I have read numerous comments by other contributors regarding organizational
management and ah yes money. It has been alluded to but not addressed
completely. Let's not dance around this issue like it's not part of the
problem because it is.
In review of the relatively small revenue requirements (we're talking
millions in the single digits) needed to fund a successful team campaign
overseas, I am surprised by the the lack of professional organization
focused on this as well as the excuses and the comment made that xc skiing
is a minor sport in the US that nobody wants to watch on TV. There are many
obscure sports and sporting events that have successfully found their
marketing nitch. In an Olympic year, the best example would be the
Bobsledders and Lugers who are very savy in terms of garnering funds and
support. We could talk about sail boat racing, cycling, and professional
chinese checkers players for that matter. THIS IS WHERE AMERICANS ARE
SHAMELESSLY DIFFERENT THAN OUR GOVT. FUNDED COUNTERPARTS ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC.
Fun fact, in Park City, a small enclave of some well to do people mixed
with the rest of us who fight to make a decent paycheck every two weeks,
there are over 100 charities registered here & all fighting for the same
dollar that is tax deductible. Not only is it the “American way” to compete
for these donations but many are successful at it as well. The amount of
revenues garnered by this free for all money grab for the “spotted wapatian
wood trout”, the “western historical preservation of pioneer culture…”
generally exceeds the US Xc ski team budget.
Additionally the XC ski folks rely on big brother, the DHers for the table
scraps of revenue instead of stepping out and becoming more entrepenuarial
business people. It appears to me that many in our sport consider this to be
some how unclean and definately have an aversion to it or at least have no
idea how to do it. Here's another local example, has anybody been to the
annual Park City Ski Team
ski swap????? What a cash cow, this event could rival that of any convention
and or revenue event put on by a major group of retailers in a major city!
Ski swaps probably aren't the answer for XC ski
funding but like the Bobsledders, kudos to them for finding their niche and
exploiting it!
As it would be unfair just to admire the problem, let me also provide some
solutions. As I have experience in fund raising I can tell you that it is
there for the asking yet like all marketing campaigns you must be clever in
your approach, packaging and purpose. It also requires something else that
many of us know about through tireless hours of training and that is
persistence!