"We couldn't in good conscience ask someone to spend the sort of money that it would require to sponsor the team in the current situation," said Bill Stapleton, general manager of Tailwind Sports. "It's not an environment conducive in our opinion to make an investment."
[...]
"We had a firm commitment for three years. It wasn't signed and sealed, but we were 90 percent there," Armstrong said. "No. 1, this isn't about a lack of a sponsor. If that were the case we would say that in October, not in August. No. 2, it's not a statement. We're just deciding it's a good time to step aside."
[...]
"It's a sad for American cycling," Armstrong said. "The guys at ASO are talking about taking the Tour back to national teams like they did in the olden days. If something like that would happen, someone's $15 million investment is
worth zero. Issues like that are too unknown. It's too risky to ask that kind of money. There are too many questions within the sport."
For crying out loud, just say you couldn't find someone willing to pony up the $45 million in today's market. Boy, it sure is nice that Lance, et. al. are watching out for all those corporations to make sure they don't waste their money on sponsorship.
The reasoning provided is absurd. Do they think that anyone believes it? How dumb do they think we are?
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