trainwreck Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 I think I know who Semple is talking about. Quote
billcoe Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 "...white lies and self-serving exaggerations..." Now wait a damn minute here - I am my own sponsor and just how the the hell do you folks propose I make it through the winter, let alone crank it all back up again next summer, without my two main forms of hope and motivation... Rest assured that we are only discussing "EVERYONE ELSE", God forbid any of us change our behavior so sleep easy tonight like the rest of us:-) My thoughts: I might have to resort to this as the "For Sale Sign" wedged up my ass cheeks thing as I climbed didn't troll any sponsorship: _____________________________________________________________ Like Frieh, I know I'll never be sponsored by any climbing gear companies, but if velcro glove manufacturers offer sponsorships, I might be in luck. Quote
marc_leclerc Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 I dont think sponsorship is bad... but it can be pretty gay at times. Like some fat dumbass who sucks at climbing getting granted 50 grand to get hauled up Everest by some Sherpa who gets no credit .. all to supposedly help people with dyslexia. (example... not a true story.. as far as I kow) Or I recently saw an ad in a magasine saying to buy a rope becasue it was 'the right rope for Chris' and had a pic of Sharma in the background using the rope. It outright saying... use this rope because some strong media whoring climber poses for a pic. My Goodness But there are sponsors who give gear to young climbers with potential.. who couldn't afford to buy the stuff (gear is expensive) so they can have fun climbing and improving their skills. Thats cool IMO. these sponsors are not getting a lot in return but are just helping people out to be nice guys... Quote
t_rutl Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 My thoughts: I might have to resort to this as the "For Sale Sign" wedged up my ass cheeks thing as I climbed didn't troll any sponsorship: i'd be frightened of what else it could have trolled... Quote
dberdinka Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 is it more decriable to rate a route you did IV 5.12 when it's III 5.11 to get it into the Alpinist Newswire, Owning the distinct honor of having the easiest route ever mentioned in the Alpinist Newswire I think they'll pick up just about anything that happens in the alpine as long as you have a pretty photo to go with it. Unfortunately Patagonia never came knocking on our doors with an ambassadorship. Guess we should have rated it 10+ r M5...... Quote
rocky_joe Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 Or I recently saw an ad in a magasine saying to buy a rope becasue it was 'the right rope for Chris' and had a pic of Sharma in the background using the rope. It outright saying... use this rope because some strong media whoring climber poses for a pic. My Goodness Or maybe you're just buying a sterling rope cuz they're the shit. i mean, just cuz i see sharma sending in evolvs doesn't mean i'm ever gonna climb outdoors in them. (although i will admit they are my gym shoes cuz they're comfy and always like $25 at scratch and dent.) But on topic: i think sponsorship is of net benefit to the sport. I mean it makes getting gear for top climbers a lot simpler, lets them climb more. letting them climb more means more new routes, which means more movies, which provide more than ample stoke. Also, I'm definitely more likely to look into (not necessarily buy) and product used by someone like House, Trotter, Gadd, Papert, etc. Quote
Pete_H Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 If Sharma's good enough to be a gear whore in exchange for getting paid to smoke dope and climb all day, more power to him. Quote
JosephH Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 My thoughts: I might have to resort to this as the "For Sale Sign" wedged up my ass cheeks thing as I climbed didn't troll any sponsorship: Ah, now that finally explains all of Ryan's 'le buffe' ascents - a desperate bid for ass sponsorship. Quote
Choada_Boy Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 What about trying to get people to give you money for the expressed purpose of being the youngest Canadian to climb a 7000m peak or some shit like that? That's "pretty gay" if you ask me. Quote
crackers Posted October 15, 2009 Posted October 15, 2009 the worst part of sponsorship is feeling like you have to perform and live up to the reputation and owing the company something. the worst part of someone trying to become sponsored is knowing them As somebody on the other end of the continuum, may I interject my thoughts? Naah, I didn't think so. I think that the easiest climb ever mentioned in Alpinist's Newswire is actually this one. 30,000 posts can't be wrong... As most of you know, I own a tiny company based here in Portland that makes the worlds best packs for climbing. Seriously. Otherwise, folks like that alpinist fellow who lives in Terrebonne wouldn't buy from us*. My company "sponsors" about five or six climbers. We sponsor three because they are really quite good at climbing and sending us amazing pictures that we can then use for ads or whatever. That's benefit number two. Benefit number one is that they are incredibly annoyingly detail oriented at describing the smallest nitpicking detail of why "the pack is great but this minuscule deviation from my standard of perfection ruins it for all time..." I give a pack to one of these three characters and I get a frigging essay about it in a week after 72 hours of straight use on one route and a few other days out. I sponsor the next two so I can have a place to crash during a trade show or whatever. The last guy we sponsor, well, that's a long story of guilt due to a drunken night after a long day of climbing, vomit and an idiot who vomited under a couch. Some climbers make a living shilling for companies that make stuff they use. Other than those 10 - 15 guys and 4 girls, I think most "sponsored" climbers get a credit for clothing every season and the chance to sell some pictures to the company. Some of them are, for sho, full of barely warm air. Every month or so, we get a request for sponsorship from people with a resume consisting of crap that nolse could climb carrying my dog. I kid you not. I'm all for folks trying to do something, and it never hurts to ask, but as Scott writes: If sponsorship isn’t backed up by a legitimate accomplishment that is significant to the sport, then being rewarded for something insignificant is sad and undeserved. Now, Scott's ideas about what significant and mine might well vary, but that's another ball of wax, isn't it? Finally, I think that Layton's got it right: knowing people who are trying to become sponsored is awful. It's like watching people stumble through adolescence as adults. *okay, he bought one. I gave him another. but still... Quote
Hugh Conway Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Is the money spent on sponsorship adding to the price of gear you buy? Miraculously they spend the money from thin air! Of course it comes out of the bottom line and costs more because of it dolt. Quote
billcoe Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 The last guy we sponsor, well, that's a long story of guilt due to a drunken night after a long day of climbing, vomit and an idiot who vomited under a couch. I thought we'd moved beyond that? Oh wait, snap. __________________________________________________________________ Ah, now that finally explains all of Ryan's 'le buffe' ascents - a desperate bid for ass sponsorship. LOL! I'd have better luck peddling my ass on the street I suspect. Quote
olyclimber Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Yet again and again, another piece of internationally significant ascents in the courageous world of extreme alpinism. Quote
G-spotter Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 When I worked for the dead bird we got a sponsorship application from Newfoundland once where the hardest route on the guys resume was the 5.11 red tape route in the gym. Quote
Water Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Is the money spent on sponsorship adding to the price of gear you buy? Miraculously they spend the money from thin air! Of course it comes out of the bottom line and costs more because of it dolt. then whine and bitch away about the evil of sponsorship, I was just offering up the rational for doing so. I'm sure it's a statistically significant amount added to retail prices. Quote
Hugh Conway Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 I'm sure it's a statistically significant amount added to retail prices. You are actually arguing that the advertising and promotion budget is small? Quote
Water Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Are you actually suggesting I argue with you that the sponsorship budget is also the entire advertising and promotion budget for companies? disingenuous, pls lets stick with sponsorship, not entire advertising and promotion budgets for companies. for a company that produces gear, giving some out free isn't free, but it isn't terrible. Every company I've worked for parts with extra 'product' a lot easier than it does with cash. but hey, I'm sure if you take the number of items sold by mountain hardware or black diamond and then divide the amount each spent on sponsorship across the number of items, it comes out to be a statistically significant amount. Quote
Rafe1234 Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Rock and Ice, Climbing, and the Alpinist are cool mags. The establishment and growth of modern climbing communities is largely due to advertisement. Climbing is a personal adventure of body and mind but as a culture, business motivation has had a significant impact. I wouldn't change the culture or anyones community even if I could. I'm happy that there is so much development and so many people to share to love of climbing with.....and sponsorship is a part of that. Quote
BillA Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 Rock and Ice, Climbing, and the Alpinist are cool mags. The establishment and growth of modern climbing communities is largely due to advertisement. Seriously? Rock and Ice and climbing are crap. As far as advertising creating climbing communities, that makes no sense. The internet, for better or worse (probably worse), has much more to do with modern climbing communities than anything else. Quote
John Frieh Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 ...The Internet poser’s world is hazy: he passes off sporting sub-disciplines for the real thing, hints at things he might do, under-reports the results of things he has done, foregoes events that offer genuine competition, short-strokes reps in the gym, refuses to use objective measuring tools (perhaps to evade the truth), and contrives virtual challenges through which he draws an apparent association with the legitimate event and its participants. This shit makes me sick. It’s common for climbers to embellish or under-report their activities. Guys pull on gear when no one is looking and call it a free ascent. Others traverse around the hard sections and claim to have done the route, or do ice routes in Grade 5 conditions but broadcast their climb as Grade 7 since that’s how hard it was during the first ascent. I once thought that behavior restricted to the sport I lived and loved but attention-whores who spray half-truths and hype to attract an audience are everywhere. I should have grown out of caring about how others behave, especially when it doesn’t affect me. I haven’t. Some days I am petty and when I discover words or actions that diminish the value of a sport or discipline or ideal I care about I get pissed. Today is one of those days. Usually, I don’t care what others do as long as they truthfully say what they do. But insecure people decorate their achievements, “interpreting” the truth to drag it within reach, which devalues the accomplishments of those who respected the truth. The Internet poser polishes his turds to garner approval. Blogs make this more convenient than ever. Anyone can be anything. “Friends” post comments telling the blogger how great he is, which alleviates his need to convince himself. If it’s posted in the “comments” section it must be true... MFT Quote
JosephH Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Rock and Ice, Climbing, and the Alpinist are cool mags. The establishment and growth of modern climbing communities is largely due to advertisement. Climbing is a personal adventure of body and mind but as a culture, business motivation has had a significant impact. I wouldn't change the culture or anyones community even if I could. I'm happy that there is so much development and so many people to share to love of climbing with.....and sponsorship is a part of that. Brrr....humbug. Advertising does not "establish" communities. Advertising promotes awareness of climbing. Climbing gyms then act as the economic engines allowing folks to act on that awareness and sustain a relatively steady-state annual tidal flow of new bodies. Some of those new 'climbers' join or form 'communities', both real and virtual. Me? Being totally misanthropic, I'd be all for about an 85% overnight slash in the demographic, but that is never going to happen so long as the gyms and drills are powering the whole affair. Quote
marc_leclerc Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 What about trying to get people to give you money for the expressed purpose of being the youngest Canadian to climb a 7000m peak or some shit like that? That's "pretty gay" if you ask me. I realized that pretty quickly.... hence im not borrowing money to climb a 7000m peak... Quote
stevetimetravlr Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 (edited) Who really gives a crap about what people do or say about their climbing or climb. If you are out there trying to break a speed record or free a aid route, I can understand the competition. But most folks spray a little becasue they had fun or were scared or whatever. How does that lessen what other people do? I have found that the best climbers in the world are also the least ego centered people and offer the most encouragement and beta, that should tell you something. Why would sponsorship be a sin? If you are good enough to be sponsored, more power to you. Edited October 17, 2009 by stevetimetravlr Quote
gertlush Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Scott Semple needs a better sponsor so I know who he is. Quote
John Frieh Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Scott Semple needs a better sponsor so I know who he is. Also in Alpinist 3 Quote
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