Hamilton, can't teach tugboat new tricks

Cobblestones

Could he actually sue the sponsor? I assume the cycling team is a separate legal entity, while the sponsor (Rabobank) is just a sponsor. If that is true, the team could just fold if (i) the sponsor gets out and (ii) Ras wins the case, in which case good luck to him finding any assets left from which his claim could be paid.

thunder

no, I think the paying agent might be the bank.

Cobblestones

This would be incredibly stupid by the bank especially since this doesn't seem to be the business model for other teams. AFAIK team USPS and Disco were not actually owned by USPS and Disco channel respectively. It was Team Tailwind sponsored by USPS and Disco. Team CSC isn't owned by CSC, it's owned by Riis and sponsored by CSC. Same model with the old T-Mobile (Highroad).

Seems like all you need is a sponsoring agreement and the team will slap your name on. On the other hand, a sponsoring agreement doesn't mean you assume legal responsibilities for anything which goes on between the team management and the employees (riders). Say Riis buttrapes Cancellara, CSC won't be liable.

I would assume that whatever goes on between Ras and the team management, the sponsor Rabobank cannot be held liable unless they actually own the team, which I doubt. Rabobank might have pressured the management (canceling sponsorship etc), but I would assume the executive decision (weighing sponsor contract against threads of lawsuits from Ras) lies with the team management as well as the legal and financial responsibility.

thunder

actually, there is about 3 different models.

One, entrepreneur
2. Firm as agent, but sometimes they pass on the reigns. See: Phonak, FDJ and CA. I think Legeay has to try and find the new sponsor.
3. Then the Riis ex rider model.