Though I still want tech suits back in the picture, the argument that they helped professional swimmers economically is now in dispute and this is something I am currently evaluating.
Russel Payne comments at the recent "Anonymous blog post" by a professional swimmer; (which is getting lots of attention), in regards to tech suits and the economics therein. Though I disagree, I like good writing.
Russel Payne on Tech suits:
Once word got out that FINA, led by USA Swimming, was looking at a ban on rubber suits, all sponsorship opportunities for someone like myself went suddenly cold; no company could afford to go out on a limb until everything shook out. This for me happened while I was in the midst of trying to negotiate a deal. Swimmers much more highly ranked than myself were now looking for full time jobs outside the pool to pay for their training.
Everyone reading this knows what happened: Suit tech was pushed back 5 years. People were predicting that more and more apparel companies would leave the sport altogether when they could no longer charge upwards of $600 for a suit. This did not happen. The big companies now charge almost as much for a knee-length, textile jammer than they did for a full-body, rubberized and paneled suit. Nobody is arguing that the jammers cost just as much to produce, the companies need to recoup some losses and they now know that people will pay what they must to be competitive. ...
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2 comments:
I was starting to think thems supber hero folk in them crazy swimmin suits is pretty cool. But i isnt no homo so, you wont catch me watchn bunch of dudes runnin around in them Man-kini's them Olympicians go sticking in the camara at the pool. NO SIR!
When you sober up I look forward to a more lucid comment.
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