# Sky to stop involvement in cycling after 2019 season



## coldash (May 7, 2012)

https://www.teamsky.com/article/sky-to-bring-involvement-in-cycling-to-a-close-after-2019-season

This will be interesting.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

coldash said:


> https://www.teamsky.com/article/sky-to-bring-involvement-in-cycling-to-a-close-after-2019-season
> 
> This will be interesting.


It sure will. I think the days of the unlimited budget may be starting to see the horizon...


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

IIRC when T-Mobile withdrew from cycling they left some money behind the desk that helped fund Team Columbia for a season or two. Sky might do the same after 2019.

IIRC (2). I think Sky were originally in the game for 10 years so this might be a case of not extending that, although I’m sure it won’t be seen that way

IIRC (3). A few years ago it was reported that the Team Sky budget, although large by cycling standards, represented less than 1% of Sky’s total marketing budget.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

Either:
A. Are satisfied with TDF wins as title sponsor

B. They got sick of the bad press and cheating Brailsford.

C. Both


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

It’s actually reportedly the byproduct of changes occurring within the Murdoch company, etc. Either way, it certainly should be interesting and could have a major impact on the sport. If they do find sponsors, I doubt it will be at the level of funding they had under Sky, so there will likely be some quality free agents hitting the market this summer. Let the crazyiness begin....


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Oh and maybe this will finally get the powers that be to acknowledge that pro cycling is currently financially unstable. If you can’t get sponsors that are backing teams that are actually dominating to stay in the game, you financial model isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Comcast bought out Sky a couple months ago. I expect this is part of the buyout.


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## SNS1938 (Aug 9, 2013)

Bernal just signed on for 5 years ... Thomas for 3. Thomas better have another great year if he's going to convince a different team to pay him millions for 2020 and 2021.

I wonder if Sky find a new sponsor who only wants to cough up $20m, will we see Brailsford calling for team budget or salary caps now?


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

I expect that if they find a new sponsor their budget will be reduced to around the 20 million mark putting them more in line with what other teams have. That will mean reduced contracts for much of the team. If the team doesn't find a new sponsor and folds, I expect that also means reduced contracts for the riders as other teams don't have that kind of budget.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

Perhaps Festina is looking for another team? 
Feel bad for the younger lads, Bernal, Rowe, etc. Never been a Sky fan, like the Yankees they always have a larger budget and usually snag good talent that would really prosper on another team. EBH and Kwiatowski come to mind. 
Definitely gonna be interesting.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

It will be impossible to find a same level replacement. Part of the reason why Brailsford got Sky to spend so much money is because he and the son of Sky corp are buddy-buddy. Now that Comcast is the new owner, and an American one at that, Comcast ain't putting up ****. Comcast knows all too well about doping in cycling thru Lance, what American entity doesn't?? Let's see what British cycling can do in 2020 when their budget is not more than double an average Tour team. Let's see. I wouldn't be surprised if Froomie will just retire in 2020. Geraint Thomas new 3year contract might take a dramatic decrease.

Overall, this is great news for cycling and the pro peloton. Now the sponsors of other team will actually have a chance to see their ROI in TdF 2020!


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## GlobalGuy (Jun 9, 2015)

The OP linked article tells us everything and nothing. It tells us Sky is moving on. But it really specifically doesn't tell us why. The elephant in the room is the cost to sponsor and run a team and that isn't even alluded to as far as what kind of money are we talking about or how much of an impact did it have in the decision.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Vaughters: Team Sky situation is a 'wake-up call' for the sport | Cyclingnews.com


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

aclinjury said:


> It will be impossible to find a same level replacement. Part of the reason why Brailsford got Sky to spend so much money is because he and the son of Sky corp are buddy-buddy. Now that Comcast is the new owner, and an American one at that, Comcast ain't putting up ****. Comcast knows all too well about doping in cycling thru Lance, what American entity doesn't?? Let's see what British cycling can do in 2020 when their budget is not more than double an average Tour team. Let's see. I wouldn't be surprised if Froomie will just retire in 2020. Geraint Thomas new 3year contract might take a dramatic decrease.
> 
> Overall, this is great news for cycling and the pro peloton. Now the sponsors of other team will actually have a chance to see their ROI in TdF 2020!


I think a lot of riders from Sky will be taking pay cuts. Landa said when he left Sky he took a large pay cut to go to Movistar.

In a way this may help other teams who are looking for sponsors as well if they don't have the huge budget.

One interesting thought as well. Movistar will have some major decisions to make this year. (They would have that anyway). They should be officially announcing on Tuesday at the team presentation that Movistar/Telefonica is renewing their contract with the team for an additional two years taking them through 2021. However the majority of their riders contracts are up at the end of this. Soler is signed through 2021 and we all know they'll resign Valverde to whatever he wants. They will have to decide who else they want to keep who they are looking at from other teams and might to looking to see about who is on Sky's roster that may fit with their team as well.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

I find the timing this article about Nibali just 4 days before the bombshell from Sky a little amusing lol

Vincenzo Nibali would consider future with Team Sky

The Shark must be saying wft did I just say 4 days earlier?


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

KoroninK said:


> I think a lot of riders from Sky will be taking pay cuts. Landa said when he left Sky he took a large pay cut to go to Movistar.
> 
> In a way this may help other teams who are looking for sponsors as well if they don't have the huge budget.
> 
> One interesting thought as well. Movistar will have some major decisions to make this year. (They would have that anyway). They should be officially announcing on Tuesday at the team presentation that Movistar/Telefonica is renewing their contract with the team for an additional two years taking them through 2021. However the majority of their riders contracts are up at the end of this. Soler is signed through 2021 and we all know they'll resign Valverde to whatever he wants. They will have to decide who else they want to keep who they are looking at from other teams and might to looking to see about who is on Sky's roster that may fit with their team as well.


it takes $20 mil USD to pay their top 8 riders. Good luck finding another sponsor willing to put out $40-$50 mil USD to run that team in its current form.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Sponsorship offer.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...n-company-offers-step-sponsor-team-sky-403238


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

velodog said:


> Sponsorship offer.
> 
> https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...n-company-offers-step-sponsor-team-sky-403238


Bahaha. I almost spit my coffee out when I read that.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

velodog said:


> Sponsorship offer.
> 
> https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...n-company-offers-step-sponsor-team-sky-403238


lol funny sh8t! Ritte has a cult following here in socal. They do have nice cross bikes


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

guess this was not the nail in the coffin either for pro cycling. 
next time folks, next time  

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-to-become-team-ineos-from-may-1/


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

den bakker said:


> guess this was not the nail in the coffin either for pro cycling.
> next time folks, next time
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-to-become-team-ineos-from-may-1/


They definitely dodged a bullet, which is probably good for the sport. But it was a pretty close call for the sport’s biggest team. It’s hard not to view this as confirmation of how fragile the financial circumstances of world tour teams really are. If it can happen to Sky....

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jan/15/pro-cycling-teams-struggling-to-survive


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

.... and now Total, the French oil and gas conglomerate has taken over Direct Energie's sponsorship.


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## GlobalGuy (Jun 9, 2015)

aclinjury said:


> it takes $20 mil USD to pay their top 8 riders. Good luck finding another sponsor willing to put out $40-$50 mil USD to run that team in its current form.


So would it be correct to say that it costs a sponsor in the ballpark of $50 million dollars a year to sponsor a competitive team? What's the cost difference for the lower tier teams?


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

GlobalGuy said:


> So would it be correct to say that it costs a sponsor in the ballpark of $50 million dollars a year to sponsor a competitive team? What's the cost difference for the lower tier teams?


a lower tier team would cost in ballpark range $20 mil usd, no chance of winning at all, they're just good for some breakaway cameo's that's about it for its sponsor.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

coldash said:


> .... and now Total, the French oil and gas conglomerate has taken over Direct Energie's sponsorship.


Gas and oil billionaires' pastime is to run a WT team. Cost is cheap for them, and they can claim they go "green" blah blah.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

GlobalGuy said:


> So would it be correct to say that it costs a sponsor in the ballpark of $50 million dollars a year to sponsor a competitive team? What's the cost difference for the lower tier teams?


estimated numbers from 2016 (in Euro): https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-team-largest-budget-262275


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

den bakker said:


> estimated numbers from 2016 (in Euro): https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-team-largest-budget-262275


I saw that when it was published and my first thoughts were how shocking bad value for money Katusha and to a lesser extent BMC were and how good value for money (all relative) Movistar and Etixx QS were. IIRC, BMC actually had a bigger budget the Sky until fairly recently.

... anyway, it shows that there is still money for some and claims that it "will be impossible to find a same level of replacement" and "a lot of Sky riders will be taking pay cuts" were a bit wide of the mark - or maybe wishful thinking.

(BTW, I don't really like the way the sport is going with too much emphasis on the TdF (the worst of the GTs, IMHO) and the emphasis on equipment. I would allow them one bike type for the entire GT (light, aero or TT but only one!) and only a change of wheel type but I guess that isn't a popular view and will never happen. All other things being equal, I would support a budget cap but that is just too easy to circumvent (and I would also like to see all teams run a womens team; that would be loose change to INEOS).


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

coldash said:


> I saw that when it was published and my first thoughts were how shocking bad value for money Katusha and to a lesser extent BMC were and how good value for money (all relative) Movistar and Etixx QS were. IIRC, BMC actually had a bigger budget the Sky until fairly recently.
> 
> ... anyway, it shows that there is still money for some and claims that it "will be impossible to find a same level of replacement" and "a lot of Sky riders will be taking pay cuts" were a bit wide of the mark - or maybe wishful thinking.
> 
> (BTW, I don't really like the way the sport is going with too much emphasis on the TdF (the worst of the GTs, IMHO) and the emphasis on equipment. I would allow them one bike type for the entire GT (light, aero or TT but only one!) and only a change of wheel type but I guess that isn't a popular view and will never happen. All other things being equal, I would support a budget cap but that is just too easy to circumvent (and I would also like to see all teams run a womens team; that would be loose change to INEOS).


ironically for at least 2016 BMC got the number of placings their budget suggested but under performed relatively speaking at the TdF
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/07/can...-look-at-team-budgets-and-the-value-equation/


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

GlobalGuy said:


> So would it be correct to say that it costs a sponsor in the ballpark of $50 million dollars a year to sponsor a competitive team? What's the cost difference for the lower tier teams?


From an article a couple year's ago the average team's budget is around 15 million. It is unlikely that that has gone much at all. With BMC being merged with CCC that budget is likely dramatically reduced. Tinkoff is gone. The other teams haven't raised their budgets much. Quickstep is definitely value for the money. The question with Movistar is more is it really value for the money or is it if we keep Valverde happy how many years can we keep him going to get this value for the money. When he retires will be the big test for that team as to how much of a value for the money they really are. For the past several years Valverde has gotten half or close to half the teams wins.


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