Could this happen to swimming whereas suit companies like TYR, Diana, Jaked, and blueseventy create a pro league that has an external governing body way outside of FINA's jurisdiction?
Could this happen to Swimming:
"Formula one racing teams drop breakaway bombshell!"
The situation is so much different I don't think any comparison between Formula One and FINA makes sense. Suit manufacturers are in the market selling suits to thousands of swimmers. How many F1 teams are there? Ten?
Not to mention, and I posted the same over there, I think the day that swimming can be compared to F1 racing with a straight face is a grim day for the sport of swimming. F1 is probably the ultimate technological sport. It's at least as much about the cars as it is about the drivers. Swimming needs to be about the swimmers.
That might work. I would like to see some of our swimmers with a big contract to swim !!! I am open , at present , if any large corp. wants to sponsor me & give me suits & clothing to wear !!:applaud::D
Is there a similar type league in Track and Field? Or skiing?
Two examples of upstarts competing and beating the establishment:
The AFL was started in the 60's and competed with the NFL for a decade. When Joe Namath and the JETS beat the Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl, the NFL agreed to accept the AFL into it's league as equal partners. Now we have the NFL, consisting of the AFC (mostly old AFL teams) and the NFC (mostly old NFL teams).
The ABA was absorbed by the NBA a few years later.
Let's hope for a commonsense resolution to the suit ratification issue. I am surprised that the matter was not quickly resolved.
As an example.
Some of you keep up with the terrific swimming website:
www.FloSwimming.com
We love it - think it captures some cutting edge swim news, workouts, technique, coaches and events.
But if you want to look a some more serious Olympic Sport coverage, pull up:
www.flotrack.com
There is money to be made. And world class athletes should be able to support themselves. Coaches as well.
But it will take the federations and organizations to change. Break open their vision of the future.
All need to be creative and willing to make events and racing exciting - and interesting for spectators and the media.
(dare I call it "sexy" without comments about Lochte in a white brief on the awards stand?)
As it is, American track & field and the open water swimmers have to travel the world or at least to Europe for cash awards for racing.
At this point, it seems the powers that be in swimming, want to keep the sport buried in the ways of the past and its glory days.
And hey, I swam during those glory days. They were great. But not the end all for our great sport. We can do better for all involved.
I really don't see how tech suits make the sport "sexier" or more exciting. It's exactly the same sport, just with faster suits. I don't think Joe Six-Pack is going to be more excited by a 20 second 50 free than he will be by a 21 second 50 free.
FAST SWIMMING by PSYCHED AND EXCITED SWIMMERS IS "SEXY".
And I mean sexy as in -> people are attracted to it and will begin to care, watch and follow the sport.
I have NEVER watched a great 1500 or a 50 freestyle race and thought... OMG they're only moving 2-4 miles per hour, how boring. NEVER!
Somehow I find it so very interesting that those of you who think that watching fast swimming or good racing at any level, could be boring - are the same swimmers fighting to hold our sport down!
Old thinking and good ol' boys rarely open up the creative vision and new opportunities.
Which is exactly what could make swimming even more exciting!
...
Old thinking and good ol' boys rarely open up the creative vision and new opportunities. ...
I resemble the first half of this remark, :cane: but I'm all for the new stuff. Bring it on, it makes the sport more interesting! :bouncing:
there are many aquatic sports that are equipment dependent. i have seen video of people racing with mono fins and air tanks; free diving has lots of categories that include both assisted and non assisted, folks have used cages and wetsuits to assist with long distance swims, etc.
i don't think there could be enough money in it unless some "extreme" element were injected. lets face it, watching people move 2 - 4 miles per hour just isn't going to attract much attention.
The analogy would be much more similar to powerlifting for me. There are different "leagues" for powerlifting that allow different types of equipment to be used. I'm sure there are others much more knowledgeable about powerlifting who could comment on this.
