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Following the recent on-line vote and subsequent committee meeting HPRW have
now altered their policy and will now allow SPONSORED TEAMS to represent the club.
This is a significant change. The policy now reads:
Sponsorship of teams
. Max 2 licensed teams per year
. $500 licence fee
. Club to match licence fee revenue dollar for dollar
. Revenue to be dedicated to junior development
. HPRW logo & "HPRW" to be prominently displayed on front of jersey
and rear or legs of nicks (either in a band or on the thigh)
. Designs including club branding to be approved by executive
. Any CQ licence fee to be paid by team
. Teams to be limited in first instance to 8 riders
Expressions of interest for sponsored teams have and will be received. They will be evaluated
when formal applications have been presented to the Executive.
HPRW look forward to this new era for the club and the sponsored teams.
The on-line vote was 47 in favour of the proposal and 2 opposing. Here are the members comments:
Opposing:
being in cycle racing for over 50years, I can say that sponsorship has caused trouble within clubs as far back as the late 50's. I can't see why C.Q. can't come up with a deal for these riders that want to ride with sponsorship, they would pay a fee to C.Q. race all the C.Q. events the same as club riders do, & if there was no C.Q. event then just ride with the club of their choice as an invitation rider, if they lose their sponsorship, then these riders have to find another sponsor or pay to join a club, wouldn't that eliminate all the problems that now seem to be facing clubs over this, this is just a thought at 70years + I don't think it is going to hurt me much anyhow, there doesn't appear to be anyone out there busting to sign me up for a long term contract, I just want to see Hamilton stay a strong club & not suffer a split over the wishes of a few riders.
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Supporting:
I would like to send my appoligies for not being able to attend on Saturday. This is an issue that I am very passionate about and would like the opportunity to discuss the implementation of sponsored teams if they are approved. There are far to many issues to put to a simple vote --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
I accept that the proposal breaks with tradition, but it is probably the best way forward especially (as noted) regarding recruitment of young members. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Apart from HPRW logo on left breast maybe we can add web address on butt of shorts/knicks and on collar of shirt?
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I'm a strong beleiver that it will retain riders in the club who are looking to race at an open level and can gain some assistance to cover the cost of racing and travel by having a sponsor behind them. This exposure can only be good for the club as well. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I sincerely support a great opportunity to generate sponsored team racing in HPRW, this will only help support strong racing members within our club. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anything that promotes our club has to be a positive. When would they be required to, and when not to, wear the sponsored shirt? Or can they wear them at any event!
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I believe this should be supported as it gives riders the opportunity to stay with the club but at the same time race in a team environment - especially in the open races. HPRW has a strong member base currently and I believe this will only enhance the current number of members. At present to race in a sponsored team the only option is to leave the club, reducing membership. In relation to reducing numbers at club events when \'sponsored\' teams are racing CQ events, I believe this would already occur to a certain extent anyway. I cannot see too many negatives in accepting this proposal
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I believe it will attract more riders to the club and benfit the stronger young elite riders coming thru. it will also help to retain these talented kids.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Provided this is real sponsorship and not the rider buys a jersey to look good in. Not sure how you can police this ? Perhaps it is possible to set certain critera
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The club should let sponsored team riders into the club on a couple of conditions. One, the rider/riders get involved within the club's philosophy in some way. Two, that rider/riders miungle with other club members. This would ameliorate the us against them mentality. Three, the club should put in place, some form of guidelines for those sponsored rider/riders that benefits the club as well. There has to be a compromise between both parties. Furthermore, the club should reserve the right to reject and terminate the team at any time. In saying that, if the club allows a team in, then the club should also welcolme those riders with friendly gestures. I am just worried that sponsored teams would try and join our club for the sake of thier own interests, and not bothering to care what HPRW could also offer.
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Anything that promotes our wonderful sport and introduces young blood into our club is a positive. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I support this proposal as in so far as I believe that it is more beneficial for riders who are given the opportunity to ride in a team to do so, rather than being restricted from having the choice. I do however have questions as to the wider issue of 'teams racing', the proposals part in it and HPRW's ongoing stance regarding the concept. Namely I think that further from the question proposed, it needs to be asked as to what role do we wish teams racing to play in the future of the club. Do we simply want to allow members to ride for sponsored teams if they choose to or do we want to actively engage in the concept?
I am aware that Cycling Queensland’s Technical Committee has been developing new regulations for the concept,I am yet to see these yet. It is my view that allowing members to ride for sponsored teams without the club having any more involvement than this in teams racing could be a problem. If there is no internal option of (sponsored or not) teams racing, then riders (especially our talented elites and juniors) would be forced to look outside the club structure if they wanted to have anything to do with teams racing. If a number of members are then racing for teams outside of the club, this raises issues. Riders in this situation may find themselves pulled towards racing at other local races than HPRW races and pulled away from greater involvement in the club or pulled towards changing clubs.
On this point I see it as a good opportunity for HPRW to examine whether it is beneficial in this situation to allow and even to encourage the creation of teams within the control and support of the club. Elites A riders and Juniors seem the most likely possibilities as these riders are probably the most like be lost from the club to sponsored teams. I can imagine that it would lessen the fear that they will not attend club events or that they would have to choose between representing their team in one event or their club in another, because it would be one and the same. More so it would allow the club to have a say in sponsorship and to make sure that sponsor or naming rights don’t overshadow the fact that they are still HPRW riders. HPRW would be able to maintain a more prominent position on any sponsored jerseys rather than simply a badge over the chest if it wishes.
It seems a shame to not at least consider the possible benefits team racing gives in retaining and attracting members, increasing club value and image and helping riders achieve better results in competition. Being like some clubs whose riders ride for teams that seem to have nothing to do with the club nor contain the clubs name on the jerseys would not I imagine be desirable to most HPRW members. However a balance between the benefits of sponsors and teams racing while retaining a strong club image would serve the interest of the club better than the current situation. HPRW needs to be acutely aware of attracting young and new talent and we need to ask ourselves what direction is likely to be best for the long term prosperity of the club.
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