Looking behind the curtian, Pro team finances

Good Monday to all, how are you this fine Monday? I do believe it's a fine Monday and all is right with the people of the world at least those who want to want to be alright and those who want their neighbor to be all right.
Now back to the Pro cyclists. So I have been really digging for info and I did find a few pieces albeit most are so common that hey are hardly worth repeating but for the sake of compilation I present here what I have found.
 RadioShack Partners With Seven-Time Tour de France Winner Lance Armstrong to Form New Cycling Team in 2010
 In reality, the partnership makes sense on several levels. The cost of sponsoring a team is surprisingly modest. The top team in this year's tour, Astana, is funded by companies in Kazakhstan that spent a reported $21 million. Armstrong reportedly sought to raise $20 million for his team, and some of that may come from the secondary sponsors eager to get their names on his jersey.
Information on the USPS pro team shows the down side of financing a great Pro team that has a excellent rooster: USPS-US Postal Service: http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/consumer/a/uspslance.htm
Check out this site on the Skoda team:. Skoda Car manufacturer in Czech Republic sponsorship of TDF and the reason behind this crazy venture:   http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/162806/skoda-extends-tour-de-france-partnership
This is a snapshot of  Money problems even the BIG TEAMS run into if the 3-p's are involved. For those of you who do not know who the 3-p's are it's 'piss poor planning'. Sometimes an investor or group of investors have a bunch of money and the dream of having their TEAMS name in the news is so euphoric that these guys throw out a bunch of money for the stsrt-up. Then reality hits them and the possibility that they could lose as much as they invest they swing back the outer way and withdraw the support for the season, thats after signing contracts and spending the UP-FRONT money...a big chunck of change right there.You can follow the thread if you want to but you get the idea.   Money problems@ Astana :http://www.velonews.com/article/92087/    also of interest: New riders at Astana: http://www.europeloton.com/2009/10/david-de-la-fuente-paolo-tiralongo-sign.html
LIFE as a cyclist : http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Peloton/TNT-corner/life-of-a-pro.html
For 2009, those salaries are fixed as follows: Confirmed riders: ProTour: 33.000€/annual gross salary; Professional Continental: 27.500€/annual gross salary. Neo professional riders: ProTour: 26.700€/annual gross salary; Professional Continental: 23.000€/annual gross salary.

07-30-09, 11:43 AM

I think BMC is the only UCI pro continental team in American. So teams like Jelly Belly don't have any minimum salaries

enforced by the UCI. I don't think that USA cycling has any minimum salary requirements so what these guys make is anyone's guess. My guess is that the better riders on a team like that make 20-30k dollars per year.
That's what I was thinking. I'm sorry, may it please the court, I found the UCI salary limits, but I was unsure of what the Teams in the US even are.
Big is question is are the majority of the teams in the Jelly-Belly category?
"20-30K isn't much of an increase from the 18-25K from almost 10 years ago.
Riders on U.S. domestic continental teams (formerly referred to as Division 3 pro teams) can make next to nothing. My former team went from being just a local amateur team to fielding a Division 3 pro team. The riders on that team got $500 a month during racing season, per diem for food on days they actually raced, and they could sleep in a house the team rented". This is obviously an account from a Pro rider
He goes on to say,"I would imagine that there a handful of guys on Continental teams making actual money, but the majority of them are pretty much living a subsistence existence".
Here was a little info on the continental team Kelly investment that did real well Managed from an office in downtown Minneapolis, KBS/Medifast operates on an annual budget of more than $1 million. Aaron and his 25 employees -- which include the racers, a team coach, mechanics and an office staff -- juggle a schedule that sees BS/Medifast rolling to the start line at more than 75 races a season, this year from California to the Pyrenees Mountains in France. Last update: June 30, 2008 - 11:59 AM star-tribune Minneapolis
Looking back on the history of the sport I see that nothing in the sport has changed as far as the guys and gals that ride with their hearts. Most aren't making much money but their link with past is an unbroken line from the beginning of the men who first thought, hey lets do something crazy like ride our bikes over some insanely high mountains for three weeks and who ever doesn't die ...WINS! Thanks to those brave souls who decided to start this great sport.
So for now and until more Teams Financial Reports are available I 'll let it rest, I really need your help though on this one.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.
PS thanks for readiing!

     

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