I've started my indoor team and our players are a bit short on money. We have enough to pay the team fee, but we would like to get team shirts. The only way we could do this would be to get a sponsor to pay for them. Here is my question: what steps and how do I go about attracting a sponsor? Thanks a lot guys for any help.
A few ideas... Anyone on the team have friends or family who own a business? If you meet/talk with anyone interested in sponsoring you, offer to wear a patch or something with their company name on your uniforms. Put an ad in the local paper.
As far as I know, nobody knows anyone who owns a business, so it is just us asking people. If I find a good prospect, I will ask them to pay for our shirts and in turn their names will be screened across the front.
Try a law firm. Three years ago when my softball team was looking for a sponsor we cold-called a law firm that advertised on tv. they have sponsored us every year since. personal injury law firms are desperate to get there name out. its worth a shot.
Law firms, doctors' offices...I know when I had a team we had a security company sponser ours. maybe a local restaurant or deli...juut look through the phone book or maybe even try a local softball league to see who they use. Maybe they might have a group that does a variety of sports. Anything is worth a try... Peace.
pizza places, bars - places you can go after the games and spend some money. They get hit up all the time - but might be able to work with you. Also check the place that will do your shirts, they may know a company that is friendly to the idea. Check with the indoor guy as well.
The local whores might be looking for some good pub. Tell them some opponents are looking for "someplace to go" before they head home after an evening match. Okay. Bad joke. Sorry.
The business could probably deduct the sponsorship from their taxes. (No, I am not a tax attorney or account, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.) Seriously, though, it wouldn't hurt to mention a possible deduction as part of your appeal, though they'd have to check with their CPA to make sure ...
The irony of a Minnesota Thunder team being sponsored by a personal injury lawyer is overwhleming ...
Do you guys have a place where you hang out? Check with them, and tell them that each of your matches will be free advertising. And tell them that you'll try to get some other folks from your league to drop by afterwards. Of course, if you guys are teenagers, this drastically limits the opportunities here. But my rugby team has gotten two sets of shirts -- home and away -- paid for this way. They like the fact that we bring 20+ out of towners into the place after each home match.
Cold-calling is a pain-in-the-ass but it does work. A guy in my hometown, Lester Archimbeau, went door-to-door to businesses asking for scholarship money for college. He was pretty successful. It works. In a strange twist to the story, Lester ultimately didn't need the scholarship money. He developed into a great athlete during his last two years of high school and got a full athletic scholarship to Stanford. He then went on to play in the NFL as a defensive end. But at least he had a safety back-up plan if he hadn't developed as an athlete. Murf
Thanks for the help everyone. We are teenagers, so I'm going to find out from the shirt company how much they will cost, and then I will ask maybe a local pizza joint or a place that teenagers hang out to sponsor us.