Racers and government sponsorships

My swiftness just caught wind on the news about Jacques Villeneuve being implicated for getting paid $12,000,000.00 to wear the Canadian Government logo on his racing suit. I really don't see this as being any different than Joe Nemechek's "Army" sponsored Chevrolet, although he might not have been paid as much. It seems strange for beauracracies to sponsor racers. Is it even an issue? Apparently, in Canada it is.... --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.661 / Virus Database: 424 - Release Date: 4/19/2004

The CART race on the Gold Coast, Australia is part-sponsored by the state government...so it's not just Canada...

Rich wrote in news:G_Jhc.3239$mP2.800@edtnps89:

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> My swiftness just caught wind on the news about Jacques Villeneuve > being implicated for getting paid $12,000,000.00 to wear the > Canadian Government logo on his racing suit. I really don't see > this as being any different than Joe Nemechek's "Army" sponsored > Chevrolet, although he might not have been paid as much. It seems > strange for beauracracies to sponsor racers. Is it even an issue? > Apparently, in Canada it is.... > >

The issue is NOT the fact that Jacques may or may not have been paid to wear the Canadian *flag* on his suit. (Last I heard, JV had denied being paid, and certainly not $12 million!) The issue is that the money was funnelled through a bunch of PR companies who were "close to" the governing party, and that they took large (exhorbitant?) fees to simply transfer the money. In some case, the fees amounted to as much as 30 or 40% of the total. From memory, there was a recent radio new bit on the RCMP who were given something like $2 million for their 125th anniversary. After the fees were deducted by the PR company, the Mounties only got $1.6 million. Nice money -- $400,000 -- for delivering a cheque! Related to the money issue is the fact that most of this money was apparently approved via verbal communications. Most rules controlling these kinds of expenditures were broken or ignored, and the whole thing done in such an "under the table" kind of way as to raise suspicions in even the most trusting. The story about JV was just another instance of the hysteria built up in the first flush of enthusiasm by some members of the media. I think you'll find that JV -- and most other drivers -- wear an indication of their national affliation somewhere on their clothing. I wonder how much DC gets paid to wear the Scottish national flag on his helmet? <sly grin> -- Darryl

The fact that PR agencies are greedy is rather old news in my book. -- ed_

DC (or marilyn chin from neighbours as i call him) wanted to copyright that soltair he has on his helmet, to stop other scottish racing drivers from being allowed to carry it! shocking stuff. pez "Darryl Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:zFQhc.30603$[email hidden]...

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> Rich wrote in news:G_Jhc.3239$mP2.800@edtnps89: > > > My swiftness just caught wind on the news about Jacques Villeneuve > > being implicated for getting paid $12,000,000.00 to wear the > > Canadian Government logo on his racing suit. I really don't see > > this as being any different than Joe Nemechek's "Army" sponsored > > Chevrolet, although he might not have been paid as much. It seems > > strange for beauracracies to sponsor racers. Is it even an issue? > > Apparently, in Canada it is.... > > > > > > The issue is NOT the fact that Jacques may or may not have been paid > to wear the Canadian *flag* on his suit. (Last I heard, JV had denied > being paid, and certainly not $12 million!) > > The issue is that the money was funnelled through a bunch of PR > companies who were "close to" the governing party, and that they took > large (exhorbitant?) fees to simply transfer the money. In some case, > the fees amounted to as much as 30 or 40% of the total. From memory, > there was a recent radio new bit on the RCMP who were given something > like $2 million for their 125th anniversary. After the fees were > deducted by the PR company, the Mounties only got $1.6 million. Nice > money -- $400,000 -- for delivering a cheque! > > Related to the money issue is the fact that most of this money was > apparently approved via verbal communications. Most rules controlling > these kinds of expenditures were broken or ignored, and the whole > thing done in such an "under the table" kind of way as to raise > suspicions in even the most trusting. > > The story about JV was just another instance of the hysteria built up > in the first flush of enthusiasm by some members of the media. I > think you'll find that JV -- and most other drivers -- wear an > indication of their national affliation somewhere on their clothing. > I wonder how much DC gets paid to wear the Scottish national flag on > his helmet? <sly grin> > > -- > Darryl > >