“Michael’s vision is to increase swimming in the US"
Former Member
Ok - Phelps is at the top of his career and his popularity - How could he (or anybody else working with him) help to improve swimming in the United States ?
What do we need - grassroot swimcamps ? A Michael Phelps US swimming tour ? Phelps racing various people around the country ?
Can we get 5000 people into a pool + TV coverage for a Lochte + Peirsol vs Phelps showdown ? I am certain Track and Field will have some big money races in Europe following the Olympis. How much would somebody pay to have Phelps race Cavic in 3 weeks ?
What do we need - grassroot swimcamps ? A Michael Phelps US swimming tour ? Phelps racing various people around the country ?
Josh Davis did the grassroots camps this year. Phelps, Crocker and Krayzelburg did the swimming tour in 2004. And I think he considered a month of racing across the country then. The tour only got a few paragraphs in each city it visited.
The concept of making swimming more visible will take more than eight gold medals and Sports Illustrated cover, unfortunately. I know people who liked watching the 400 free relay but didn't really understand how big it was for Ryan Lochte to win the 200 back. And these guys are football freaks. They spent the week wtching PRESEASON FOOTBALL!!!!!!
Those are the people he needs to reach. If they don't care about swimming, nationals and worlds and other big meets like NCAAs will never trump college basketball, NFL and baseball on TV and will always be relegated to bad tme spots.
Michael's got an uphill battle. But he's taking six months off. Plenty of time to think of ideas.
What do we need - grassroot swimcamps ? A Michael Phelps US swimming tour ? Phelps racing various people around the country ?
Josh Davis did the grassroots camps this year. Phelps, Crocker and Krayzelburg did the swimming tour in 2004. And I think he considered a month of racing across the country then. The tour only got a few paragraphs in each city it visited.
The concept of making swimming more visible will take more than eight gold medals and Sports Illustrated cover, unfortunately. I know people who liked watching the 400 free relay but didn't really understand how big it was for Ryan Lochte to win the 200 back. And these guys are football freaks. They spent the week wtching PRESEASON FOOTBALL!!!!!!
Those are the people he needs to reach. If they don't care about swimming, nationals and worlds and other big meets like NCAAs will never trump college basketball, NFL and baseball on TV and will always be relegated to bad tme spots.
Michael's got an uphill battle. But he's taking six months off. Plenty of time to think of ideas.
