Opportunity for Fans to Keep Cannondale-Drapac Professional Team Alive in 2018
On Saturday morning, Slipstream Sports notified all riders and staff of the uncertainty of the organization’s future for the Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team after management received some discouraging news about a new partner they anticipated joining us in 2018. Without this partner’s support, Slipstream Sports can’t guarantee the financial security and subsequently our UCI WorldTour license for 2017. (Read Team’s Statement)
Today, Slipstream Sports announced an Indiegogo campaign on Wednesday with the goal of crowdfunding at least $2 million to #SaveArgyle. Fairly Group has made a seven-figure commitment to Slipstream Sports and, along with other key supporters, has issued a “match challenge” that starts out with up to $2 million.
“I’m overwhelmed by the response and level of support at the grassroots level,” said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports. “There are hundreds of thousands of fans across America and the world who want to see Slipstream continue to create a platform for America’s best riders to compete, and they have inspired us and Fairly Group. I’m grateful to Fairly Group for taking the lead, not only with a financial commitment but also by offering to deliver assistance with a strategic plan to ensure our future.”
The Fairly Group commitment is, at minimum, a seven-figure amount and scales upward, based on matching offers by other fans and businesses. The motivation? To allow Slipstream Sports to continue its unprecedented legacy of success in competing in cycling’s top professional races, including the Tour de France, where the team recently finished second overall with Rigoberto Uran and fielded the only three Americans in the race.
“American pro cycling has a rich history of competitive excellence and Slipstream has carried the torch for many years, having developed many of America’s best cycling talents and taken them to the Tour de France,” stated Alex Fairly, President of the Fairly Group. “Our ethos is built on our willingness to step into our client’s most difficult challenges, and our goal in making this commitment is to provide a spark that continues to ignite the flame of support for America’s best pro cyclists competing on cycling’s WorldTour stage.”
Vaughters recently announced an unexpected shortfall in the sponsorship funding necessary to field a WorldTour team in 2018. Fans responded to this news by asking the team to set up a crowdfunding page. Fairly Group was inspired by the movement and answered the call with a seven-figure commitment, issuing the ‘matching challenge’ to other businesses and individuals to join them by offering a significant level of financial support.
About the #SaveArgyle Indiegogo campaign
When news of our uncertain future broke within the cycling world, #GreenArgyle fans rallied around this team. We have been humbled and inspired by the show of support. The most common response we heard was “crowdfund” — and so here we are. We are proud to see our fans band together and become part of a movement to #SaveArgyle. Crowdfunding may be a different way of doing things, but it’s fair to say we’ve never been conventional.
When our friends at Fairly Group caught wind of the calls to crowdfund, they rose to the challenge. Fairly Group and other generous supporters have committed $2 million to the team for 2018 as part of a “match challenge” to our fans and other businesses in an effort to #SaveArgyle and preserve America’s pro cycling legacy and future. Every dollar donated to the #SaveArgyle Indiegogo campaign, up to $2 million, will be matched by Fairly Group and other key supporters.
A tiered reward structure offers perks from $25 – $50,000 that include insider content, #SaveArgyle swag, name on sponsor page of website, invites to ride with the team, POC team kit and helmet, team bikes and invites to training camps, races and into the team car. Donations will only be processed if the team continues in 2018.
Visit the #SaveArgyle campaign to learn more and donate.
