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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com. This summer I am joined by Keir Wilmut and Omar Soliman.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Curling in poverty
It's about time we had a curling post on here.
Curling is a great sport. It is played by about a million Canadians. Every year, the Brier is among the most-watched sporting events on TV in Canada. Yet for years, curlers have been unable to capitalize on their success and reap any meaningful monetary reward. Case in point: the near-total lack of financial success for curling superstar Russ Howard in the aftermath of last year's gold medal win at the Olympics. It doesn't seem fair:
While speed skater Cindy Klassen has reportedly signed endorsement deals in excess of $1-million (some put it closer to $2-million), Howard's team has only a single arrangement that won't even net each player $10,000.
"I never started curling to get rich," Howard said, "but you just hear so much about what the gold medal is worth and see what other athletes have managed and certainly there's some disappointment."
Part of that stems from the fact Howard spent $24,000 on his Olympic journey, most of that to bring his wife and two children to Italy for the Games. From flights to accommodation to tickets, the bills added up in a hurry.
"I certainly never expected the government or sponsors or whoever to pick up the cost of bringing every aunt, uncle and cousin, but I guess I just thought there would be some help," he said. "You don't really think about that when you first become an Olympian."
Howard said his representative, Landmark Sport Group, which also handles Klassen, has some irons in the fire and he's hopeful some arrangements will transpire. But he's also a realist.
"I guess that's curling," he said. "We're just not sexy enough."
And that really is it, isn't it. Curling just isn't sexy enough. This guy can't even get sponsored to bring his wife to the Games? What a sad reality of modern sport.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 7:06 AM
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