For the first time in chiropractic history, the industry serving chiropractors has put their money where their mouth is. Three prominent companies have gone to bat for chiropractic in a big way. Metagenics Inc. (nutrition); Foot Levelers (orthotics); and Midwest X-Ray (x-ray and equipment) have agreed to be sponsors of the Chiropractic Cycling Club.
Why cycling? Cycling is the fastest growing sport in America and is the second largest participation sport, after swimming. In addition, the most enthusiastic cyclists come from the baby boom generation; they are between 30 and 50 years of age and are the most affluent group, as a whole, in the history of the United States. So corporate America is eager to get on their good side. This youth-oriented group is also very health-oriented and quite open to chiropractic. Unfortunately, only about six percent of them are aware of chiropractic benefits.
This will change dramatically according to John Day, D.C., and Jeff Katke. John Day, D.C., practicing in Boulder, Colorado, and Jeff Katke, president of Metagenics, are the master-minds of the Chiropractic Cycling Club. Dr. Day explains that co-sponsorship of professional cycling will bring more positive public relations to chiropractic than anything ever done before. The media coverage of professional cycling is enormous. The team races every weekend from February to September, and each race is covered by television, radio, newspaper, and sports magazines which reaches hundreds of millions of people. The Chiropractic Cycling Club will make sure that this media coverage will include information as to why chiropractic sponsors professional cycling and how chiropractic is helping these professional sports figures win races.
At the beginning of last year's season only one rider on the Coors Cycling Team was receiving chiropractic care. By the end of the season all riders were waiting in line for the team chiropractor, leaving the team medical physicians with nothing to do. The riders feel that chiropractic really helps them.
Jeff Katke of Metagenics explains what the corporate sponsors are doing to make sure this public relations program is a success. "Metagenics has invested over $20,000 in this program to date, but $20,000 doesn't cut the mustard in the big leagues. Corporate sponsorship of professional sports is a multi-million dollar proposition. There is no company serving the chiropractic profession which could absorb the expense of a major promotional program like this. Our idea was to band industry and the profession together in a combined effort to raise the needed money. The combined resources give chiropractic the ability to realize public relations impact available to only the largest corporations in America." Metagenics and the other corporate sponsors contribute financially to the program but also offer significant discounts to chiropractors who contribute to the program. In addition, the contributing doctors receive attractive Chiropractic Cycling Club apparel which expands the cycling promotion in the local community. Mr. Katke points out: "This is a true win-win situation. The contributing chiropractors get three times their contribution in discounts on products they are already using. The corporate sponsors, while losing some money through discounts, should make it up through increased business and the profession receives the greatest public relations program ever. This of course benefits the individual doctors and corporate sponsors."
The discounts offered to contributing chiropractors are substantial. Midwest X-ray among other things, is offering distributor prices on name-brand x-ray film. Foot Levelers and Metagenics are offering ten percent discounts on their products. These discounts add up very quickly.
An alliance of industry with the chiropractic profession has long been needed. A medical industrial alliance has produced incredible benefits for the medical profession. The emergence of a joint corporate/professional effort for the purpose of promoting chiropractic and its many health promoting benefits is very important to chiropractic. Every practitioner should support it. You can do so by calling 1-800-692-9400, or in California 1-800-833-9536, saying: "I would like to join the Chiropractic Cycling Club."