Pro vs. Amateur climbers

[wayne]

I see more rifts developing now with the House thing and all. Are natural anti-establish folk such as ourselves rebeling?

I believe there is a place for $ in this sport. Hell if I were 20 years younger, I might chase it.

Maybe its too counter culture of an interest here.In europe it is a major sports draw.

"The true spirit of the sport lies in the exploits of the amateur climber", The late Mike Bearzi.

Discuss

Edited October 22, 2006 by wayne1112

[G-spotter]

E before U in amateur

[Jens]

Good post and good food for thought.

Sadly many "sponsored" climber's compsensation is just 6-7 pairs of free shoes a year.

[Mos_Chillin]

Interesting stuff.

Begs the question "do you have to be sponsored or involved in climbing as a "profession" to be a professional?

Some of the best climbers have never recieved sponsorship, been paid a dime, or possibly even reported their achievements.

Does that disqualify?

Or do you just have to not gape on the rock?

[olyclimber]

i'm in it for the money

[pope]

Good post and good food for thought.

Sadly many "sponsored" climber's compsensation is just 6-7 pairs of free shoes a year.

 

Down at the UW wall one afternoon, many years ago, a fellow was claiming to be a sponsored climber and wanted to know if my buddies and I would enjoy some free Power Bar stickers. Brian Sullivan, a NW ski-mountaineering bad ass, just started laughing and walked away.

[Drederek]

I think that once you start getting paid for doing something you can't help but start doing it for different reasons. We all climb for own reasons but for most of us getting paid or free shoes is not one of them, we're going to have a little less in common with those who do. We can climb to please ourselves instead of our sponsors. We don't have to keep doing harder and harder stuff to maintain our marketability. I really hope those peeps can keep climbing fresh and not become a job but I doubt they can in the long run.

[pink]

because it's so fun to watch poeple climb, that's like getting paid to drink beer. to good to be true. dream on wayne.

 

what is $? how much $? buy a house? support a family?

 

best to keep climbing sacred.

[gmknight]

Nice topic. In order to climb at the level "professional" climbers are achieving, it is necessary to turn it into a business at some level. This could be through sponsorships, guiding, photography, or some other venture, but the climbing will have to put food on the table. The marketing of euro climbing is overdone and I am thankful the sport hasnt reached that level of popularity here.

[Dechristo]

This differentiation occurs in most activities. Name the activity, and if it's popular, somebody's probably being paid to perform it.

 

In most of those paid activities, there are those that perform only for the bucks and possible fame and those that perform because they love the activity... and would continue to perform after the bucks stop flowing.

 

As to the question of those that deserve to be paid to perform the activity, this also cuts across most lines. Take the music industry, how often do we shake our heads and marvel at the tossers that are promoted and making bank while those whose talent dwarves the tossers' continue in relative obscurity and are paid in scraps from the table?

 

nothing new; Life counters our notions of Fair uninterrupted.

[Jason_Martin]

The problem with sponsorship is that it doesn't really pay the bills. There are a lot of sponsored climbers...Wayne could probably become one with his resume over the last few years. The problem is that most sponsored climbers don't make much money. Most get some gear here and there and maybe some support on expeditions.

 

We all know the sponsored athletes who make a bit more. Steve House, Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden, Ed Viesters...the A list of climbing.

 

Jason

[G-spotter]

The marketing of euro climbing is overdone and I am thankful the sport hasnt reached that level of popularity here.

 

Yeah, no American professional climbers would do shit like solo Delicate Arch with a film crew in tow, right.

[Couloir]

I see more rifts developing now with the House thing and all. Are natural anti-establish folk such as ourselves rebeling?

I believe there is a place for $ in this sport. Hell if I were 20 years younger, I might chase it.

Maybe its too counter culture of an interest here.In europe it is a major sports draw.

"The true spirit of the sport lies in the exploits of the amateur climber", The late Mike Bearzi.

Discuss

I think the money's being made.

From Publishers Weekly

When nonconformity has become not only cool but also consumable, and everyone is told they are special, what happens to our definitions of rebellion and individualism? Are our real rebels against "conformist nonconformity" now the "neo-traditionalists" who exchange their individualism for membership in a community that offers meaning in backward-looking ideologies? ... Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[ken4ord]

i'm in it for the money

 

You slut!

[Dechristo]

I slut

[CPOly]

It seems to me the bigger question being asked is "Should climbers be reimbursed for their accomplishments?" This opens up a whole other can of worms that I really don't feel like getting into right now.

 

Interesting stuff.

Begs the question "do you have to be sponsored or involved in climbing as a "profession" to be a professional?

 

Mos is more on the track that I'm into. What do we all consider as professional? Is it basically makin' money or is it pursuing a passion or obsession to the best of your ability? Traditionally the idea is that of one whom generates income for their "craft". If you're true to yourself and answer to nobody else, then you're a professional. Unfortunately there aren't very many people that can honestly say that about themselves. It's all relative.

[Drederek]

So is it better to be paid to promote products because you have demonstrated great skill or simply because you look good? I've had sex on company time (long, long ago with my wife) does that make me a porn star? There's no end to the questions here!

[hawkeye69]

I see more rifts developing now with the House thing and all.

Discuss

 

what is the House thing?