Travel team sponsorship

[CoachCalvin]

I've started a 14u travel team with a very small entrance fee and budget. I have a parent that insists on getting a sponsor. I don't want to be indebted to a sponsor(jerked around). What's the best way to handle sponsor requests?

 

[JAD]

What is the parents definition of a "sponsor" and exactly what is the "sponsor" going to provide, and what are the sponsors expectations?

I always wanted to get shirts printed with "Chico's Bail Bonds" as our sponsor....LOL

 

[CoachCalvin]

My thought is so the parent does not have to fork out ANY money for her daughter to play.

 

[coach james]

Honestly, all you have to do for a sponsor company is advertise for them on your team banner and maybe a team photo/thank you card... I run a travel team and money is money... and you'll need plenty of it. So who cares where it comes from, just as long as you have enough!

 

[JAD]

My thought is so the parent does not have to fork out ANY money for her daughter to play.

You are DREAMING if you think you are going to find a sponsor that will cover all of the costs of a 14U TB team. Most of the name brand sporting apparel companies that lend their name to teams - Easton, Worth, Mizuno, just give the teams a discount on their merchandise.

 

[CPSBDad]

We had letters that spelled out what the sponsor would get if they sponsored our team. Basically, $100--name on banner. $200--name and number on banner, and so on. And because the team is a not for profit, the sponsor can write off the amount they give the team. My DD got three sponsors, did a lot of team fundraisers and we didn't have to pay any out of pocket money to be on the team. This paid for uniforms and bat bag from Boombah. Very nice looking uniforms. One girl on the team got sponsors who would give $20, $50, or some other smaller amount less than $100, and she doubled her amount in her account. Her parents can turn in receipts that have anything to do with going to tournaments and they will be refunded from the account.

 

[Huskerdu]

As the HC, it is a thrill for me to go out and develop sponsors for our team. I get to brag on these girls and the business owners feel the passion! I have a girl who's family is in financial stress, so I develop sponsors to pay just her fees. She then goes and gets to deliver our team photo of the tournament we won and to say thank you personally.

The name on the banner is a biggie. Just be careful, when you get a contribution, be sure not to position it as a tax write off. Tell folks that this is a deductible cost for advertising for their business...unless of course your team has a Tax exempt ID#

 

[coach james]

With tax exemption... a sponsor can write off that dollar amount as a charitable donation... with out an exempt #, sponsors label it as advertising...

 

[02Crush]

Here is how it works on our team. You earn it. You keep 90% of it. 10% goes in the team fund to keep extra funds for a rainy day. Rainy Day translates to mean: Families in short term distress. I do not feel the need to can a player cause Mom or Dad lost a job. Otherwise, if you earn it you keep it. We keep a quarterly fee schedule for all families and any funds raised will go to reduce future payments. I also set an amount of money aside for us to create framed pictures that we give back to the sponsor as a Thank You for the support. Most all of our support is less than $100. A rare few have given $250.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have never heard of anyone not wanting to find sponsors. They do not have anything to do with your team. They give each player money to help the team.Around here, each player needs to find a sponsor.