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Is Sponsorship a Sin?


BillA

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Its actually an interesting discussion, Boner. Just because you see the world through spray colored glasses doesn't mean everyone else is as deluded as you are.

 

 

I agree it is an interesting conversation. Never said it wasnt. Spray is good by the way......this conversation is still 5 pages of spray, only in a climbing forum.

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Its actually an interesting discussion, Boner. Just because you see the world through spray colored glasses doesn't mean everyone else is as deluded as you are.

 

 

I agree it is an interesting conversation. Never said it wasnt. Spray is good by the way......this conversation is still 5 pages of spray, only in a climbing forum.

 

Actually this thread is all about climbing and the business behind climbing. if you can't figure it out and STFU then i can help you.

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A week late, but here's my take on the whole thing.

 

Sinful Sponsorship? Seriously... Silly

 

 

  • Semple rails against "undeserved" self promotion, but never defines his terms. We all share about our climbing experiences somehow, but one person's version of "This is Rad" is to tell their wife and dog Rex, then go to bed. Another person might write an online trip report on a public forum, post photos on their blog, submit their account of the climb to Alpinist or Climbing magazine, and send a report to the American Alpine Journal. In any of these cases, nobody has to read or be exposed to the information/pictures/evidence of the "rad" accomplishment without specifically choosing to do so. To say that posting on one's blog, is "fine" but deride posting the same report to a wider audience via Hot Flashes draws an arbitrary line of dubious significance. Either you tell nobody, or you tell people who choose to hear about it. And if you are complaining about published climbing stories (online or in print), then submit your own or stop reading them. I hate Cat Fancy Magazine. Absolutely can't stand it. Guess what I reach for on the magazine rack? Not Cat Fancy. Problem Solved.

 

This is disingenuous Blake, and you know it. The issue is not the sharing but the motive for sharing. If Joe Blow does a cool climb and tells people about it, whether it be in Hot Flashes or the AAJ or a cc.com trip report or a SuperTopo posting, that is one thing. The medium doesn't matter.

 

However if Joe is either sponsored (and has sponsors who demand that their athlete be visible and get himself noticed) or is TRYING to be sponsored and hence building the all important spray resume, then Joe isn't just simply sharing his experience but trying to be noticed. In this case, the medium DOES matter since more eyeballs equals more notice equals better advertising. And this is where resume padding, grade inflation, exaggeration, "Alpine style" ascents that were really sieges, outright lying and other BS come into the equation, all because of the desire to make a profit from the experience.

 

I am not saying that people who are not sponsored never lie. I've run across tons of non-sponsoired liers, exaggerators, and shit talkers. But when you are trying to make money off your climbing the tendency to lie, hype, exaggerate, and overpromote has a financial incentive - and it is these egregious examples that Scott Semple is directly targeting.

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and it is these egregious examples that Scott Semple is directly targeting.

 

So what are these "egregious examples" everyone in Canada has their panties in a bunch about? There must be some particular lie that has you guys all fired up!

 

Did Steve House actually fix 1000s of meters of line up north Face of Alberta, Emperor Face on Robson, North Twin?

 

Help us out....

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since you put it that way, it does seem that Scott is being a whiney little git....since people are "cheating" to get sponsorship, he just gave in all together rather than continue on and set a good example for how things are supposed to be...but then he goes and bitches about it on the internet.

 

at anyrate, how is the game supposed to be different? should wanting sponsorship be outlawed? i supposes as a "sport", alpine climbing is unique in that there no audience actively holding up rating cards and judging style...its a peanut gallery that takes place later, speculatively downgrading or guessing at the style the climb was actually done in rather than dealing with facts.

 

I find the people who make it their business to downgrade climbs without leaving their arm chair, or who question the motives of others all day long just as/even more annoying than BS you list here Dru.

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When I read between the lines I believe he's referring to a Squamish local who shall go unnamed and a former Canmore local who left the Bow valley under a cloud after hyping himself up too much for everyone there's tastes. The Squamish climber has climbed some mid-13s successfully after much effort but has also notably failed on some 5.11s and is viewed as being somewhat inconsistent in his abilities but this inconsistency is not seen on his resume. You can find most of this gossip elsewhere on the Internet if you want names.

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The rant just seems jaded and closed minded. People that buy magazines like that shit and there's nothing that can be done about it. It's like ranting against pop music. You can't fight pop culture.

 

As for honesty in self promotion, the frauds get found out in the end and the gravy train gets dumped in the river. I have no problem with people that aren't the best getting sponsored if they present a positive image of somebody that is passionate and out there climbing or doing whatever they do.

 

If the 'more deserving' climbers aren't getting sponsors then they need to work on their self promotion skills. Sponsorship is part advertising and selling one's image is an integral part of the process.

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