Pay no attention to the man behind the curtian

I worked a lot of years for corporations in order to put dollars to the bottom line for share holders, partnerships and owners. No matter the ideal or dogma they all had one mantra. 'plan your work and work your plan'. It's not like you haven't heard it before and it sounds easy right? But in average guy lingo that means have a goal and work towards that goal with out to many distractions and you'll make it, kinda like buying a house...but let's not open that can of worms!
So as I am reading the cycle mags and watching all the 'Tours' I can on the internet and also reading the Pro-cycle news and blogs, and there is a lot of 'em, my corporate mind took over. All I began to see is $ $ $ $'s flying around and of course I began to think about the Plan. You know the plan, the big picture the whole enchilada, the Business Plan of a Pro cycling team. So with a ton of research on Google,which didn't yield much, I did manage find the Pro team Application and general outline of how UCI, the pro governing body, wants to keep all the ducks in a row...http://www.wiwi.uni-hannover.de/Forschung/Diskussionspapiere/dp-345.pdf
The Meat really begins on page 5 of this 32 page treatise on ' what a governing body has to do in order to get some respect' piece. Hey these athletes are the hardiest working of any sport with an average of 25,000, yes that's thousand, miles a year on a pro's legs. And yes cycling did fall on it's face with all the doping and illicit behavior that goes along with any sport back before Eddy Merckx. So it is understandable that in order to be world class you have to look, feel, smell and present yourself to be, dare I say it...World Class. All cynicism aside I love this sport and I  for one want it to be for families not thugs and bookies. No disrespect to any soccer teams or their regional events it may or may not resemble.
Here is just  a little exert from pg 5 of the application so you get a glimmer of what I'm talking about:
The teams must apply for a Pro Tour License, which is limited to 20 Teams and runs 4 years,
costing EUR 100.000 (UCI 2006). Additional fees are to be paid for each race. Each Pro Tour
Team has to participate in all Pro Tour races and has to employ 25 riders. Also race organizers
have to apply for a Pro Tour license, with a maximum of 30 events being licensed per
year. The UCI system comprehends either two lower categories, the Continental Pro Teams,
which can be invited to Pro Tour races, and Continental UCI-Teams. No promotions and relegation's
are allowed for. That's $149,649 American just for the License, makes me have second thoughts about owning my own team. Oh and that's in 2006 dollars!
Reading this I know I'm just scratching the surface and an investigative journalist I'm not. I  want to understand how these organizations  function and in that way you can understand the shear magnitude of planning and money it takes before our favorite teams and heroes even get to the starting line for the first race of the season. The plan also calculates having cash reserves for the care of  the whole team all season in paychecks and accident care should someone break a collar bone or wrist or something. No one ever plans one, they just happen...Cheers to an accident free year.
More tommorow and I hope your still right there with me. Untill then if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.