ICSF WC Flycasting Sweden 2024

[NM]

Paul,
A separate association would be a disaster and likely kill the sport. It will just increase cost and cause conflict. An international association need proper funding and fully staffed Board and Committees to be able to deliver what we want it to do. Having two associations just creates duplications and increased cost. The one we have is seriously underfunded but now has a new Board with younger people and a solid representation from the light-line fly-casting side of the sport. We should give them time to do the job and help them doing it. The ICSF membership fee is for national associations, and not that high for national associations with a reasonable number of members (it is less than what you as an individual may pay for membership in any national sporting club). Yes, a further differentiation of the fee or some other ways of reducing the cost for those without a national association is something I think should be done. Maybe you can suggest that for the next General Assembly. Interestingly, according to this year’s invitation eligible participants are “All members of ICSF and invited guests.”

We have had two international associations in the past and it was a major disaster. It is one of the reasons we never got into the Olympics. Castingsport was approved and on the agenda for participation in the Olympics back in the 60s, but it was the smaller of the two associations that was approved and that was a member of the international sport associations. The Olympics is out of the question today, but the World Games is not. Castingsport used to be part of the World Games, ICSF is a member of the World-Games-Association, and work continue to get us back on the program. WG 2029 in Europe seems to be a possibility. We do need to make some hard decisions to reduce the number of events (including to decide on whether it should be only Castingsport or only flycasting events, or a mix) and make everything more spectator friendly, though.

We got some commercial sponsors for the 2022 event (and for the event, not for our team), but not enough, which is why we had to use such a large share of our general funding to cover the cost of the event.

Yes, we need to make it sexier to have broadcasting appeal. The question is how, and the cost implications. Moving everything on land and merging the overhead flycasting events with Castingsport as the Italians have done for the World Cup, could lower cost but would not make it more spectator friendly am I afraid and we would lose Spey (which is quit spectator friendly). Having the tournaments more centrally located in major cities could help attracting more spectators, but also increase cost.

In the end, while we need to look at all options, I think working on getting more local funding in each country for participation in international tournaments as well as other activities that can help increase participation in the sport is our best bet, including for making things more affordable for all. Ideally, one should also be able to get funding for some or all of the cost, including travel and accommodation, and not only the participation fees.

[Paul Arden]

Let me ask two questions then. Is there an active committee on the ICSF marketing the sport, producing press releases and keeping it in the public eye, that is in constant contact with sports programmers and magazines/newspapers?
And then is there a committee dedicated to finding event sponsorship? Ie approaching tackle manufacturers, and for that matter non fishing related sponsors?

In the past SA proposed the idea of a 5MED in a competition colour to be given to every competitor. I passed that information on twice and there was no response. A few years back one of the fishing TV networks was interested in broadcasting the event live (online). I passed that information on too and they never got a reply either. So I chased it for a second time and still no reply.

So you can see how I’m skeptical when I hear it’s not possible to find sponsors. Even when I’ve brought them on a plate there has been no response. I’m just one guy connected in this industry. We all have connections in the fly fishing world; magazines, tackle manufacturers, tackle shops, guiding services, and many people actually have real jobs too outside of FFing, widening the network of possible event sponsors.

Now I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the hosting nation to foot the entire bill. I agree with you there. Sure they can find local sponsors. But we need sponsors for the event wherever it is held. Marketing and sponsorship goes hand in hand. The bigger the promotion the easier it is to find sponsors. I think that’s down to the organising umbrella association, whoever it is. Right now I think the target has to be to get the event televised.

The fly fishers in this are all a pretty close nit bunch. We all want to see it succeed. I honestly think we should be organising it. Give me 5 years or so and Sexyloops will put some cash into these events. I’ve just got to get my sail boat first

Cheers, Paul

[John Waters]

I think the new ICSF Executive are very conscious of the need for sponsorship and marketing and are actively seeking promotional opportunities. Send any suggestions in (I know some may be the third time) but I suggest we give the new Executive help and time. I am no longer involved in any administrative function in Australia, or elsewhere, but will throw my tuppence worth behind the new administrators. The first World Cup for 2024 in Italy looked a possible model for the future and I saw a televised event only a few weeks back (I think it was a Norwegian indoor event). The new tiered affiliation fee is another first.

John

[Paul Arden]

The new tiered affiliation fee is another first

Maybe but 400 Euros is very expensive for an individual such as myself, on top of an already high price for the event.

[John Waters]

The new tiered affiliation fee is another first

Maybe but 400 Euros is very expensive for an individual such as myself, on top of an already high price for the event.

It is Paul, same for myself. That allows for 3 participants to a WC. I think there should be tier below that for single competitors. Will be interesting to see if that is a consideration for 2025 and beyond. I think I’ll emigrate to Europe.


John

[Paul Arden]

I’ll try to get something organised here, John. There is funding for events and I’ve been asked by the TV producers to come up with an event plan to get the funding! I have been thinking about a SE Asia competition with an open invite. Probably held either on the lake here or else in Langkawi. Just as long as I’m not asked to do the day to day organising like Lee did in Cumbria!

Incidentally I have a real problem that Sweden is unaffordable for Lee and Angie when they put their heart and souls into bringing it to the UK.

Cheers, Paul

[John Waters]

That would be great Paul, more power to ya'.

John

[NM]

Paul,
A televised SE Asia competition with an open invite would be great. We need more international tournaments, and in more parts of the world, and more televised tournaments. I believe the Swedes are working on at least having the WC streamed online. We have managed to get every second indoor national championship televised as part of a National Championship week for smaller sports. We are able to have it televised because we are a member of the national umbrella organization for all sports.

The ICSF marketing commission comprise of Riccardo Carrara and Kenji Okamoto. Marketing Commission - International Casting Sport Federation (icsf-castingsport.com) Kenji is from the Castingsport side, and Riccardo from Flycasting I believe. Riccardo is also a member of the flycasting commission (with Steinar Røstad as chair) and is the chair of the election committee. I am sure that he and Kenji would welcome all suggestions and help they can get.

As I understand it, many from both the Castingsport and the Flycasting side were unhappy with the performance of the old Board. The natural solution in a democratic association like the ICSF then is to come together and ensure that one has the votes to replace the old Board with a new and better one (after all, we, the members, are the Association). That happened at the last General Assembly. They also established a “Commission for progress in Casting and Flycasting sport.” This is a promising start I think, but of course it is just a start.

Best,

Nils

[Paul Arden]

Well good. I wish them the best and I hope things can really move forward, Nils. I’m just concerned about these WCs because unfortunately I know a lot of people who aren’t going. They don’t have the high cost of airfares and the $400 ICSF individual membership fee to contend with that some of us have now, but they are still put off by the price. And they were training for it.

It’s a shame. There seems to be a lack of consultation or involvement with the athletes. You could say it should all go through casting sport affiliations but there are only about 80-100 of us and we all know each other very well. It’s not like we are talking about an Olympics committee here with two hundred different countries and hundreds of thousands of athletes under the respective associations. We are talking about 80-100 people, all on first name terms. All good friends who stay in touch. We don’t even have the country boundaries separating us because when it comes down to it we are all on the same team. I’m in touch with far more people than that on a daily basis.

Cheers, Paul

[Dung Fly]

Fingers crossed that the ‘new’ board promote & advance the ICSF from its current position.

Turn the clock back 100 years and events where held around the globe with results ‘telegraphed’ to each location, whilst conditions cannot be guaranteed to be the same it brought casters together for the right reasons - to compete.

With travel, accommodation & participation costs all increasing beyond the casters economic viability perhaps a ‘Virtual’ WC might be away forward ?

It’s often said that to improve things you need to look at how things where done before, in this case not 10 or 20 years ago but 75-100, remove the travel, the high entry cost to cover the stewards, referees etc. keep it simple with a standard set of rules, more importantly inclusive and not exclusive.

Last year at the ICSF Castingsport WCs the number of competitors was less than 40% than it was just 19 years previous (2004), it was under the guidance of the old board , Colin & myself highlighted the decline in participation numbers in our 2 failed bids to host the WCs here in the UK (at locations that exceeded the competition book) on cost as it was seen to be too expensive (bearing in mind that 90% of the equipment needed to be hired in).

After 10years of participation at Castingsport World & European events, I started to question myself why and to what cost to my family life - the cost was the same as a 7-10day holiday with my wife.

Sorry to hijack the thread.