Local team sponsorship

[excelerator]

Just looking for some input from the masses. I run a small local team but have had trouble getting the kinds of sponsorship dollars we really need to go out and recruit "better" riders and really grow. At the local level its hard to prove ROI. Is there a better way to pitch it? Or is it simply a matter of finding a business who wants to support cycling?

 

[scribe]

What sort of budget did you have in mind?

 

[excelerator]

We're 25 riders. 10 on the competitive "team" the other 15 on the "club". The bulk of the budget would be used for team kit and race entries for mostly cat 4 riders. Total budget for 2010 needs to be $6700. Proceeds from the race we host and dues cover part but we're looking for a $4000 title sponsor.

In the future we want to start building a junior development squad and support riders moving up the ranks as well.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Go for the Gianni Savio approach and try to get a number of sponsors at a lower cost to the sponsor, that way you could get 10 sponsors at $500 a pop and hit $5000. Which at the end of the season if you reach profit can go to funding next season or the development team.

 

[Anonymous]

Go for the Gianni Savio approach and try to get a number of sponsors at a lower cost to the sponsor, that way you could get 10 sponsors at $500 a pop and hit $5000. Which at the end of the season if you reach profit can go to funding next season or the development team.

sometimes the best way to go.. with 25 riders, it only takes ten of them to work for someone, or know someone who can front $500 for a year.... its the same old circle though, you need funding for success, but many sponsors want the success guaranteed..

ive seen sillier things on ebay by the way.. one tenth share in a cycle team, $500, guarantee of the company name on the shirt.. press like that kind of thing... now a 1/100th share at 50$, i could even be tempted myself..

or, look at locally people who donate large amounts to charity, are there any willing to pay $5000 to put that charity name all over your shirts and bring the charity publicity that way.. doesnt allways have to be businesses, there are rich philanthropists out there who just dont have a company name to put on the shirt, but might be prepared to for you to carry a charities name..

there was a situation in the uk where normal members of the public bought shares and then bought a football club.. sometimes youve got think outside of the box..

 

[excelerator]

I'm liking the ebay idea. I think I'll give that a try.

What else has worked for folks out there?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm liking the ebay idea. I think I'll give that a try.

What else has worked for folks out there?

100 shares, 50$ a pop, get the press interested, they like interesting weird stories, yes, i know we hate twitter, but things spread there like wildfire.. 100 people in the world with £30.. cant be that hard... dont know how youd organise how they would receive sponsorship though.. ive always fancied having a bike team.. youd need agood website so that sponsors could follow results etc though.. give previews of races, regular blog..
http://www.ownabiketeam.com is available.. lol
its actually similar to the model that rapha condor use.. main sponsors and then part public owned..

but doesnt cost anything just to put the whole team sponsorship up for £5k.. if nobody buys it youve lost nothing..

a team website, with the front page headlined "own a part of your own bike team"... sponsor the team etc.. details of the team, inviting sponsors at $50 a pop, or for say $100 they also get a team shirt... would need a lot of organising though...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I'm liking the ebay idea. I think I'll give that a try.

What else has worked for folks out there?

Hire/pay/blackmail/kidnap a freelance reporter as a P.R.O.

It does not cost much - however their contacts to local media and ability to turn out a quick piece on a regular basis, means you have a high chance of getting articles featuring your sponsors published.

When 'pitching' to a team that you have someone ready to write up the articles it allows a potential sponsor to 'see' the practical return on their investment.

 

[fatandfast]

Just looking for some input from the masses. I run a small local team but have had trouble getting the kinds of sponsorship dollars we really need to go out and recruit "better" riders and really grow. At the local level its hard to prove ROI. Is there a better way to pitch it? Or is it simply a matter of finding a business who wants to support cycling?

If you are in the US you need to file forms to be a non-profit. You need to do lots of art work as part of your proposal. Anybody with interest in sponsorship likes to see what their logo looks like on the uniform. Look at other@ race activities, Example, give out coupons and products at the race while manning a promo booth( 2 people,1 folding table,1 or 2 banners w product name)Pick dairy (healthy cheese,yogurt,stay fast milk like Parmalot) Vitamins are good. Laundry,cleaning stuff is good,food/snacks. Olive Garden,Burger King,Taco Bell,Wendys. You can set up the whole promo in 10 minutes and do it at 3 or 4 races,ask the local sales rep to show up for an hour or 2. Make sure you have a good proposal, their product or service is part of a winning/healthy/family/organic lifestyle. We did a proposal for a household cleanser. The jersey looked fantastic,just like a can of cleanser only a human. They didn't respond for @8 months. You can pitch anybody, the best racer is not necessarily the best person to do the sales presentation to a new sponsor. You need a hummus sponsor@Tribe or Athena products. Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

My buddy had the idea of funding his race car by selling small blocks on his car to people on a 'net forum for $50-100 each. In return they'd get there name written on the car in one of the blocks. Of course, the more prominent or larger blocks would cost a bit more.

Maybe you can do a similar thing and have everyone's name that "sponsored" your team on the jersey along with your normal sponsors.

I think the general idea and jersey would create buzz in the media, at races and on the 'net. Then people like me could feel like they are a part of something that we couldn't normally be a part of.

Just a thought...

Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

My buddy had the idea of funding his race car by selling small blocks on his car to people on a 'net forum for $50-100 each. In return they'd get there name written on the car in one of the blocks. Of course, the more prominent or larger blocks would cost a bit more.

Maybe you can do a similar thing and have everyone's name that "sponsored" your team on the jersey along with your normal sponsors.

I think the general idea and jersey would create buzz in the media, at races and on the 'net. Then people like me could feel like they are a part of something that we couldn't normally be a part of.

Just a thought...

Good luck!

thats along the lines im thinking...

tell ya, if the missus bought me a share in sponsorship of a cylcing team, even if it was tiny, for christmas id be well chuffed..

i think one thing thats critical is a good working website, with the riders on it, races you plan attending, results etc.. sponsors like an online presence, and it does help build support.. even people outside of the US can keep an eye on the project then and see results etc..

wonder if cycling news would stump up a couple of quid...

do you have a doping policy btw?

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

100 shares, 50$ a pop, get the press interested, they like interesting weird stories, yes, i know we hate twitter, but things spread there like wildfire.. 100 people in the world with £30.. cant be that hard... dont know how youd organise how they would receive sponsorship though.. ive always fancied having a bike team.. youd need agood website so that sponsors could follow results etc though.. give previews of races, regular blog..
http://www.ownabiketeam.com is available.. lol
its actually similar to the model that rapha condor use.. main sponsors and then part public owned..

but doesnt cost anything just to put the whole team sponsorship up for £5k.. if nobody buys it youve lost nothing..

a team website, with the front page headlined "own a part of your own bike team"... sponsor the team etc.. details of the team, inviting sponsors at $50 a pop, or for say $100 they also get a team shirt... would need a lot of organising though...

This actually happened over here with a football/soccer team that was bought by numerous people for something like £35 per share. I think they bought a non-league team called Ebbsfleet United and then raised another £20,000 to buy a striker. People then voted on all matters of the club and had to renew each year. I am not sure exactly how the uptake of renewals went but I can imagine it was pretty good considering the price. They play in the Blue Square Premier League and won the FA Trophy last year.

All I am saying is it could work for you too.

 

[excelerator]

Just fyi, we have been operating since 2007. Our website is http://www.teamexcelerator.com. I built it using a free html editor. For 2010 we actually have a real website guy running our site for us so it won't be so basic.

Thanks for all the great input. I'm going to chew on this "pixels for sale" type idea with the my managing partner with the team.