Comparison to Prize Money in Other Sports
Stoots, Tish (tish_s@erc.montana.edu)
Mon, 20 Jan 1997 13:29:26 -0700
Right on Becky Hackworth in your comparison of prize money to pushing
for the Olympics. Here is yet another way to look at the issue.
I recently read an interesting article in Jan 97 issue of Runners World
reflecting on the last 25 years of marathons and prize money and the
trend effects on their sport. Prize money was introduced in the early
80's. It is generally accepted that to be an elite runner you have to
be full time so you NEED the sponsors and prize sustenance. But what is
happening is that other countries come over and win our marathons so it
is harder than ever for a US runner to make a living at it,
consequentially, there are frightfully less top long distance US runners
than in the past. In other countries, top atheletes make a wage so all
they have to do is concentrate on their performance!! In the US, they
are talking about figuring out how to pay the top runners JUST TO SHOW
UP at events in the future!!! Now correlate this to endurance racing.
Doesn't a top rider/horse team basically have to train full time?
Either a person has to be blessed financially, or have a very supportive
spouse to put in the time to be at the top. Or else between work and
riding, they have no time for life or family. Just food for thought on
a very controversial issue. We could end up losing our best athletes
to other horse related fields where they can make a living at it. Just
look at the costs of endurance racing. A truck, trailer, horse, fuel,
travel, etc. It is high! Or could the future be being less
competitive on an international scale when other countries catch up to
our knowledge since they historically finance their athletes?
Tish Stoots
Bozeman, MT