Lance Armstrong Sells Out

Wall Street Journal:

The charitable foundation launched by cycling legend and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong -- which four years ago ignited a fashion trend by selling yellow bracelets stamped with the "live strong" mantra -- is making another foray into the for-profit world.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation, which spends about $40 million a year on health programs and cancer research, is teaming up with Web-site operator Demand Media Inc. to launch a health-and-wellness Web site funded by advertising. The site, called "livestrong.com," is expected to go live this year.

As part of the deal, the Austin, Texas, foundation and Mr. Armstrong will take equity stakes in Demand Media, a Santa Monica, Calif., company run by former MySpace Inc. Chairman Richard Rosenblatt.

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

Comments

[workingboy]

OMG, another ho.

[hoopesaz]

Why is this called a "Sell Out"? He isn't allowed to make money? And if he does, he's not sincere?

What a ridiculous assertion. An absolutely lefty "capitalism is the root of all evil" nonsense of a claim.

[Survivor03]

Some of these comments are misinformed. The Lance Armstrong Foundation's mission includes cancer screening, prevention, treatment, and survivorship. A major feature of LIVESTRONG.com is to promote healthy living, part of cancer prevention.

Read more about the LAF's comprehensive policy platform at http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.2724241/k.7CC2/Policy_Platform_Overview.htm

[condieshoes]

Very good destinction between treatment and prevention.

There's HUGE MONEY IN TREATMENT! That's why we have pink ribbons, yellow braclets, yada, yada.....keeps the money rolling in while people "fight" ala Armstrong or other celebrities that lend names....FOR MONEY.

The real issue is why is cancer increasing a such a rapid rate in our country? Answer: big pharma, (the other side of big pharma are chemical companies) Europe will not let in the chemicals that American chemical companies make. Chemical companies dump them here in the US. Cancer producing chemicals. MONEY.

Prevention. Yes. Prevention.

[willo]

I'm more concerned with his uninformed support of Bush'a "war of terror"
Lance, being a good patriot means knowing something about the subject you are promoting.
He's lent his credibility as a cycling champion to a bad cause.

[ACleverGuy]

So anything short of a defacto cure is a worthless endeavor in your mind? The fact is that more people are surviving cancer than ever before thanks to Armstrong's foundation and their financial support of various programs http://www.livestrong.org/grantsandprograms

As for "selling out"? If the net result is bringing more donations and awareness to Armstrong's foundation, I don't begrudge them partnering with a media company who could make that happen. Take a look at the IRS Form 990 from ANY charitable organization and you'll see expenses for advertising and promotion linked to fundraising. The fact that Armstrong is an equity partner in this venture probably indicates that his share will be put back into the foundation as well.

Shame on HP for taking liberties with the WSJ headline to suit your own sensationalist agenda.

[KindAndThoughtful]

The point to remember is that in addition to giving to charities, we need, as a nation, to promote math, science and engineering education. That will provide us with cures for diseases and solutions to our energy problems.


http://verybestwebsites.blogspot.com/

[johnnyjust]

One (poor) man's sell-out is another (rich) man's good business.

Sounds like a very intelligent man.

[realitytrumpsbull]

He sold his other ball to some corporation a long time ago. People do that. It's called 'growing up'. Money makes the world go 'round, if ya ain't got, ya don't git.
Where it gets ugly is when you've got profiteers such as the medical peeps who know they have a captive audience called 'the american public'. We, the wage slaves, in search of a better prison cell, do hereby sign our futures over to some guy in a suit. Something like that...

[JScott]

Jeez this is really nothing new isn't the Christian Science Monitor the same type of deal for the Church of Christ Scientist?

[RGKahn]

What is he selling out? There is nothing wrong with profit. You can make a profit and still do charitable work. They are not exclusive. He does have his economic future to consider. HuffPo's headlines sometime are more than misleading at times. This is one of those times. HuffPo is becoming too much of a weekly world in review type of publication. Way too much gossip nowadays. Just my one minute.

[rh654]

I just love the take of a Huffington Post website headline:

"Lance Armstrong Sells Out"

The title of the actual article is:

"Cyclist's Foundation Links to For-Profit"

Why not use the "real" title of the story for your 'news' headline?

And - once you raise as much money as Armstrong has for cancer research - then - you can worry about others selling out.......