Dogecoin Fundraiser Sends Jamaican Bobsled Team To Sochi

[Andy Chalk]

Dogecoin Fundraiser Sends Jamaican Bobsled Team To Sochi

The Jamaican Bobsled Team is going to Sochi thanks to the generosity of the internet and the glory of the Dogecoin.

The two-man bobsled team from Jamaica qualified for the Sochi Winter Olympics [https://twitter.com/JamaicaOlympics/status/424628761816879104] a couple days ago, marking the first time Jamaican sledders have made it into the games since 2002. But with the good news came the bad: Having a ticket to the Big Show doesn't mean much if you can't get there, and the team is strapped for cash.

The sledders took to Dogesled.net [http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-jamaica-bobsleigh-team-to-go-sochi-2014-winter-olympics], the "Jamaican Bobsled Dogecoin Fund," and inviting users contribute. And contribute they did, to the tune of more than 28 million Dogecoin at last count - that's over $36,000 - in just one day.

To avoid a potential loss of value due to currency fluctuations, the founders of the fund have already pulled and converted the majority of the Dogecoins donated to the more stable Bitcoin cryptocurrency. "Myself and (Dogecoin creator) Jackson Palmer were at a local pub trivia in Sydney when we noticed the value of Dogecoin had more than doubled since we'd last checked so we raced back to my house to ensure we could get the best price for the donations in a form the team could actually use," Liam Butler of the Dogecoin Foundation told the Guardian [http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/20/jamaican-bobsled-team-raises-dogecoin-winter-olympics]. "As much as we have faith in Dogecoin to become the community currency of the internet, we still understand that the team need to buy their airfares in a fiat currency."

The 2014 Winter Olympics begin on February 7 in Sochi, Russia. I dearly hope the Jamaicans are there.

Via: Tismo [http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/internet-raises-over-30000-in-dogecoins-to-send] for the tip


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[Kyber]

The consept of "Dogecoins" is somewhat cringeworthy, but I do hope they make it.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

This story actually pisses me off a little- I can't think of any Cool Runnings jokes to make about it. Still, it's pretty damned awesome (however dire the 'doge' meme is).

 

[Tanis]

Such sledding, much bobbing.

Great Jamaicans, so Olympian.

 

[JaceArveduin]

This story actually pisses me off a little- I can't think of any Cool Runnings jokes to make about it. Still, it's pretty damned awesome (however dire the 'doge' meme is).

I knew I remembered seeing a movie with this premise!

Is it bad that tropical islanders bobsledding seems weird to me?

 

[Nick Pirce]

I really want to hear Leigh Diffey explain Dogecoin to the world

 

[Andy Chalk]

Is it bad that tropical islanders bobsledding seems weird to me?

No, I think that's part of the point.

 

[thiosk]

I really want to hear Leigh Diffey explain Dogecoin to the world

Please allow me to paraphrase.

Such coin!

             many value

                    wow

          so fiat

 

[therandombear]

This is both funny and sad.

Funny with the whole Jamaican bobsled thing, and sad that John Candy couldn't witness it.

 

[skorpion352]

So, Cool Runnings remake, or sequel? Or both?

Fell the rhythm!

 

[DasDestroyer]

Wait, why do they need $80000? Is there an entry fee? Because I can't imagine 2 tickets would cost more than $2000, and if they plan on staying for 3 weeks why do they need nearly $4000 per day?

 

[AlwaysPractical]

We really do live in awesome times when a kind of stupid internet meme and a bunch of people that remember a movie can fund a sports team in need to (hopefully) go to the Olympics. This is all in all a really cool story, good work internet.

 

[Spud of Doom]

Wait, why do they need $80000? Is there an entry fee? Because I can't imagine 2 tickets would cost more than $2000, and if they plan on staying for 3 weeks why do they need nearly $4000 per day?

Competitors, support crew, equipment, parts, etc.

 

[Veylon]

Wait, why do they need $80000? Is there an entry fee? Because I can't imagine 2 tickets would cost more than $2000, and if they plan on staying for 3 weeks why do they need nearly $4000 per day?

Competitors, support crew, equipment, parts, etc.

People forget that the Olympics is actually a very expensive luxury item. And this is bare bones expenses; First World countries will be spending vastly more. Sochi will be lucky to make back the money spent on this event within decades.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

This story actually pisses me off a little- I can't think of any Cool Runnings jokes to make about it. Still, it's pretty damned awesome (however dire the 'doge' meme is).

I knew I remembered seeing a movie with this premise!

Is it bad that tropical islanders bobsledding seems weird to me?

No weirder than it is that Florida has one of the best hockey teams in the league. Yes, ice hockey. We've also got a really good baseball team, which is funny because baseball is "that sport people play in high school when it's not football season" down here.

 

[martyrdrebel27]

Everytime I'm about to hit the planet's self-destruct button (yes I found it, no I won't tell you where) something like this happens that gives me pause. There may be hope for your planet yet. Now I've just got to figure out where we're going to build this damn bypass...

 

[MetalMagpie]

Wait, why do they need $80000? Is there an entry fee? Because I can't imagine 2 tickets would cost more than $2000, and if they plan on staying for 3 weeks why do they need nearly $4000 per day?

Well, they'll need to fly the actual bobsled (or more than one? do bobsled teams have a spare?) out to Russia. And they'll take at least a minimal number of support crew, who'll need to be paid as well as given food and board for the duration. And then there's whatever equipment they'll need to buy especially for the Olympics (I know very little about how bobsled works) which I'm sure isn't cheap (because these things never are at that level of sport). That money may also cover the costs of training and preparation in the build-up to the Olympics.

In short, I don't really know. But entering the Olympics is very expensive.