a Swiss cancer organisation. And, again, that's not a "perfect" or intended result. It's an 'after the fact' spin to mitigate damage. Livestrong could have donated that amount anyway without the associated negative press.

If Armstrong really wants to gain more from it all he has to do is match the amount in donation and look an even bigger hero back home.

I think that'd make him look even more disrespectful to be honest. As if he doesn't take the judgement seriously! That really would have the sponsors ripping up contracts!!

Think what you like but the man knows what he is doing, and the Shack people know it too.

I have never questioned that he knows what he's doing. It's his motivation that I question.

Johnnyh, if you want me to take you seriously then engage with my arguments rather than taking the line that I just hate Lance Armstrong. Whilst I am no fan, I do attempt to be objective. Your repetition of 'they'll spin it to win it' is seeing only one side of the affair.

 

[johnnyh]

I believe your constant thoughts on "Radioshack will drop the team" are as unfounded as thoughts that HTC would drop Cav after the V sign.

I am not saying you are either hating or loving Lance - that was at the previous post to yours, but why do you bring it back to him, surely this is a team thing? And from Armstrong's point of view it couldn't work out better than all this hullabaloo and publicity (which he seems to thrive on) and a donation to a cancer charity in Europe.

Where is Radioshacks market... US of A? What do you reckon the average Joe on the streets of the USA will make of it? Do you think they will be outraged at the disrespect shown to a race on French soil by one of their own, or do you think it will simply put the Livestrong and Radioshack identities into their heads and add to their 'love' of the French.

Given the outrage you would have thought Radioshack's share price would have been in free fall!

Come on, get real.

 

[johnnyh]

anyway, we shall agree to disagree no doubt.

let's see how it pans out, but I expect Radioshack to be there next year and Livestrong to be none the worse for it.

as for the UCI gunning for Lance, well nothing new there.

 

[John the Monkey]

as for the UCI gunning for Lance, well nothing new there.

Err - the UCI that let him start the Tour Down Under last year despite not having been in the out of competition testing scheme long enough?

The UCI that "leapt to his defence" during the contretemps with the AFLD last year?

The UCI that said that even if the current investigation into him revealed he had doped, Mr Armstrong would "remain one of the biggest champions in the sport."

With enemies like those, eh?

 

[montage]

Surely this very thread has proved that the PR stunt seems to have been effective. 300 views and rising. Most people who watched that stage will talk about it to their friends or online at some point.

It has most definately raised awareness for radioshack, but less so than intended for livestrong - and the riders did look a bit silly.
The question is, is any PR good PR?

 

[Chuffy]

Surely this very thread has proved that the PR stunt seems to have been effective. 300 views and rising. Most people who watched that stage will talk about it to their friends or online at some point.

Yup, we're all aware of cancer now. Do you really think that if they had worn the jerseys though the stage that the likes of Phil'n'Paul wouldn't have mentioned them every five minutes? Or that a shot of the whole team heading the peloton down the Champs wouldn't have been a better PR shot than Kloden half naked by the roadside?

It has most definately raised awareness for radioshack, but less so than intended for livestrong - and the riders did look a bit silly.
The question is, is any PR good PR?

And the answer is 'no'. Sure, this whole fiasco has got some attention (less than you would assume from a discussion thread like this) but it's not good, for Shack, Livestrong or Tex himself. Thanks to the way that they handled it, they have had to go for damage limitation.

Incidentally, do you really believe that Team Tex has to play cheap stunts just to get noticed? They were looking to maximise the attention that they would have got anyway in order to promote the whole Livestrong thing. They screwed up. End of...