Sponsorship

[wyckoffplaya15 0]

Hey everyone i play for a small travel inline team, North Jersey Gamblers most of us are out of not to wealthy areas believe me im not asking for sympathy, but were a very good team. WE used to just be a house league team playing for fun but after we won championship after championship in 14u and 16u as 13 yr olds we decided to try to get a minor organization together. Currently we have a 14u and starting a 12u. We've played in quite a few local tournaments and done very well for our backround, the best we've done is finish 3rd in a tournament w/ 12 teams and 4th in a tourny w/ 21 teams. We really want to start traveling further and getting more competitive but the problem is w/ everything from kids breaking sticks, wheels, skate eyelets and everything to out growing stuff we need some help. I was wondering if anybody who owns a small-medium sporting good store would consider sponsoring us? We would be willing to do anything from changing jerseys to putting vinals on our helmets and patches on our current jerseys. Please PM if any1 is willing to help us.

[Jim A 4]

All of your initial sponsors are going to be through who you/your folks etc know..

You need to make a list of all your contacts and their business...and fire off a letter...sure it will get rejected..they normally do..but the same day that comes back you need to send a 2nd one asking for whatever help they can offer $50/$100 etc..offer them space in the team program (you'll have to make one during the season..a night at Kinko's no biggie) for their contribution...

as for stores etc..what do you offer them? can you do clinics, work out a discount program that ties in your $ from them with the increased business you provide (ie. coupons, referral books)...

if you don't have relationship with a shop..you need to start shopping at one and building it up for a solid year..sure some items you will buy online..but most of the newer stuff..all your ancilaries etc..should be done there and only there..

I had a group in NY/NJ that used to do some outdoor clinics for me in Orange County NY on asphalt rinks, but it did more for my bottom line then their OT loss in a NARCh Regional....

hard enough to land a sponsor..even tougher to keep them..

[stevoc 0]

One of the guys in my local house league went to a restaurant and asked them to sponsor his team. In return for the restaurant purchasing them jerseys (which is all he really asked for) he promised them business on the nights his team played. (mondays and wednesdays) After each game, his team and the team they played against that night (as well as anyone else in the league if they wanted) were invited to the restaurant to watch the game they just played on the restaurants big screen TV. (he has someone video his games every week)

So on any given monday night, which tends to be dead in the restaurant, management knows they will get some kind of business once the game is over. Whether it's 5 or 25 people that show up afterwards, the restaurant is making money on a night that is usually dead. All the restaurant had/has to do is initially purchase the jerseys (which has their logo on the front) and buy new ones should others rip or get destroyed.

[All Torhs Team 0]

Im guesssing your not talking about like TMD or the ST.Louis Blast kind of sponsor. Im sure that what these guys said about getting local places to donate would be a great way to earn cash. Another one that I have done for the last four years is door to door candy bar selling. for every candy bar you sell, you get $.50

If everyone on your team sells like 100 bars theres about $400. Another is doing bagging grocerys. Cub foods has always liked us at their store, and jewel osco. Another option is to get permission from a place like family video or something and try to get donations. Tell them that you are the hockey team that represents theyre town, and tell them some of your accomplishments. Most of these plans are actually work, not really sponsoring, but if you guys are in need of cash for tournament entry fees or what ever, the work off the rink is well worth the time on the rink.