Russian participation in sport

[De Sisti]

I think it's about time to get rid of nationalism in sport.
Individuals should represent themselves. For team sports, it's a bit more complicated, alternatives include works teams, towns, organisations such as charities.
So no more flag waving or national anthems or medal tables.

How would the individuals fund themselves?

By getting real jobs, like in the Olden Days

Not that easy.  Times have changed, and things are more expensive didn't you know.

[Jaded]

I think it's about time to get rid of nationalism in sport.
Individuals should represent themselves. For team sports, it's a bit more complicated, alternatives include works teams, towns, organisations such as charities.
So no more flag waving or national anthems or medal tables.

How would the individuals fund themselves?

By getting real jobs, like in the Olden Days

Not that easy.  Times have changed, and things are more expensive didn't you know.

Posh people will be able to do that National Sport,  like in the Olden Days

[Hot Flatus]

...and Eddie the Eagle

[rogerzilla]

Aren't the good ones mainly paid by sponsors?  FWIW, advertising, as on shirts, that merely involves the company name has always seemed like very poor VFM to me.  Ok, brand awareness, but how much is that worth?  I know Vauxhall exists but it makes me no more likely to buy one.  I suppose fans of the sportsperson may feel loyalty to that brand.  Do a lot of Man City fans fly Etihad? 

[Kim]

FWIW, advertising, as on shirts, that merely involves the company name has always seemed like very poor VFM to me.  Ok, brand awareness, but how much is that worth?

Quite a lot, because it's something that's easy to measure (by asking a focus group to name brands or similar), and as in all things once you establish a performance metric, the job becomes about gaming that metric.  Whether that awareness translates to sales is largely irrelevant; the advertising people have proof of the 'effectiveness' of their campaign, and get paid.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I've never flown Eithad, but I know they sponsor Man City. I've never owned (quite possibly never driven) a Vauxhall, and I don't know who they sponsor. But I have flown Emirates... even though they sponsor Arsenal  .

[Mr Larrington]

FWIW, advertising, as on shirts, that merely involves the company name has always seemed like very poor VFM to me.  Ok, brand awareness, but how much is that worth?

Quite a lot, because it's something that's easy to measure (by asking a focus group to name brands or similar), and as in all things once you establish a performance metric, the job becomes about gaming that metric.  Whether that awareness translates to sales is largely irrelevant; the advertising people have proof of the 'effectiveness' of their campaign, and get paid.

I do sometimes wonder what the sponsors of pro cycling teams hope to gain.  As TV's Alexei Sayle put it: “Do they really think I'm gonna go to America to post a letter?”  That's if you know what their The Product is at all.  See also: BWT plastering their name on F1 cars.  If you have to Google them…

[Kim]

I look forward to a pro mountain biking team being sponsored by Picolax.  Goes like [That's enough - Ed.]

[Wowbagger]

I look forward to a pro mountain biking team being sponsored by Picolax.  Goes like [That's enough - Ed.]

...Teethgrinder?

[DuncanM]

Given half the teams seem to be emirates or oil/chemical companies, sportswashing seems to be the name of the game in cycling team (unless you are Belgian I guess). The same applies to football shirts/stadia. Just getting the commentators to say Bahrain Victorious a few times a day on TV has to be worth something!