why vaulters get into meets

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realitycheck
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why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby realitycheck » Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:39 am

promoters will look at many variables in field selection.they will first look to have a top five vaulter in the world and then fill the rest in from there.marketability is more a factor than heights cleared with the rest of the field.vaulters of 5.70(men) and 4.50(women) are a dime a dozen.this is good jump but so many can do.marks dont carry as much weight mainly because promoters know that alot of marks come from remote meets that are not reliable.marks from major meets are all that really matter,infact inflated marks are only hurting people.past accomplishments matter along with current world rankings.but marketability and crowd appeal is still big once you are out of the top 5 in world.in speaking to a promoter there is actually a promotional ranking for each event that promoters use.the vault is high on list right now and this was the order given to me.
vaulters in order of promotion

1) isinbaeva- demands 40k-50k appearence fee alone with specifics of picking the field and a list of some 20 contingencies such as premium water and facial along with other amentities.sounds crazy but she is that good and can and does demand anything she wants.can threaten a world record any time she jumps.

2) stuzinki- the american phenom is a great draw to promoters due that in 4yrs she is to 4.92m (no.2 all-time).fierce competitor and the only human that can push isi to jump 100%.they are not in many fields together because isi does not like the american.has a mystique and can jump AR on any day.

3) hooker-has olympic gold and that makes you marketable for one year by itself.he also is good and very charasmatic and entertaining.promoters love him and crowds are drawn by him.a maketing dream and has produced in the big meets. has had a consistant rise through out career

4)lukyanenko- has the no.1 world ranking and is on a rapid improvement.does not have the personality of hooker but is still very good and can draw big appearence fees.

5)walker-has world titles along with a big american record last year.this puts walker in this category and is still a good draw.

----others who still have some promoting appeal include: miles, dragila, stevenson, lobinger, feofanova

Money will always be a factor but outside of the top 5,6 vaulters there is not much money and not much negotiatian.there are some vaulters who still draw but mainly on past accomplishments.the best way to get in meets is to make a national team,place in worlds or olympics.then develop a consistent pedigree of marks from major meets.the bigger the meet the more water the mark holds.

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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:03 pm

Seems to me the best way to get into a meet is to have a good agent. How did a 4.30 Norwegian girl with a 4.15 season PR get into Millrose over Janson and Johnson who are 4.60+ and have both jumped 4.45 this year? I'm guessing her agent represented someone big in the meet. Or else she has the right friends.

Vicky Parnov is certainly no better than Lacy or Chelsea either, but at least it's easier to see that she came over with her dad and the Aussie guys.

realitycheck
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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby realitycheck » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:28 pm

rainbow girl I agree with you.you are correct . you must have a great agent.It is also important to know people and to keep good relations with the sports important people.many times the people with pull are not who we think they are.It is a political game that involves a lot of money,if you look around the best track athletes you will see the most money and the most powerful people.this is how it is in any sport or any business and track is no exception.I do believe that the athletes you mentioned do have very good agents and were good enough to get in millrose ,but were they to the point where millrose had to have them?I agree that they beat the norway 9 of 10 times .but it is about marketability,draw,favors,business and bull....!

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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:27 pm

realitycheck wrote:I agree that they beat the norway 9 of 10 times .but it is about marketability,draw,favors,business and bull....!


There is no possible way that a no-name (to the US fans) Norwegian girl was more marketable than two girls who were college superstars in the US and are 15+-footers.

The latter three factors, I am sure.

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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby realitycheck » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:27 am

the norwegian girl they say is becoming a super model in norway. enough said there. i believe that a person athletic ability should matter more to me somebodies ability to perform athletically makes them more marketable and more attractive than just being cute. but this is the pole vault world that has been created by the queens of queens isinbayeva. i feel she has created the vault to become a fashion show more than an athletics performance. not that isinbayeva can't jump, where is modesty? these are quotes from her article posted on the famous isi updates.

isi quotes

Some of her rivals, she says, subscribe to that view, the inference being that they are ugly.


'Every girl on the track has a duty to be nice-looking and womanly,” she said. “I remember a very famous athlete said that we had to be athletes or women. I don't agree. Why do we have to be an athlete and have a man's body and be ugly? Why can we only be beautiful outside sport?”


'I'm like an actress,” she said. “I'm alone before the world. When I go to the track, in my mind this is my show. I think everyone comes to see me.


She said that she gets frustrated waiting for others to clear the lower heights so that she can make her grand entrance.


http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=6922&start=240

we have to get back to jumping and performance and respect for what one can do athletically...its not a fashion show

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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby bjvando » Wed Feb 04, 2009 11:57 am

I know this is straying off topic of 'athletes getting into meets' but I believe that a 'swagger' is needed to compete at the elite level.

There can be a very thin line between confidence and arrogance. Although Isi. can come across arrogant at times, she knows she is the best female of all time and she acts like it, Whether we like it or not. I don't know how much female (or even male athletes) care about their appearance while competing, and that, to me, is a distraction.

If you don't think you CAN win, and you CAN break records- why even compete...? Thats why I liked Jenn's "lets kick some russian butt" comment.. shes there to win and knows she CAN! ( i disagree with singling out anyone inparticular, but I appreciate the sentiment)

my 2 cents. any thoughts..
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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby VaultNinja » Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:37 pm

I think that looking good definitely draws a larger crowd or audience in some cases. More fans= more advertising= more money. Do you really think that people are that into beach volleyball, come on, look at the athletes playing and what they're wearing. Anna Kornicova was a mediocre tennis player at best, but you know her name, and she made alot of money, and promoted her sport with her looks. Female track and field athletes don't need to wear skimpy low rise buns, and tiny little sports braws to perform at there best (but I'm glad they do, and i'm sure most of you are ;) ) Might sound bad to you all, but you can't deny it, and i'm not afraid to say just like Isi wouldn't be. Its good business, and even meet directors know that. Just like the old saying goes. Sex sells baby, sex sells.
I almost forgot, it also can help you, not hinder you. My buddy always used to say, "You look good, you feel good. You feel good, you do good."
If someone tries to step on your dreams.... Step on their face.

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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby yeah579 » Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:13 am

After reading these posts I have some questions that can hopefully be answered by someone out there. Being a young athlete I hope to make it to the elite level, so this brings up the question where do you find a good agent that is well connected with promoters in the states and overseas? Also how do the agents get paid? I would imagine they get a percentage of what the athlete makes. I would think a good agent would try to get their athletes into the best meets possible. I have noticed that the majority of the elite athletes have signed with a shoe/clothing company but have heard that majority of them get only shoes/clothing and a little expense money...how does this work? Also if previous posts in this section are factual that means alot of our elite athletes agents are not doing a good job for their clients or is the reason they aren't getting invited to meets their heights? Thanks for any answers you can provide.

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Re: why vaulters get into meets

Unread postby VaultLove » Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:08 am

Correct me if I am wrong? I believe that it's been several years since more than one American woman has ranked World top 10. In 2007 (1) U.S. man ranked world top 10 and now (2 in 2008). Shoe companies maybe support five cumlative (male/female) American pole vaulters monetarily? Are these facts off?


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