Sports Team Sponsorship
Discussion
Does anyone sponsor a team?
Is anyone involved in attracting sponsors for a team?
Looking at expectations and benefits.
Have been sponsoring a local team (into second spell now) and frankly, they're just not delivering. The exposure has been negligible. Expected far more than being mentioned once or twice; assumed there would be a 'minimum' they would do by way of obligation.
If I'm to go into a third season, I'd like some more commitment from them so looking for advice on the matter.
Is anyone involved in attracting sponsors for a team?
Looking at expectations and benefits.
Have been sponsoring a local team (into second spell now) and frankly, they're just not delivering. The exposure has been negligible. Expected far more than being mentioned once or twice; assumed there would be a 'minimum' they would do by way of obligation.
If I'm to go into a third season, I'd like some more commitment from them so looking for advice on the matter.
Give 'em a pep talk, hairdryer style. Tell 'em they need to up their game. Set some big hairy audacious goals. Promotion to the Premiership, fourth round of the FA Cup, that sort of thing. Threaten to reduce the sponsorship and ask them how they'll afford their Lambos and Bentleys then, eh?! 
From a quick google am I correct in saying its your lads junior side you sponsor??
If thats correct I always did it on the basis it was just a way to write a few quid off and look good in front of the parents.
I very much doubt youll get much from many junior sides apart from the occasional photo in the local rag if they do well.
If thats correct I always did it on the basis it was just a way to write a few quid off and look good in front of the parents.
I very much doubt youll get much from many junior sides apart from the occasional photo in the local rag if they do well.
Youth football; team is under 14 boys (year 9 at school).
I don't expect to get a job as such from it; I'm doing it to help the club. The issue I have is that I think the club isn't being run well and they are taking the money and not reciprocating with any more than a mention on LinkedIn once or twice a year. If there was some proper exposure/appreciation/acknowledgement i could use it accordingly but there's nothing. I also manage the team.
Recently took matters into my own hands and started an Instagram page for the team (and its sponsor) as well as a matchday blog. I've been enjoying the interaction from that but after getting carried away with it I'm think, hang about, the club need to be doing something like this.
My thoughts are to just put the money directly into the team. Sponsoring the club way isn't working for me as a sponsor, and the team do not benefit directly from it. They could do with tracksuits for example, and it will save me a chunk of money. The team can thank the donator of the gear on their insta page.
I don't expect to get a job as such from it; I'm doing it to help the club. The issue I have is that I think the club isn't being run well and they are taking the money and not reciprocating with any more than a mention on LinkedIn once or twice a year. If there was some proper exposure/appreciation/acknowledgement i could use it accordingly but there's nothing. I also manage the team.
Recently took matters into my own hands and started an Instagram page for the team (and its sponsor) as well as a matchday blog. I've been enjoying the interaction from that but after getting carried away with it I'm think, hang about, the club need to be doing something like this.
My thoughts are to just put the money directly into the team. Sponsoring the club way isn't working for me as a sponsor, and the team do not benefit directly from it. They could do with tracksuits for example, and it will save me a chunk of money. The team can thank the donator of the gear on their insta page.
craigjm said:
What are you sponsoring? The shirts? The games? I guess the level of exposure would be different
Prominent sponsorship. Front of the shirt. In my first season as a manager (and sponsor) I attracted two sleeve sponsors. In terms of how the club 'advertises' their sponsors, it's not different if you're a main shirt sponsor or a sleeve sponsor at a third of the price.
Glassman said:
craigjm said:
What are you sponsoring? The shirts? The games? I guess the level of exposure would be different
Prominent sponsorship. Front of the shirt. In my first season as a manager (and sponsor) I attracted two sleeve sponsors. In terms of how the club 'advertises' their sponsors, it's not different if you're a main shirt sponsor or a sleeve sponsor at a third of the price.
If the club has it's own pitch maybe ad hoardings , if there's a match day program then a reference but what more do you think your going to get ?
I think it's tough to expect much in the way of promotion from a kids football team (although I can totally understand the frustration). I suspect most arrangements at this level are more akin to donations that true sponsorship.
Perhaps look at it the other way around - what can you do in your own marketing to leverage your involvement in the team?
Perhaps look at it the other way around - what can you do in your own marketing to leverage your involvement in the team?
Glassman said:
I don't expect to get a job as such from it; I'm doing it to help the club. The issue I have is that I think the club isn't being run well and they are taking the money and not reciprocating with any more than a mention on LinkedIn once or twice a year. If there was some proper exposure/appreciation/acknowledgement i could use it accordingly but there's nothing. I also manage the team.
I can think of three options:1) Agree in advance what the coverage is going to be, not just pay and hope. But if the deal is not to gain work, does it matter?
2) Run the club yourself.
3) Find a better or more appreciative club to work with.
Thanks for the feedback, all.
You would want to get some kind of return from £2k into A&M whatever the circumstances. I fully expect not to get my target customer rock up through it but at least for the club to promote their sponsors internally as well as externally. We recently had a managers meeting and they arranged it in a pub/restaurant. The club has a couple of options in house as it were (two managers run bars/cafes/pizzerias and there are several sponsors with bar/food themes). When I suggested to the board that we should perhaps be looking closer to home before going elsewhere, it didn't strike me as something they cared too much about. Lazy IMHO.
You would want to get some kind of return from £2k into A&M whatever the circumstances. I fully expect not to get my target customer rock up through it but at least for the club to promote their sponsors internally as well as externally. We recently had a managers meeting and they arranged it in a pub/restaurant. The club has a couple of options in house as it were (two managers run bars/cafes/pizzerias and there are several sponsors with bar/food themes). When I suggested to the board that we should perhaps be looking closer to home before going elsewhere, it didn't strike me as something they cared too much about. Lazy IMHO.
Wouldn't it cause internal issues ?
If you pick one mangers venue over the other and he gains from the xmas do ?
Neutral venue and that issues taken off the table .
Other than main sponsor is on front/back of shirt and secondary sponsor is on the sleeves there's not much else tangible they can do ?
You mentioned word of mouth but trades stuff people recommend who's actually done a good job for them rather not who sponsors the kids football team .
If you pick one mangers venue over the other and he gains from the xmas do ?
Neutral venue and that issues taken off the table .
Other than main sponsor is on front/back of shirt and secondary sponsor is on the sleeves there's not much else tangible they can do ?
You mentioned word of mouth but trades stuff people recommend who's actually done a good job for them rather not who sponsors the kids football team .
From reading about motorsport sponsorship, the key phrase is 'activation', where the sponsoring firm does advertising and other activities to link the sponsored person/team to their product.
So the OP needs to be mentioning the kid's team in his adverts to show what a community minded fellow he is and offer discounted windscreens to the parents of the kids (maybe other team's as well).
So the OP needs to be mentioning the kid's team in his adverts to show what a community minded fellow he is and offer discounted windscreens to the parents of the kids (maybe other team's as well).
Glassman said:
Youth football; team is under 14 boys (year 9 at school).
I don't expect to get a job as such from it; I'm doing it to help the club. The issue I have is that I think the club isn't being run well and they are taking the money and not reciprocating with any more than a mention on LinkedIn once or twice a year. If there was some proper exposure/appreciation/acknowledgement i could use it accordingly but there's nothing. I also manage the team.
Recently took matters into my own hands and started an Instagram page for the team (and its sponsor) as well as a matchday blog. I've been enjoying the interaction from that but after getting carried away with it I'm think, hang about, the club need to be doing something like this.
My thoughts are to just put the money directly into the team. Sponsoring the club way isn't working for me as a sponsor, and the team do not benefit directly from it. They could do with tracksuits for example, and it will save me a chunk of money. The team can thank the donator of the gear on their insta page.
Who is the club, if not the manager? Its a bit different if its Real Madrid U14 but if its a regular U14 football team in a regular junior league then it will all be volunteers like you anyway. I don't expect to get a job as such from it; I'm doing it to help the club. The issue I have is that I think the club isn't being run well and they are taking the money and not reciprocating with any more than a mention on LinkedIn once or twice a year. If there was some proper exposure/appreciation/acknowledgement i could use it accordingly but there's nothing. I also manage the team.
Recently took matters into my own hands and started an Instagram page for the team (and its sponsor) as well as a matchday blog. I've been enjoying the interaction from that but after getting carried away with it I'm think, hang about, the club need to be doing something like this.
My thoughts are to just put the money directly into the team. Sponsoring the club way isn't working for me as a sponsor, and the team do not benefit directly from it. They could do with tracksuits for example, and it will save me a chunk of money. The team can thank the donator of the gear on their insta page.
Mr Penguin said:
Who is the club, if not the manager? Its a bit different if its Real Madrid U14 but if its a regular U14 football team in a regular junior league then it will all be volunteers like you anyway.
I took it to read that he manages the team (as in coach) but not the club (as in director).Sounds like they viewed the £2K as a donation, said 'Ta' and carried on as before. And why wouldn't they, in the absence of any conditions.
I always thought that sponsorship at this junior level was about subsidising (or covering) the cost of kits and other equipment (e.g. match balls and training balls, bibs, other stuff). The idea being you're doing a "nice thing" by helping them out. I think £2k is a bit rich though, I thought you were going to say £500!
Seems like there's far too many blurred lines here Glassman.
From what I gather, you're the:
- Main sponsor
- Manager
- Parent of one of the players
You are:
- Unhappy with the way the club is run
- Don't feel you're getting VFM from the sponsorship
- Feel Sponsors 2/3 are getting a better deal than you but you attracted them
Sponsoring grass roots football for me, is a nice way to give back to the club and expectations of any sort of ROI should be zero.
If you feel £2k breaches the threshold of 'nice way to give back' then suggest you don't renew but I wouldn't be trying to make demands etc.
Also, you 'assumed' they'd do more to help promote your business, good lesson to be learnt here, assume nothing, it never ends well..
From what I gather, you're the:
- Main sponsor
- Manager
- Parent of one of the players
You are:
- Unhappy with the way the club is run
- Don't feel you're getting VFM from the sponsorship
- Feel Sponsors 2/3 are getting a better deal than you but you attracted them
Sponsoring grass roots football for me, is a nice way to give back to the club and expectations of any sort of ROI should be zero.
If you feel £2k breaches the threshold of 'nice way to give back' then suggest you don't renew but I wouldn't be trying to make demands etc.
Also, you 'assumed' they'd do more to help promote your business, good lesson to be learnt here, assume nothing, it never ends well..
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