Masters are not the only swimming federation talking suit...
Anyone follow ASCA's John Leonard's comments on the swimmingcoach.org site? Men's suits are mentioned below:
SwimSuits and Profits……by John Leonard
As Randy would say on American Idol….”ok, so, dog…..here’s how it was for me…”
Posted 5/26/10
I’ve now heard from several representatives of the swimsuit manufacturers objecting to my use of the term “greed” and implying excessive profits. Ok, so maybe there are some harsh words there….apologies to those who need them. Here’s some more thoughts:
1. FINA has to stop asking for “input” from the commercial side of our sport. The “Commercial side” does not and SHOULD NOT make the rules. The Federations and the athletes and coaches they represent make the rules, like they did last July. Was this somehow not clear last July? What part of 168-4 did you not understand? (the vote to change the suit rules). IF a member of the Bureau has investments in swimwear companies, they might not LIKE that result, but it was a vote. Democracies run by votes.
2. Swimsuit companies need to be concerned with better governance from FINA. Tell FINA not to ask them for rules, but TELL the companies the rules under which they will produce suits and learn to make a profit. The companies are in business to make a profit and should only be limited by the rules….which are made by the Federations. We clearly need the help of the industry to persuade FINA to “get it right”. Don’t be lured to do the “wrong thing” just because FINA will let you. You know how this should run, and most of you who communicated with me, admitted it.
3. Any sustainable business model includes the business being concerned with the long term viability of the marketplace. We know that $600-$900 swimsuits will gradually kill the base of the sport. Then we become the size of gymnastics and shrinking every year. (there is a fable about killing the golden goose, etc.). “Profit” is not the problem. Short Term Profit, at the expense of long term growth of the sport, is a HUGE problem. The swimsuit companies need to be concerned with keeping the sport affordable to masses and keep growing those masses into a bigger marketplace…and NOT be worried about dragging every last dollar out of the existing market to pay for expensive suits.
4. IF the swimsuit companies want to be partners with the swimming world, then focus on long term growth and sustainable profits. NOT on capitalizing on FINA’s apparent lack of understanding of where rules must come from. Make as much profit as you can, as long as you leave the woodpile higher than you found it…by helping us GROW the sport and your marketplace.
“other than that, it was a little pitchy, dude”.
JL
www.swimmingcoach.org/.../gradrule2.gif
SwimSuits……..AGAIN…..
By John Leonard
Posted 5/24/10
Reports this weekend from the FINA Swimsuit Manufacturers meeting in Switzerland, indicate that a unanimous vote of the suit manufacturers recommends a return to a suit for men that cover the upper body and extends to the knee in the 2013-2017 quadrennium.
Luckily, their vote counts for very little. This action will require a recommendation from a member federation (or the FINA Bureau) for such a move, and a vote of the FINA Congress to overturn the existing rule voted into place near unanimously in July of 2009 in Rome.
Undoubtedly, they can find a stooge Federation to make such a recommendation since several Federations are dependent for their funding on swimsuit manufacturers.
So between now and the FINA Congress meeting in 2011 at the World Championships, its back to “game on” in political circles.
Do we want to continue the present rule or do we want to cover the male upper body? And return to more expensive swimsuits for men?
Or are we going to be treated to the “argument” that men should be wearing the same Swimsuit as the women? That’s a bit of nonsense we’ve heard before.
So the “News” is that the swimsuit industry once again wants to make more money.
JL
Masters are not the only swimming federation talking suit...
Anyone follow ASCA's John Leonard's comments on the swimmingcoach.org site? Men's suits are mentioned below:
SwimSuits and Profits……by John Leonard
As Randy would say on American Idol….”ok, so, dog…..here’s how it was for me…”
Posted 5/26/10
I’ve now heard from several representatives of the swimsuit manufacturers objecting to my use of the term “greed” and implying excessive profits. Ok, so maybe there are some harsh words there….apologies to those who need them. Here’s some more thoughts:
1. FINA has to stop asking for “input” from the commercial side of our sport. The “Commercial side” does not and SHOULD NOT make the rules. The Federations and the athletes and coaches they represent make the rules, like they did last July. Was this somehow not clear last July? What part of 168-4 did you not understand? (the vote to change the suit rules). IF a member of the Bureau has investments in swimwear companies, they might not LIKE that result, but it was a vote. Democracies run by votes.
2. Swimsuit companies need to be concerned with better governance from FINA. Tell FINA not to ask them for rules, but TELL the companies the rules under which they will produce suits and learn to make a profit. The companies are in business to make a profit and should only be limited by the rules….which are made by the Federations. We clearly need the help of the industry to persuade FINA to “get it right”. Don’t be lured to do the “wrong thing” just because FINA will let you. You know how this should run, and most of you who communicated with me, admitted it.
3. Any sustainable business model includes the business being concerned with the long term viability of the marketplace. We know that $600-$900 swimsuits will gradually kill the base of the sport. Then we become the size of gymnastics and shrinking every year. (there is a fable about killing the golden goose, etc.). “Profit” is not the problem. Short Term Profit, at the expense of long term growth of the sport, is a HUGE problem. The swimsuit companies need to be concerned with keeping the sport affordable to masses and keep growing those masses into a bigger marketplace…and NOT be worried about dragging every last dollar out of the existing market to pay for expensive suits.
4. IF the swimsuit companies want to be partners with the swimming world, then focus on long term growth and sustainable profits. NOT on capitalizing on FINA’s apparent lack of understanding of where rules must come from. Make as much profit as you can, as long as you leave the woodpile higher than you found it…by helping us GROW the sport and your marketplace.
“other than that, it was a little pitchy, dude”.
JL
www.swimmingcoach.org/.../gradrule2.gif
SwimSuits……..AGAIN…..
By John Leonard
Posted 5/24/10
Reports this weekend from the FINA Swimsuit Manufacturers meeting in Switzerland, indicate that a unanimous vote of the suit manufacturers recommends a return to a suit for men that cover the upper body and extends to the knee in the 2013-2017 quadrennium.
Luckily, their vote counts for very little. This action will require a recommendation from a member federation (or the FINA Bureau) for such a move, and a vote of the FINA Congress to overturn the existing rule voted into place near unanimously in July of 2009 in Rome.
Undoubtedly, they can find a stooge Federation to make such a recommendation since several Federations are dependent for their funding on swimsuit manufacturers.
So between now and the FINA Congress meeting in 2011 at the World Championships, its back to “game on” in political circles.
Do we want to continue the present rule or do we want to cover the male upper body? And return to more expensive swimsuits for men?
Or are we going to be treated to the “argument” that men should be wearing the same Swimsuit as the women? That’s a bit of nonsense we’ve heard before.
So the “News” is that the swimsuit industry once again wants to make more money.
JL
