Say it ain't so! Less than two weeks after the 2009 Winter Games of Idaho were canceled due to the lack of sponsorship, the struggling economy has claimed it's latest snow sports victim, 48 Straight. The 48 Straight Tour, which had planned events in Telluride, CO among other venues, met its untimely end after the principal sponsor Jeep pulled its sponsorship. Jeep, along with the other "Big Three" American auto makers General Motors and Chrysler, was hit particularly hard by the latest economic downturn and appears to be depending on a government rescue package to stave off bankruptcy. Given the current economic client for auto makers, it is understandable that 48 Straight might face some challenges in reprising the tour this year.
Jon Duval of the Idaho Mountain Express reports:
"Kipp Nelson, Ketchum resident and co-founder of 48 Straight, said today that the ski and snowboard racing series has been canceled after the title sponsor Jeep withdrew its sponsorship. The events are formerly known as The Ski Tour.
"It's not a very complicated story," Nelson told the Idaho Mountain Express today. "We all know what's going on in the auto industry. It's just a cut in expenses."
Nelson said attempts had been made over the past few weeks to reduce the scale of the series, but retain three events.
Like last year, the events were planned for Telluride, Colo., Squaw, Calif., and Sun Valley, and were to be largely funded through sponsorship from Jeep, an arm of the embattled auto manufacturer Chrysler.
Telluride town manager Frank Bell told the Idaho Mountain Express today that 48 Straight had notified his city that they were going to cancel events scheduled for December. Telluride Ski and Golf Company CEO Dave Riley confirmed the cancellation.
Sun Valley was to host 48 Straight from March 27 to 29.
"We're disappointed, but I can understand how this would happen," said Jack Sibbach, spokesman for Sun Valley Company."
Executives of "The Big Three" auto makers are on Capitol Hill today facing a grilling from senators as they defend past practices and seek a bailout package for their industry and it appears that the 48 Straight Tour is will be just the first of many tough cuts Jeep will have to make in the coming months.
The one Sun Valley snow sports event that has successfully weathered the economic storm is the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, which are now poised to be the biggest sporting event of the season with a special guest appearance by the Dalai Lama. We, for one, can't wait.
And instead of dwelling on what might have been in '09, let's take a look back on the terrific events of 48 Straight 2008, which featured a host of high adrenaline events and Michael Franti of Spearhead.
Check out the Halfpipe Competition above, the Snowboard Cross below, and this slideshow of the best 48 Straight 2008 had to offer.
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