Team Sponsorship Question

[Dave619]

DD will be playing on a new team this year. The team is in the process of getting team sponsors and I would like to know if anyone has any knowledge of the best way to get a "big name" sponsor? Any team we have played for has always had local sponsors, but this team is looking for something like Mizuno.

One of the teams DD picks up with is now sponsored by 3N2...basically they just buy 3N2s uniform package at a discount. Do you look for a local rep or contact the corporate office? Any advice on how to start this process would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[YOCOACH]

I know nothing about this. However, if I were in your shoes, I would start with the local Sales Rep. I know quite a few in our area and have found them to be most helpful and quite honest when asking these types of questions. For instance, they may say you have no shot at the type of sponsorship you are looking for and suggest an alternate way to go about it. If nothing else, you could get the information about how the process works and how to get started i.e. who to contact for further information.

 

[SCDad]

I am in the process of doing a very similar sponsor drive for our high school team.

For starters, it is important to really try to find someone who has corporate connections, anywhere. Preferably someone who works for large charity groups. They have the contacts to corporate entities, where the real sponsor money resides. I located such a person, and though it has not paid off yet, I just started less than a week ago.

Second an advertising campaign has to be made. For me, I am in the process of making a three page advertisement. The first page is a summary of the teams past accomplishments. To include any media stories of your team, and any rankings they may have.

The second page is the product. Usually a team photo and possibly a story about current individual players. Try to make it personal, with the players on the team being the product explaining how hard they work, how good they are as people, in a way any mom or dad can relate.

The third page is the sales pitch. What product you are selling. Who to contact, and how much money for each level of contribution.

Now you have a three page advertisement. Next is getting it in as many businesses hands as possible. We are going after any and all stores our players like the most. That is part of the pitch. "Thank you for this store, it is our young ladies favorite, can you help her out". This hard copy advertisement will be handed to each store manager.

Lastly, a digital version of the same should be made. Research and try to find a way to e-mail the corporate entity of the business you target.

In our case we have a tangible product of a local high school, just off a championship run. We are trying to sell outfield signs for the school field outfield. Part of the product after they buy an outfield sign, for a little more money they can get (2) 8-1/2 x 11 photos of the team picture split with the new sign in the center. For even a little more money, the same (2) photos will be framed, and individually sign by each player.

We also want to sell higher dollar signs at the field entrance, behind the dugouts, and under the scoreboard. this gives the potential sponsor plenty of options.

I am not a pro at this. But this is my plan, and hopefully will be a success. Please posters, offer suggestions on ways to improve on this plan, or even if I am on the right track. I will try to wrap this up by the end of the week.

All part of that "Chemistry / Team-Building" thing, I guess.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Everybody wants a "big name" sponsor to look cool, just doesn't happen. Unfortunately, the big names can't sponsor the 1000 teams they hear from every year for sponsorship. And to be honest, many teams that claim to be sponsored are only teams that have done team buy ins where you get a discount for buying the manufacturers stuff for the whole team. Nothing awesome there. From my knowledge very, very, very few teams get any kind of actual money from the big bat guys.

You are gonna have more luck with local corps and businesses. To me, the local companies are really the "big guys" in softball as they are the ones that are helping teams with support year in and year out.

 

[wichita]

We had sponsorship up until last year for our org. discounted uniforms gloves bats batting gloves etc. with Wilson/DeMarini problem was you had to buy I believe it was $30,000 worth of equipment(I could be wrong but it was up there) every year which is why we lost it last year and also when your sponsored you have to use their stuff. So if your DD doesn't like DeMarini bats tough your using one(just an example) And my DD uses a Wilson a2k glove and they weren't part of the sponsorship only the a2000 glove which DD didn't like so there are drawbacks.

P.S.also our discount was I believe 50% off of retail so some things you could just about by it outright on the net for the same price