BC and Shell needs to succeed if it wants further investment

British Cycling must act fast if Shell is ever to be deemed acceptable, say insiders

- James Shrubsall

If British Cycling is to convince a sceptical membership and court further sponsors that its partnership with Shell can be a force for good as opposed to a PR disaster, it needs to hurry up and prove it.

That was the popular view among the numerous insiders within the sport and the industry that Cycling Weekly spoke to in the wake of the announcement.

Dr Sean Ennis, professor of sports marketing at the University of Strathclyde, said that for the sake of both parties they needed to “activate” the sponsorship in a way that “shows both of them in a good light”.

“In other words,” he said, “show that they are doing something that’s positive for the environment.”

There was an inherent risk involved in taking on an oil company, he said: “Because apart from tobacco companies and possibly alcohol companies, the oil companies are right there in terms of, you know, I won’t say the most hated companies in the world, but they certainly have a very negative image.”