Re: What the USFSA (and other federations) need
Allie Katz, you were more direct and correct...I was trying to be polite here. That aside, however...everyone knows (and obviously Phyllis does seem to have some clue, albeit not much of one) that she is obviously not up to the job of standing up to the ISU tyrant. To stand up to that one takes some real moxie and I am not sure who has the kind of "youknowwhats" to do that job effectively, and that is precisely what is needed and needed now.
It is also no secret that the American TV networks that have contracts with the ISU are none too happy with the ISU as ratings have fallen and the amount of money that the ISU is getting amounts to approximately 80% of the ISU's monies. Furthermore, those TV contracts with the ISU are coming due very shortly (this coming July, I believe).
What would also help considerably would be for ABC and ESPN to not renew their contracts with the ISU unless there was an ethics clause therein like the one John Hancock Financial Services has in their contract with the USOC. We all know that John Hancock got results and it is high time that ABC, ESPN and Disney (Disney owns both ABC and ESPN) took a cue and did the same thing.
We can all help make this happen by writing ABC, ESPN and Disney and urging them to insist on ethics clauses in their contracts with the ISU. All of us doing this can make a difference, despite what some of the naysayers out there say. Therefore, I challenge any of the naysayers who are tempted to ridicule this idea to come up with a solution to this problem that we can all participate in rather than "throw stones."
Meanwhile, although I do not have e-mail information for contacting ABC, ESPN or Dinsey, I do have snail-mail and FAX information and those will get the job done:
Mr. Alex Wallau, President
American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
77 West 66th Street
New York, NY 10023-6201
212-456-7777
212-456-1424 FAX
Mr. George W. Bodenheimer, President
ESPN, Inc.
935 Middle Street
Bristol, CT 06010
860-766-2000
860-766-2213 FAX
Mr. Michael D. Eisner, Chairman & CEO
Mr. Robert A. Iger, President, COO & Director
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-9722
818-560-1000
818-560-1930 FAX
May I also add that Visa sponsors not only the USFSA but also the IOC. Here's their information (sorry no e-mail):
Mr. Malcolm Williamson, President and CEO
Visa International
900 Metro Center Boulevard
Foster City, CA 94404
650-432-3200
650-432-7436 FAX
We can solve this one. Let's do it!
