Post by aaosmts19 on Sept 28, 2008 8:37:14 GMT -5
I just saw this article and thought "how timely", given the very recent discussions about picture taking, video taking, and fans disgruntled with USS.
This article is particularly poignant. Who knows,maybe we should be putting our efforts more at the local level than Emerald City?
------------------------------
blog.mlive.com/bcopinion/2008/09/speedskating_event_no_longer_m.html
Speedskating event no longer money in the bank
Posted by Mike Spencer | The Bay City Times September 28, 2008 07:16AM
The U.S. Junior Short Track Speedskating Championships will be in town Nov. 14-16.
It may be the last big speedskating event at the Bay County Civic Arena.
Or at least for Al Izykowski, Bay County's second biggest speedskating promoter behind thingy Somalski in the last decade.
Izykowski, who is also president of the Michigan Speedskating Association, plans to spend his time and energy differently in the future as his two kids - Morgan and Alex - attempt to make the Olympic teams.
Tough economic times and the fact that skaters more than fans appear to be the only ones subscribing to the "if you build it, they will come," mentality, has caused Al Izykowski to rethink his desire to host "big" state and national speedskating events.
"It's been in a word ... brutal," said Al Izykowski, trying to come up with new fundraiser ideas as sponsorship dollars appear to be on ice. "This time around we have fewer and smaller sponsors than ever and for the first time face going in the red."
This year's nationals, which will determine the three men and women representing the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada Jan. 9-11, will be one of the best speedskating events the arena has ever hosted.
Still, it will be hard to top the 2003 U.S. Championships, featuring gold medal Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno.
"What a thrill that was for Bay City! We introduced a number of innovations in hosting a meet that are now the standard," Al Izykowski said.
Hopefully the fans will come out in droves this year to support the future Olympians, including Izykowski's daughter, Morgan.
"Speedskating will never be a sport for the masses," Al Izykowski says. "It's simply too demanding.
"And, even though we are the most successful Winter Olympic sport in U.S. history, people are reluctant to drive over to Euclid and Wilder to witness our future Olympians in the making. I don't understand why people don't come out to watch."
Neither do I.
Short track is like watching NASCAR on ice and there's plenty of thrills and spills making left turns on the oval. There's never a dull moment. Anything can happen and it usually does.
It's hard to believe that just a decade ago, Al Izykowski and the Bay County Speedskating Club cut its teeth on their first on ice event - the American Cup III in December of 1999.
"Although that was not the most prestigious event we have ever held, it was by far the most challenging due to our lack of experience," Al Izykowski recalled. "Hosting any high profile event is like putting together a big puzzle.
"The first time you do it all the pieces are unfamiliar and even the big picture is not exactly clear, so it's a learn as you go kind of thing."
A decade of hosting an event has taught Al Izykowski how to raise funds to pick up the slack for the lack of sponsors.
As a partial solution, the club is having a cash calendar raffle. Tickets are $20 for a chance to win $100 or $500 in 22 drawings from Oct. 6 through March 9, 2009.
Tickets are available at Tommy V's Cafe and Pizzeria, 310 E. Midland St., or by contacting Izykowski at alizymail.charter.net. On Oct. 5, Tommy V's will donate one entree with the purchase of a raffle ticket.
Al Izykowski hasn't given up on the idea of securing sponsors for the U.S. Junior Championships. There are a number of sponsorship levels available and for as little as $500, a sponsor can have signage that stays in the arena for an entire year.
The sign could even be the backdrop for a 2010 Olympian.
This article is particularly poignant. Who knows,maybe we should be putting our efforts more at the local level than Emerald City?
------------------------------
blog.mlive.com/bcopinion/2008/09/speedskating_event_no_longer_m.html
Speedskating event no longer money in the bank
Posted by Mike Spencer | The Bay City Times September 28, 2008 07:16AM
The U.S. Junior Short Track Speedskating Championships will be in town Nov. 14-16.
It may be the last big speedskating event at the Bay County Civic Arena.
Or at least for Al Izykowski, Bay County's second biggest speedskating promoter behind thingy Somalski in the last decade.
Izykowski, who is also president of the Michigan Speedskating Association, plans to spend his time and energy differently in the future as his two kids - Morgan and Alex - attempt to make the Olympic teams.
Tough economic times and the fact that skaters more than fans appear to be the only ones subscribing to the "if you build it, they will come," mentality, has caused Al Izykowski to rethink his desire to host "big" state and national speedskating events.
"It's been in a word ... brutal," said Al Izykowski, trying to come up with new fundraiser ideas as sponsorship dollars appear to be on ice. "This time around we have fewer and smaller sponsors than ever and for the first time face going in the red."
This year's nationals, which will determine the three men and women representing the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada Jan. 9-11, will be one of the best speedskating events the arena has ever hosted.
Still, it will be hard to top the 2003 U.S. Championships, featuring gold medal Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno.
"What a thrill that was for Bay City! We introduced a number of innovations in hosting a meet that are now the standard," Al Izykowski said.
Hopefully the fans will come out in droves this year to support the future Olympians, including Izykowski's daughter, Morgan.
"Speedskating will never be a sport for the masses," Al Izykowski says. "It's simply too demanding.
"And, even though we are the most successful Winter Olympic sport in U.S. history, people are reluctant to drive over to Euclid and Wilder to witness our future Olympians in the making. I don't understand why people don't come out to watch."
Neither do I.
Short track is like watching NASCAR on ice and there's plenty of thrills and spills making left turns on the oval. There's never a dull moment. Anything can happen and it usually does.
It's hard to believe that just a decade ago, Al Izykowski and the Bay County Speedskating Club cut its teeth on their first on ice event - the American Cup III in December of 1999.
"Although that was not the most prestigious event we have ever held, it was by far the most challenging due to our lack of experience," Al Izykowski recalled. "Hosting any high profile event is like putting together a big puzzle.
"The first time you do it all the pieces are unfamiliar and even the big picture is not exactly clear, so it's a learn as you go kind of thing."
A decade of hosting an event has taught Al Izykowski how to raise funds to pick up the slack for the lack of sponsors.
As a partial solution, the club is having a cash calendar raffle. Tickets are $20 for a chance to win $100 or $500 in 22 drawings from Oct. 6 through March 9, 2009.
Tickets are available at Tommy V's Cafe and Pizzeria, 310 E. Midland St., or by contacting Izykowski at alizymail.charter.net. On Oct. 5, Tommy V's will donate one entree with the purchase of a raffle ticket.
Al Izykowski hasn't given up on the idea of securing sponsors for the U.S. Junior Championships. There are a number of sponsorship levels available and for as little as $500, a sponsor can have signage that stays in the arena for an entire year.
The sign could even be the backdrop for a 2010 Olympian.