"Look my board's a --insert company name--"

[torrents 0]

I have noticed competitors at the Olympics all taking their skis/boards off and basically throwing them in the cameras face, so you can conveniently see that it's a Burton/Rossignol/Kissmark/whatever.

 

Is this what they are instructed to do by their sponsors? It sure doesn't seem like a natural thing for almost ALL of them to do.

[js 0]

As common as chips - all sports are commercial ventures these days, even the so-so haloed Olympics, so don't expect things to change.

[number9 0]

There's lots of "unnatural" advertising in sports, like drivers always wearing sponsors' caps after races, etc. Money and fame go together..

[Ezorisu 0]

The skiers do it too.

 

If you ever watch non-Olympic sports coverage, they do it there too, and that's probably where the habit comes from. As you guessed, it's because of the sponsors, but the brandishing of the brand-name works a little opposite though - it's not the sponsors requiring that they flash the product, but it's the rider who gets a cash bonus for each time he appears in a magazine or TV program with the product clearly visible who is making a conscious effort to show it.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

They get paid extra money if they show their sponsors on TV...most companies do that. When I was with Powerbar we would pay $100 to anybody who was wearing a hat,T-shirt, etc if they were in magazines,newspapers, on TV etc...

wonder how much they get?

[mattlucas 0]

And if an athlete isn't sponsored then they have to paint their skis so that you can't tell what they are

[Oyuki kigan 0]

I heard the the reason Jpanese kids wear their goggles to the side is NOT to look like a clueless tool. Apparently its to show their goggle sponsor, so they are more like corporate whores.

[Kumapix 0]

speaking of japanese kids & goggles...the fashion is to wear your goggles and toque under your helmet. Did you guys check out Nakai and the other guy (I forget his name Fumiya or something). They looked so stupid.

I had this discussion with a friend of mine. I was trying tell him that his big 'euro-gap' would be laughed at in North America. But he just said that he likes to be able to take his helmet off and have his goggles ready to wear.

[ncorrenti 0]

I don't see a problem with this. It's a small price to pay to be able to do something you love, right?

[number9 0]

 Quote:

I had this discussion with a friend of mine. I was trying tell him that his big 'euro-gap' would be laughed at in North America.

Was he in North America?

Excessively casual fashion (like sweatshirts or going barefeet) being worn everywhere at any time is laughed at here.

Different fashion in different countries..

[mattlucas 0]

Not only does it look dorky but it also cuts down on the safety that a helmet offers

It's supposed to be right up against the head but the way they are there it's perched way up

 

My helmet doesn't have ear flaps so in cold weather I wear a very thin toque but my helmet still fits with this under it.

[number9 0]

Haha, reminds of Eric Lindros' helmet when he was a junior. He'd wear it so high that the visor was covering his forehead. Negating the purpose of the visor and not wearing the helmet properly either. He probably thought it was "cool" back then, and many other juniors did too, as they were required to wear visors to protect their eyes. Ha, kids.

http://www.newyorkrangers.cz/hraci/lindros/oshawa01.jpg