It seems irresponsible. It has taken five years and an extraordinarily warm, snowless winter in central Europe for people to really focus on the tottering alpine World Cup business model. As one of the truly great world sport circuits, the White Circus is in danger of fading into oblivion unless it changes.
    In delivering a plea to the assembled FIS hierarchy, comprised of staff, committee members and several council members, the Ski Racing Supply Association spelled out what has been obvious over the past five years. The alpine World Cup in its present state is no longer delivering a sufficient return on investment. Not only are hardgoods suppliers pressed, but also many event organizers are struggling.

PORTOROZ, Slovenia — It seems irresponsible. It has taken five years and an extraordinarily warm, snowless winter in central Europe for people to really focus on the tottering alpine World Cup business model. As one of the truly great world sport circuits, the White Circus is in danger of fading into oblivion unless it changes.
    In delivering a plea to the assembled FIS hierarchy, comprised of staff, committee members and several council members, the Ski Racing Supply Association spelled out what has been obvious over the past five years. The alpine World Cup in its present state is no longer delivering a sufficient return on investment. Not only are hardgoods suppliers pressed, but also many event organizers are struggling.
    Within the FIS, there is a real awareness of the difficulty the circuit faces, but the organization seems incapable of gaining enough member federation attention to focus on resolving the situation. For a period, the FIS president, Gian Franco Kasper, made a serious attempt to acquire the World Cup television properties. After due diligence, the FIS declined to pay the premium asked by the rights holder, Media Partners, now Infront Sports.
    Then too, over the past five years, the FIS has had to put up with too much self-interest on the part of its member federations. The Austrian Ski Federation is at the top of the “me-first” list. Headed by Peter Schroecksnadel, a bright, self-centered businessman, the Austrian federation has concern only for its part of the alpine World Cup pie. In ski-mad Austria, World Cup events are smashing financial successes. 
    Would it be if it were so in the rest of the world?
    The SRS shares much of the guilt for the lack of success of the World Cup as well. The individual members that comprise the SRS have been known to be extremely extravagant with athlete compensation if it suits their need or whim. Expenses don’t seem a concern when one of the hardgoods companies wants a particular athlete on their products.
    The SRS suggested centralized marketing and more global television. The SRS recommended the circuit cut costs and added that the circuit should be oriented toward youth. None of these ideas are new and some are easily done; that is, if someone wants to.
    It is an axiom in business that it is hard to save yourself into prosperity. With the alpine World Cup, however, this indeed would be possible with a slight change of the existing rules. Today powerhouse nations such as Austria (and other major nations) may bring up to 11 starters per discipline if their athletes are qualified. Add to the 11 athletes approximately 3.5 trainers, phyisios and general hangers on per competitor. The organizer has to house and feed more than 50 people for four or five days if it is a downhill; way too many and too costly.
    Why not introduce a systematic reduction over three years to bring the number of organizer-housed and -fed athletes down to, say, six. The argument, of course, is that one nation — over the last decade it has been Austria, though the United States has had as many as nine qualify for a GS race — has perhaps the best nine or 10 skiers in a given discipline. Is it fair not to have the best athletes compete? Fine, let the federation pay for their extra athletes and the subsequent entourage.
    In a way, the FIS has already approached centralized marketing. Last year when the FIS introduce the new “Tour de Ski,” the organization created a Web page to announce and market the event. The same could be done for every World Cup event in all disciplines. Such an effort would allow the FIS the opportunity to begin a small marketing program for each circuit. This seems very doable.
    Global television remains more of a challenge. It is a chicken-and-egg situation; improve the marketing of the circuits, generate youth enthusiasm for the various disciplines by creating heroes and television will follow. Or purchase television in qualified markets where — like in North America — there is scant broadcast of alpine skiing. The argument against doing this is that Infront Sports owns most of the television rights worldwide.
    Why should the FIS spend time and money to enhance someone else’s property? If for no other reason than the FIS needs to protect its position vis-à-vis the Olympic Winter Games and to keep its most well-known series alive.
    Today’s circumstances favor making some constructive changes. Most, if not all, of the assembled FIS delegation is sympathetic to the difficulties outlined by the SRS. Perhaps more importantly, Austria’s position is weakened by Schroeksnadel’s forced resignation from the Austrian Olympic Committee due to his seeming intransigence regarding the Torino Winter Games nordic doping scandal. The combination of the two seems to leave FIS President Kasper some room to make to proactive changes.
    The organization has already limited the number of alpine World Cup races, which is a small start. Limiting the number of organizer-subsidized athletes per event would go a long way to easing costs to both the hardgoods suppliers and the organizers. Setting up Web sites to enhance the circuit and its athletes would not be hard or terribly expensive. This, too, would be a small start to centralizing marketing.
    Timing is everything, it is said. The moment may be opportune for Mr. Kasper to capitalize on. He indicated in the meeting that he would be forming a working group. It should be headed by someone with no political ax to grind and comprised of some FIS staff, some outside media and sports marketing experts, a hardgoods person and a respected organizer type. Mr. Kasper should then charge the committee to study what is failing and to come up with suggestions for the future.
    The alpine World Cup is four decades old, and its method of doing business is well-entrenched. It must change a
nd change will take time. The time to start is now.