Looking for sponsorship? Can RTR Sports help you? No, we can’t. And, quite frankly, you should stop looking for one.
Let’s try and be honest here, shall we, and take a good step back. Most of the times, you are not even looking for a sponsor: you just need some money.
To keep going with your career or hobby, to buy new gear, to apply for that championship or series, to afford that van hire you need for the next round.
It’s ok, we’ve all been there. But in order to create a good sponsorship culture, we need to call things by their proper name. Money is money. Sponsors are Sponsors. Partners are Partners. Very, very different things ( read more about types of sponsorship in Sport)
Want me to prove it to you? Here you go.
How to get sponsorships from companies
“Chips Ahoy” (a fictional company of crisps and chips) calls you, a young, talented kart racer. They want their logo on your kart and helmet to increase brand visibility. In exchange, you get chips for a lifetime, but no money. Somehow, that’s a sponsorship deal (technically, it’s a sponsorship deal via barter).
The day after “Piggy repairs” (a fictional spare parts shop down the road) calls you. They love what you do and would like to use your photos and videos for their social media. They offer to tune your kart and fix your broken parts before and after each race for free. Somehow, you could appoint them as a “technical partner”. Still, no money though.
Finally, your uncle Jack calls. He knows bugger all about your racing career, but you’re a good boy and your school grades are decent. After dinner, he gives you 100£ and a merry pat on the back.
Now, before moving any forward, take a long hard look in the mirror. If uncle Jack is what you need, I’ve got bad news for you. This story, although sketchy and all, must be the starting point for all amateur athletes wishing for a brighter future. Questions need to be asked here.
How to find Sponsors
What do you need? Do you need financial support? Do you need spare parts? Do you need chips and crisps? The cash is nice, but you can’t snack on banknotes, or put coins in your gearbox and expect it to work.
And, most importantly: what can you exchange for that money, parts or food? What can you give? Why should Chips Ahoy, Piggy Repairs or uncle John even bother listening to you? What if you find out you can save 150£ in food with the chips they give you and another 200£ in repairs?
And again: what if Chips Ahoy provides the chips and some money, but you get all the chips today and 3£ a week for ten years? Where will you be in ten years? And what if Uncle John is unhappy and jealous of the fact you are getting the money both from him and from those chips lads?
More to come: it’s three months into the deal and now Piggy Repairs call and they want their photos and videos. Where’s the photo guy at? Do you even have one? Oh, hang on, he wants to be paid. Does he happen to accept crisps as well as the pound sterling?
How do you get someone to sponsor you?
It’s a lot of questions, and it’s just the start. But the most important part is: you are the only one with all the answers. You are your best sales guy. You can’t expect someone to find money, or sponsors, or partners for you. It’s not gonna happen. It’s either you find the money or the money finds you. You’re not going to find someone who finds the money.
Looking for Sponsorship? RTR Sports will not find sponsors for you.
We know sponsorship: we know this is not how it works. We provide marketing consultancy for companies and brands wishing to use sports as a communication tool. We don’t find money, we help companies spend their money better to get to their objectives. Or their chips. Or their repairs. We manage all of the above questions on behalf of the sponsors.
If you’re a young athlete find a good manager, keep on working on yourself, keep on getting better, practice at night, start saving money on non-necessary things, give it all you’ve got, stay passionate. Eventually, the money will come.
If you’re a brand and you think sports could be the way, drop us a line. We know sponsorship.
We can be reached at info@rtrsports.com
