I am wondering (after already sending an email to *** Deal, Phil Whitten, and Brent Rutemiller) as to the logic of excluding over 40,000 masters swimmers from the "Premium Area" of their website. A posting on the site today says that they are thanking "loyal print subscribers" to Swimming World and Swimming Technique by giving them access. Unless something has changed, isn't SWIM Magazine part of their family of magazines (Deal's, Whitten's, and Rutemiller's names appear in both SWIM and on the website)? It smacks of a profit motive and a BIG slap in the face to all of us. I am also guessing that more masters athletes check that site than age groupers, so they offering the "benefit" to the wrong group! Seems oddly similar to the Italians decision to make everyone PAY for the World Championships results!!!
BTW, the way you get the premium access is if you PAY for the subscription, so it really is a PAID premium and not the "value added" one that they assert.
Aquageek, you are more cynical than I, what do you think?
Just stirring the pot a bit.
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I don't have a problem with them charging whatever they want. It's their business and they can set the business model any way they want. If I could change one thing it would be to allow a Masters swimmer to opt out of getting SwiM magazine entirely and pay a lesser fee.
The issue of the World Champ results should be addressed by FINA. The fact there isn't a requirement to release the full results allows the organizers to sell them as part of the business of running the meet. If it's a big deal then FINA should make it mandatory to release them or you can't be awarded the meet. It is frustrating to have friends there and not be able to see how they are doing.
I don't have a problem with them charging whatever they want. It's their business and they can set the business model any way they want. If I could change one thing it would be to allow a Masters swimmer to opt out of getting SwiM magazine entirely and pay a lesser fee.
The issue of the World Champ results should be addressed by FINA. The fact there isn't a requirement to release the full results allows the organizers to sell them as part of the business of running the meet. If it's a big deal then FINA should make it mandatory to release them or you can't be awarded the meet. It is frustrating to have friends there and not be able to see how they are doing.
