Suggesting that other types of sponsors should support ski champions because of the high visibility of the sport, besides ski suppliers, Groupe Rossignol is asking all the athletes sponsored by its various brands, including Dynastar, Look and Lange, to accept a cut in the amounts that they receive from the group between now and the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
According to well-informed sources, Rossignol started a round of consultations this week with the athletes on its team in various parts of the world, proposing a reduction of 50 percent in their basic fees, while leaving performance bonuses unchanged. Apparently, the company is also suggesting that expenses for its sports marketing personnel will be cut by a similar rate.
Including bonuses, the Rossignol group is said to be spending between €10 million and €12 million a year on sports marketing. These expenses have been on the high side lately because of the excellent results obtained by its athletes during the 2008-09 World Ski Cup, where the group collected the highest number of victories.
Without going into any details about the proposals being made to its sponsored athletes, a statement put out by the group today said they were intended to place the company “back on track” financially, in the same spirit as its recent decision to cut all its personnel costs by 30 percent.
Stressing that the support of ski races remained an absolute priority, its new president, Bruno Cercley, said its efforts will focus on the development of the best possible equipment for its athletes. He publicly expressed the hope that his proposals will set a precedent in the ski industry, allowing the current sports sponsoring model to evolve in order to ensure its future.
