Slowtwitch Interview

I am excited to have had the opportunity to do an interview with Slowtwitch. If you haven't heard of it, Slowtwitch is the LetsRun of the triathlon world. 

Slowtwitch Interview

I am also happy to have been able to stir the pot with the pro/amateur argument because I think the current system has some legitimate problems and have tried to sum up my thoughts on the issue here.

Triathlon distinguishes between “professional” or “elite” athletes and “amateur” athletes, but it's a vague distinction and this limits the value of using the distinction. As an amateur, you can still win money and have sponsors and even be paid by sponsors though it's unlikely. You can do everything that a professional athlete can do except compete in races with a cash prize purse of over $5k. In order to become a professional all you have to do is meet one of USA Triathlon's requirements, like top 5 at Age Group Nationals, and then send in an application. A lot of people talk about how hard it is to become a professional, but it is actually very easy to meet one of the requirements if you are legitimately fast enough to race professionally. As an amateur even though you can't compete for over $5k in cash, because USA Triathlon does not extend this limitation to prizes Hy-Vee was able to give away $151,000 in prizes to amateurs last year at their race and first place was a car worth $22k and a gift certificate to Orbea for $6k for a total of $28,000. I think if you win $28,000 in a race you aren't an amateur. Even if you can only sell those prizes for $20k, you've just made a year's worth of living expenses.

Even using the term professional isn't clear. USAT uses the term elite for professional racers and elite amateur for the amateurs that are faster than most other amateurs which creates confusion.

If there is going to be a distinction between professional and amateur athletes, I think it's important to only use the term professional for professional athletes and reserve elite for the elite amateurs at the front of the amateur pack. I also think the cash limitation should be extended to prizes. This creates a clear distinction between professional and amateur athletes which is valuable in two ways: athlete marketing and increasing the sport's legitimacy. Having clearly defined professional athletes gives those athletes a better ability to market themselves. The term professional implies that you are an expert in your sport at the top of the field and your opinion/recommendation is worth more than a non-professionals. This isn't actually true, but for marketing purposes implications can create realities which helps athletes market themselves to potential sponsors. As for the sport of triathlon clearly separating and acknowledging professional athletes as just that, professionals, helps to increase legitimacy compared to other professional sports. Of course triathlon is a far far cry from the MLB, NFL, etc., but why would outside companies ever invest large amounts of money into prize purses for the professional race when many people don't seriously see those athletes as professionals.

Basically, if we as a sport are going to have professional athletes we shouldn't stop halfway and need to commit to the system. Have fewer pros that are all legitimately professional and use those athletes to elevate and market the sport in order to give companies a reason to invest money into the big race series. Elite amateurs can spend a few more years racing as elite amateurs until they are faster.

In the end as an endurance sport I don't think triathlon will ever capture interest and investments like football or baseball and so we shouldn't have a separate professional system in the same way that running doesn't. But if we're going to have the system we ought to do it right.