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There are a wide variety of companies who utilize the Network as a means to sponsor athletes and teams. Some have been in the game for years and have their entire program setup with agreements, different tiers of sponsorship ranging from discounts on their products all the way up to financial commitments. This article is geared towards companies who are new to sponsorship and/or seeking advice on how to setup or strengthen their existing sponsorship program. Sponsorship Levels There are a number of common sponsorship levels companies choose from when it comes time to sponsoring athletes and teams. Often times, companies will structure their programs in ways where they have a certain number of sponsorship opportunities for each level. Below is an overview of the most common levels of sponsorship:
- Product Discount – These are pricing discounts based off retail for qualified athletes to receive on their products. This tier has become very popular as a way for companies to grow their grassroots or amateur programs by supporting athletes and teams with price breaks in exchange for buying and promoting their products.
- Free Product – Another common form of sponsorship is offering free products to athletes and teams who may be top amateurs or professional in their rankings. Offering products to athletes is a great way to quickly introduce yourself to the marketplace if you have limited exposure.
- Contingency Bonus – Contingency bonuses are typically a form of monetary or product incentive offered to athletes and teams when they either place well at events or achieve exposure goals for a sponsor. For example, an athlete who wins a high profile event or receives a full-page feature within a national publication might be eligible for a contingency bonus from one or more of their sponsors.
- Retainer – Any time when a financial commitment is offered by a sponsor this is typically referred to as a retainer. Retainers can be paid one-time, monthly, quarterly or annually. The amount of the retainer can vary greatly depending on the athlete or team and the level of exposure they generate for their sponsors. Sponsorship Offer Letters and Contracts As with any business relationship it’s important to clearly outline your sponsorship commitments as well as your expectations when it comes to sponsoring an athlete or team. A sponsorship contract or agreement is usually helpful so both parties understand what their responsibilities will include once entered into a sponsorship relationship. Once signed, both parties are obligated to meet the requirements as stated within, otherwise known as the ‘Sponsorship Terms.’ Contracts can be used as a tool to help strengthen market share by entering into exclusive agreements with athletes to use and promote your products as well as offer ways to limit your legal exposure for sports marketing. Contracts can have a way of being informal or impersonal when in actuality, it’s the necessary evil of business and sponsorship. It’s always nice touch to include a cover letter that thanks the person for submitting a sponsorship request and to inform them that you would like to offer them a level of sponsorship. When you click into the ‘Sponsorship Contracts’ area within your account, you have the ability to add multiple sponsorship offers and contracts to reflect the different levels of sponsorship you have available. This area provides tools and a step by step contract builder to set up multiple sponsorship contracts. Items to include in your offer letter should provide the athlete or team with the following:
- Information about your company and its products and services. Any background information you can provide about other athletes you sponsor and additional benefits you provide only strengthens your position with the athletes.
- A summary of the type of sponsorship level being offered –Include a high level summary of the specific deal points before they dig into the fine print of your agreement.
- Instructions to activate their sponsorship – Examples include mailing in a copy of their contract with a printed signature (this is becoming less common in today’s digital age), specific ordering instructions prior to a specific date if you have inventory control, and any other requirements necessary for the athletes to take the final step to become part of your sponsorship program.
- Contact information for the sponsorship manager – Who should they follow up with should they have any questions? Sponsorship contracts can range from a half page basic agreement to an in depth 25 page legal document with every clause and provision imaginable. Which is best for your sponsorship agreement? It really depends on the complexity of your sponsorship level, its terms, your potential legal liability or exposure and the requirements being placed upon the athlete or team being offered sponsorship. Important areas that should be components of your sponsorship contract include:
- Term or Duration: January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010
- Detailed terms of the sponsorship offer level, for example: o 30% discount off retail pricing on all available products o $1,000 signing bonus payable within thirty (30) days o $1,000 product allotment based on MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price)
- Terms of payment or allocation of sponsorship o $100 per month for twelve (12) months
- Your requirements in exchange for offered sponsorship, such as: o Athlete will display, promote and list ‘Company’ as an official sponsor at any and all attended events and appearances o Athlete will make four (4) personal appearances per year at locations specified by sponsor o Team will provide six (6) 3’ X 10’ signs on arena walls
- Termination Provision – How does either party terminate the agreement (if applicable).
- Assumption of Risk and General Release of Liability o This is especially important for any sports related activity and athletes themselves. You understand the person you sponsor participates. You sponsored the person to associate yourself with their activity, but you don’t require the person to participate and will not be held liable for serious, life-threatening injuries or death.
*Note: The information above is strictly for information purposes only. For any legal agreement, it’s always best to consult professional legal counsel to assist you with drafting your sponsorship contracts.
Executing the Sponsorship Contract The final step of the process is executing the contract. This can only be done when both parties sign and accept the terms of the contract. We provide an online system for delivering contracts and obtaining digital signatures from the athletes and teams you sponsor. It’s a highly effective and efficient way to execute your contracts online. Your sponsorship offers and contracts are secure with no ability for athletes and teams to alter its terms. This way you can confidently distribute your sponsorship offers and receive executed agreements online with no delays. To utilize the ‘Digital Signature’ option, choose this selection when setting up your sponsorship contracts inside your account. For an example of a general sponsorship contract, please view the ‘Sample Contract’ within our Help section. Again, please consult professional legal advice before entering into any sponsorship contract.
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Frequently athletes get caught up in the excitement of acquiring their first sponsor, but it’s easy to lose focus on why a company chooses to sponsor you in the first place. Always remember, sponsorship is a business. 
Imagine yourself in this position: You’re the team manager for the hottest company out there, and it is now the sponsorship season. You receive 75 applications a day from all over the country in all age and skill brackets. You spend a half hour browsing profiles for your first considerations, check for some top talent, results and most importantly, professionalism. You quickly find that 50-60% of the profiles are somewhat incomplete. No results, no photos, no videos and no love to current sponsors. It is clear the athletes do not really understand what the word “sponsorship” means and are not informed about the sponsorship process. All you see is “WHAT YOUR COMPANY CAN DO FOR THEM.” It’s all right though. The other 40-50% of the applications are customized for your company, offering valuable return benefits like key sticker placement, creative ideas to generate exposure for your company and promise of word-of-mouth promotion in exchange for your support. They present an individual you want to sponsor. You would like an endless pool of talent and solid results, but you are very willing to sponsor athletes who have strong communication skills and who understand your support is a trade for promotional value they offer back to your company. It should be pretty obvious which of athletes make your “wanted” list -the ones with professional profiles and applications personalized to your company. And, if you think about it from the perspective of this team manager, there are a couple reasons why: A professional profile shows...
1. That the athlete is self-motivated and really wants to represent your company. If you were a team manager, you would like to see a solid profile and personalized application addressed to your attention. Sure, you’ll consider a generic profile addressed to no one in particular if the athlete has won a couple regional or national championships, but only if they made it past your first consideration. To you, it is most impressive that the person researched you and your company to find out that you would be the one considering their sponsorship and took the time to personalize the cover letter to you. So you might think to yourself, I ought to give this person a closer look. 2. The athlete not only understands your needs as a business, but that they are trying to help you meet those needs in exchange for your support. You are now excited there is actually an athlete ready and willing to represent your company in a professional manner both while competing and while in the company of friends. They understand that the word “sponsorship” doesn’t mean “FREE STUFF.” They truly realize it is an honor to have the opportunity to represent your company and they are ready to provide 100% of the effort it takes to make you happy. 3. That the athlete took the time to write and prove to you that they can write and communicate well. Anyone could have setup a generic profile. As you review a great profile and personalized application, you can see the desire and feel the passion, assuring you that the athlete is ready for your support. 4. You’re not part of a mass-sending campaign by some athlete looking for someone, anyone to give up some FREE STUFF. They want your support and your products! What happens when you receive impersonal junk mail at your house addressed to “boxholder?” It goes right in the garbage, right? Team managers do the same thing. Those inquires go on the list of, “to get to, if we have any spots left after the good ones” -not the list you want to be on. It takes time, but personalize the application for each sponsor. Your profile and application are the first introductions to a potential sponsor. Be sure to make it a professional introduction because, ultimately, sponsorship is a business.
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In motocross (and in most other sports. Nascar, F1, Football, Baseball, etc.), your number is your name, it's your identification and an association with your name and your riding. It is a very important part of a riders ability to promote themselves as they make the rise from local to regional to national and hopefully to professional status.
Your number is how people recognize a rider on the track and how they associate their name off the track. Look at James Stewart and Travis Pastrana; two of the strongest names in motocross. They have had the same numbers since they started and are now two of the most sought after names in racing with the most recognizeable numbers associated with them.
Most riders are good about keeping the same number throughout their 'career', (usually because of their close tie to it - birthday, lucky number, etc.), but many riders switch up often, not thinking about the association that other people (sponsors, industry, fans) have with their name. The importance of having a recognizable number throughout a riding career is important in getting to the next level and getting recognition. It is the riders brand, a way for a potential sponsor to pick you out of a lineup. It is just one part of a successful race program that any rider aspiring to be a pro needs to think about. Number Tips 1. Pick a Good One and Get it out there. Choose a number that you know you'll have for a long time. Put it everywhere. Get stickers made. Your number is your brand. 2. Don't Let It Slip Away. Don't let another rider snag your number because you were lazy. Get organized and get your number early, for your district or for Regional and National races. 3. Change it up. If you want to reinvent yourself as a rider, then go ahead and get a new number. It's not the end of the world and could give you a second coming after injury or a tough season.
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Circa 2007 when we talked to Shaun about his program and still today, the Honda of Houston Racing program remains one of the most professional and powerful in the industry. Here's what Shaun had to say about sponsorship...
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Tell us about the Honda of Houston program, how your team works as well as the rest of your amateur program.
With our Honda of Houston team, we do a majority of American Honda’s amateur support. We have riders all the ways from the 85s all the way up to the A/Pro-Sport classes. We don’t really support any riders at the pro level. We only support amateurs. We like to think that we are the stepping stone to the pros for American Honda.
How do be become a part of your program?
I’m out there watching every race, so I pretty much hand select every rider or review every resume that crosses my desk…or computer when I’m reviewing profiles right here. We have support programs available all the way from the 10% discount to full rides. I do depend on resumes to come to me and I look at everything.
Of course. We run a nationwide program although it sometimes doesn’t do our dealership in Houston well because we don’t have as many local riders as we would like to support. We do have a nationwide program so we’re looking for national results. How has the Internet changed the way you manage your program?
It made it quite a bit easier, although I don’t capitalize on it nearly as much as I should. I am making a vow to do it more this year because I have a little more help in the office so I can focus on it a bit more. With that being said, I should be able to streamline it a bit more. What types of information do you look for when reviewing rider sponsorship applications?
In this world you’re only as good as your last moto. For me, results are going to be number 1 on my list. If you know me, you’ll see that I watch every single race so I see everything that happens on and off the track, so I always know who’s riding strong and representing themselves well. Other than results, what types of qualities do you look for in the riders you sponsor?
Outside of the racing world, I want to make sure we pick people that gel with the rest of our team. You’ll always see my riders sitting together and talking about lines and racing after the motos. That’s exactly what I’m looking for. I want our guys to work together and make sure they are sharing information that helps each other so we can grow as a team. Who are some of your top riders?
All of my guys are really important to my program. Guys like Trent Pugmire, Jase Lewis, Brandon Mays, and Randy Debartolus are just a couple of the guys who have been with us for a while. I always hate to name names because I don’t want to leave anyone out. We have 12 riders who race out of the rig at all the big nationals and they are all at the top of my list. What expectations do you have of your riders and what do they do for Honda of Houston?
I want them to be at 80% of the amateur nationals. Beyond that I want them to be strong representatives of Honda of Houston and American Honda. I tell my guys all the time that a happy rider is a fast rider. I’m looking for guys that smile, riders that carry themselves in a proper way and don’t create any disruptions anywhere they go and then, finally, I’m looking for results. What advice do you have for up and coming riders who are new to sponsorship or hoping to land a ride with Honda of Houston?
I have always said that sponsorship is like a job. You need to work for anyone who is helping you. Whether you’re getting a slight discount or getting 10 free bikes, either way somebody is paying for you to get that support. You need to look at it that way and make sure that you appreciate it. Even a small deal is coming out of some ones pocket.
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We did this interview way back in 2007 but it offers some great suggestions for obtaining the sponsorships you're looking for...
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Ziggy, you have an interesting program because you have a leading suspension services company as well as a top factory team. How does your program work?
We have a variety of sponsorship levels available. We have our programs available through Factory Connection, which is our suspension services company and also owns the SoBe/Samsung/Honda team. On the amateur side, we have everything from small starter level programs on our suspension program to seats on our racing team, which is how riders like Josh Grant ultimately transitioned into the professional ranks.
When do you accept rider applications?
Typically we’ll start accepting applications right after Loretta’s and we cut it off at the end of November. This way we can make sure that everybody receives a response in the month of December before everyone goes into the following year. Being based on of New Hampshire, do you look for riders all over the country?
Yes, our program is nationwide. Our main corporate office is in New Hampshire, we have a company owned facility in Corona, California and we also have a Canada facility in Quebec, Canada so we cover all of North America. How many riders do you support now and what’s the best way for riders to transition through your program?
When you consider all the levels of support we offer, the number of riders we support is in the thousands. Certain things we look at include key events like Loretta’s where you’ll find absolute heroes like Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia, and the Trey Canards’ of the world. We really like to work with riders like that because they help us promote the services we provide and put a huge stamp of credibility on our service. Another very important thing we look at is geographically where someone is located. If it’s an area of the country we don’t have a lot of penetration in, we’ll look at a rider who may not be the dominant rider in that particular region, but presents himself well, is popular and has parents who get out and talk to a lot of people. Riders that have qualities like this are people that we’re aggressive in supporting because they help us promote our services in their area. How has the Internet changed the way you manage and find riders to sponsor?
The Internet has helped us tremendously, especially with the program we put together here. It’s a much cleaner and easier way to take care of business because it’s sped up the entire process for us to communicate with riders, while making it easier to manage. Assuming you don’t know a rider from one of the big races, what information do you like to see them present?
Results are always something we look at very closely because there are certain guys we look at and can get an idea of how they perform based on results and the races they attend. Geography also comes into play, because we know where we’re strong and we know what areas we want to be stronger in, so we pay attention to addresses. We also like to see any type of coverage a rider has received because we’ll do research on our own if we’re really serious about someone -help us make it easier by providing it upfront. What types of qualities do you look for in the people you sponsor?
Again, I really like what you see in the guys like Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, and Eli Tomac, but it really comes down to seeing people who are just vocal, friendly, and like to talk to other people because it goes a really long way. There are kids who are riders who are dominant on the race track, but will go back to the pits and stay very secluded and don’t do a lot to promote their sponsors products or service because they’re hiding in their motor home all day. We want riders who are out talking with people all the time talking about our service. Who are some of your top riders, both from the amateur program all the way to the SoBe/Samsung/Honda team?
On the pro side, we have Kevin Windham, Josh Grant, Billy Laninovich, Jake Weimer and Ryan Sipes. Starting at Millville, Trey Canard will step up to be part of our program. On the amateur side, Ashley Fiolek and Jessica Patterson are our top woman riders that we work with. On the smaller bikes like the 65/85/Supermini classes, we have Cooper Webb, Tyler McSwain, Justin Starling, Brandon Mays, Eli Tomac, James Justice, Justin Barcia and so many talented riders so I apologize if I left anyone out. On the big bikes, we have Trey Canard, Vince Freese, Mike Picone, and Jase Lewis. Listening to you run down that list, I see a lot of East coast riders. Do you have a preference to helping out those riders?
These riders are always top of mind for me because I spend most of my time out here at the main office. But we have a great arsenal of riders out on the west coast as well. What was it with Trey Canard that caught your eye?
Loretta’s is the biggest event of the year, hands down. The guys that show up and bring their A game are probably the real deal. There are a number of great riders out there, but sometimes they get nervous or don’t ride to their full potential. If they can do it at Loretta’s, there is a good chance they can also bring it to the line in Anaheim. Trey is one of those guys and there are definitely others who bring their A game to Loretta’s. That was #1 for us and he also is calm, cool, and collected on the motorcycle. He doesn’t get flustered. He’s all business. If you look at the lap times from Loretta’s in 2006, Trey had the best lap times in the B class, as did Austin Stroupe for that matter. They had better times than Josh Hill who was running the A class. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist. You just have to pay attention. What expectations do you have of the riders you sponsor?
Primarily we want our riders to be professional in their appearance and running decals in the locations they are supposed to. For us, it’s on the forks, shocks, chest protector and helmet. We really want our riders to have a clean image and positive attitude in everything they do because we want to be associated with good people. What do you think is important for riders to understand about sponsorship?
That’s a difficult question because I feel like motocross is so different than other forms of racing. I’ve found that motocross riders tend to want the world handed to them right away and I’ve seen that loyalty is sometimes questionable in this sport. We always go above and beyond to take care of the riders who are loyal to Factory Connection. It’s not always just about results. We try and build relationships with our riders and that’s what we do when we attend all these races. We want riders and families to know that we have programs available to support riders all the way from 50s into the professional ranks. I don’t think that type of support is something that many of our competitors can provide. How did the Factory Connection / MTF (Millsaps Training Facility) relationship come together?
The relationship with MTF started in 2004 when Chad Charboneau brought the opportunity to the table. His father is a silent partner of the facility and we’re very close with Chad since we supported him through his racing while he was an amateur. He talked me into going down there in 2004 after the Atlanta supercross to do a little testing. I went down there and was completely blown away, not only by the facility, but also the group of good and talented riders that were there. It’s a great opportunity for us to go and test with these up-and-coming kids who can benefit from the one-on-one testing that they typically don’t receive as amateurs. Since we’re in the Northeast we get limited time to test in the off-season so we setup a small shop so I can fly in without having to bring tools and equipment. This way we can test when the weather isn’t conducive at home. It’s just a great thing for everyone all the way around and we’ve really enjoyed that relationship.
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Digging through some of our archives, we found this gem... an interview with Travis Patrana circa 2001/2002. Read what TP had to say about sponsorship, promotion and PR back in the day...
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Q: What do you think the definition of sponsorship is?
Travis Pastrana: I feel sponsorship is someone that supports you because they believe you are going to be an asset to their company. If someone is sponsoring you it’s not because they like, although it’s good to think that they do (laughs), they’re sponsoring you because they believe you have something to offer them. If you present yourself well and do well even at your local races, that’s typically what sponsors look for.
Q: Thinking back to when you were an amateur, what was the most difficult part of getting sponsored?
Travis Pastrana: I think the most difficult part is actually getting sponsors to look at you. My biggest thing was that I had to travel. As a motocrosser, there is pretty much four major amateur nationals a year. If you don’t go and participate in those events or do well while there, sponsors aren’t going to look at you. They might give you a 10% discount or dealer cost, which is great that they even do that. Unless they see you with their own eyes like if you are in a magazine and won a national championship, they are not going to be as “giving” with their sponsorship.
Q: Who works on all your sponsorship deals now? Do you hook up all of your deals, or do you have an agent?
Travis Pastrana: My parents have always been really good when dealing with sponsorships. At this point right now, I pretty much have everyone that I need and if I need something else I can talk to one of the sponsors that I have and they usually help me get my foot in the door. When I signed on with American Suzuki for instance, I got team sponsors like Motul and a few others automatically. So some of the bigger corporate sponsors come with other sponsors.
Q: When do you begin thinking about sponsorship for the upcoming season?
Travis Pastrana: It’s never too early to start thinking about sponsorship. There is no way a professional racer could make it without some kind of sponsorship to help them. It’s just not financially feasible. The biggest thing is that you have to go to the major races and sometimes you have to put out a little bit more money to get a sponsor to recognize you.
Q: Do you still have a resume?
Travis Pastrana: Oh yeah. I still have resume for sponsors that I try to get. Right now, Kicker Stereo System picked me up a couple years ago who is obviously not in the sport of motocross. MasterCraft Boats and Specialized Bicycles; I had to try and convince them that giving me a boat or a bicycle was going to be worth their trouble that it would actually pay off for them.
Q: How often do you keep in contact with your sponsors and what type of relationship do you have with them?
Travis Pastrana: Quarterly at the minimum. Four times a year is the absolute minimum that you should keep in contact. You don’t want to be calling them everyday or bug em, because they’ll probably drop you for sure that way (laughs), but every time your doing a race or going some where you should definitely send them a letter like a hand written letter. A form letter is best to send for a majority of sponsors, but once you have a sponsor make sure you establish your contact and that he/she knows who you are. If they don’t know who you are, they will be less inclined to keep you the next year.
Q: Besides putting stickers on your bike, what else do you do to further promote and endorse your sponsors?
Travis Pastrana: Well, Suzuki has had me go to a Public Relations class every year since I was 8 years old. Every year we would go and basically, they would educate us on what to say. Don’t lie, but if the bike was running well, make sure you say, “my Michelin tires and Suzuki really got me off that starting line really great” when you’re being interviewed anytime on television or over the air. If your sponsors are sponsoring that event, say “I’d really like to thank Suzuki because they are doing a really good job of helping the sport grow.”
Q: Wow, you’ve been going to a Public Relations class since you were 8 years old?
Travis Pastrana: Yeah, every year from 8 until now. They actually hire a PR agency who comes in to Suzuki and coaches team managers, riders and everybody.
Q: What a typical process that you would go through to obtain sponsorship?
TP: Well, it really depends on what you are trying to achieve or accomplish. For motocross, the amateur national championship at Loretta Lynn’s or in general, August is about the time that sponsors are going to be looking to expand or start putting together next year’s program. You want to have a resume that is in (to sponsors) by the end of August or at the very latest, September. By November they are already pretty much full for the new year. So make sure you get your resume in early and if you have the chance, go to Loretta Lynn’s. If you do well at Loretta’s, you’re almost guaranteed that you’ll be looked at or watched and you’ll have a chance to prove yourself.
Q: What advice would you give to a young up and comer looking to get sponsored for the first time or make it to the factory level?
TP: It’s really hard; I think the biggest thing is going to be results. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to. It’s how you are finishing and whether you are traveling, so definitely work hard and ride a lot, but some of the other things they look for is education. If you’re a ‘D’ student, they are not going to be as inclined to pick you up as much as they would if you’re an Honor Roll student. I also think if your parents, I know it’s tough, but if your parents aren’t supportive and are never with you at the track, that’s something sponsors look at too if you do get along well with your parents.
Q: People recognize how strongly you communicate with your sponsors. What is the most important thing for a rider to learn about the sponsor-rider relationship in order for them to obtain and keep the best sponsorship packages possible?
TP: I think it’s good to keep it on a business standpoint for the most part. If you can get to know your sponsors…the people who are going to be handing you stuff like bikes, products, discounts or whatever it may be, if you get to know them they are going to be more inclined to help you out than if you simply send them a quarterly message that is sent (generically) to all your sponsors. I think that’s the biggest thing…after you already have a sponsor is when you get to this point.
Q: Now’s the time, if you’d like, to give a shout out to everyone who has helped you along the way?
TP: I definitely have a lot of sponsors I’d like to thank. I used to memorize them alphabetically as an amateur, but right now I can’t go through that list because a lot of the sponsors that had helped me out got switched when I turned Pro. I really want to thank American Suzuki, No Fear, Spy Goggles, Michelin Tires, Pro Art Works, which is a local helmet painting company whose always been there for me painting my helmets, Specialized Bicycles, Kicker Stereo Systems, Shoei Helmets, RG3 Suspension, Alpinestar Boots, and MasterCraft Boats are the real major ones.
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Truth is, the perfect profile is different for everyone - your profile should reflect your personality and showcase your talent, but remain somewhat professional (that is if you're looking for sponsorship).
Here's the quick 101 on how to create the best profile for you:
Formatting:
It's really up to you how you how you want to format it, but keep it clean and well organized. You can pick from 15 different designs or pick color schemes and add your own background image. Just go to Profile > Choose Theme.
Current:
Make sure it's current. If you have old photos/vids make sure you label them so the brands can see your progression.
Photos:
You can share a specific gallery with each sponsorship application. But, make sure the photos you put on your profile homepage are what a brand would want representing them
Videos:
If a picture tells a thousand words, a video tells a real story. It might be a little more work but it will pay off if you can organize a compilation video of you doing your thing and get some face time so people can see your personality.
Results:
If you compete, there is no better way to show your skills than to post results. Many sponsors look to results as one of their main indicators for skill and what level to sponsor an athlete at - make sure your results are up to date.
Bio:
Tell people about yourself. Some brands might want "too cool for school", some might want "down to earth", it's hard to fake it so keep it real. Dedication to the sport usually means longevity as a sponsorable athlete.
TIP: Go to your profile and click on 'Add Content' - you'll see several modules for creating a Bio info to your profile - The Personal, Self Interview, Favorites and Competition Q&A modules can all be used to show your personality through your profile.
Unique:
You may be competing against a bunch of other athletes for the same deal. What's gonna set you apart? Why should they choose you?
Promote your Sponsors:
If you compete and are looking for sponsors, show the world who supports you. Post updates about your sponsors products, riding sessions, and always be promoting who helps you out.
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For examples of good profiles, check out some of the featured athletes. | 
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Have any tips that have worked for you in creating your perfect profile? Add it as a comment below...
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What is sponsorship? OR What does it mean to be sponsored?Sponsorship means different things to different people and also means different things in different industries. Our network acts as a venue to connect athletes with brands that are offering sponsorship. The brands determine what type of sponsorship and what level of sponsorship they are willing to offer. (Discounts, flow product, money, etc.) What you get, and what you are responsible for in return, should be clearly defined in the sponsorship offer and contract process prior to you entering into a sponsorship agreement. What do you get for being sponsored?Each sponsorship deal is determined by the brand offering the sponsorship and your marketability as an athlete, which can be evaluated from everything based on talent, results and exposure. The terms of the deals and the requirements will be stated in the sponsorship offer from the brand. Sponsorship can range from discounts to flowed product, travel fees, money etc. For most up and coming athletes, brands will provide a range of discounts on products in order to get you involved with their program and follow your progress as you pursue your career. In other words, if you’re at the top of your game and you want Bentley’s and a new crib…go hire an agent. But if you’re on the rise and looking to get some hook ups and build relationships with brands and team managers in the industry…you’re in the right spot. How do I get sponsored?The basics... 1) Determine if you’re sponsorable. How marketable are you and why would a brand want you repping their products? - Got a lot of friends? - Talent or skills? - Huge fan of their brand or product? 2) Get noticed. Create a clean profile with all your accomplishments and highlight your skills and your personality. This is most effectively done by adding a lot of photos and videos, competition results and customize your profile to represent your personality. 3) Be Active. Make friends, connect with brands, network with people and get your name out there. Use the tools on the network and get involved in the online community. What do I need to do to get more sponsorship applications after I used all of them?With a free athlete account you get 15 free sponsorship applications. To get more applications you can upgrade to a Premium Athlete account for $39.95 a year. Premium membership gets you:Unlimited Sponsorship Applications Unlimited Video/Photo uploads Prominent Placement on the Network 1 year subscription to the Transworld magazine of your choice. What are brands/ companies looking for in an athlete that applies for sponsorship?Every brand looks for something different in their athletes - skills, personality, sponsors you currently have or have had in the past, where you're competing... there are a ton of reasons why a brand might want to sponsor you and unfortunately there is no special formula. We thought the best way to answer this question was to get it straight from the brands - check out the responses when we asked them 'What do you look for in an athlete?' - Click Here to read the article What are the benefits of upgrading to a premium package, how much does it cost?
Premium memberships are $39.95 a year. With a premium membership you get:Unlimited Sponsorship Applications Unlimited Video/Photo uploads Prominent Placement on the Network 1 year subscription to the Transworld magazine of your choice. How long does it take for a company to respond to my application?Every company is different - to give you a better idea of response times, we asked the companies - check out the interview answers > Why won’t companies respond to my application?If you’ve followed the checklist and done everything you can to get noticed. The best advice we can give is be persistent. Use the messaging tools to get the brands attention. Some of the brands on the network are huge and have a staff that handles their sponsorship programs. Some are one or two people operations and do it all themselves. In some cases, brands receive hundreds or thousands of applications so standing out is important and being patient as they work through the process. Getting sponsored can be like getting a job. You got to be patient, persistent and creative. How do I get sponsored by a company that's not on the network?Just because a brand doesn't have a profile on the network doesn't mean you can't get sponsored using our tools. In fact, that's how this network started. We wanted to create a place for athletes to have an online profile or more commonly known as a resume. You can still do this. Create a profile on the network and then send a company an email with a link to your profile. It's all in one place and way cleaner than sending a bunch of pics/vids and a bunch of blah blah blah. The companies will be able to see your profile, who you're currently sponsored by and how many people they will have visibility to based on your friend count...all very helpful things even if they don't have an account on the network. |
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Company Name: Christopher Bean Coffee Visit their Profile >
Athlete Support Manager: Chris Brown
Accepting Sponsorship: All Year
Sports: All
--------------------------- Tell us about your sponsorship program:
We offer extremely high quality products at very reasonable price in grocery stores across the United States; it all boils down to making people aware. As a small company we struggle to do that because we don’t have big advertising dollars like our competitors. Our goal is to do this thru athletes, athletes like you that are passionate about what they do.
Is there anything unique about your program? Why would someone want to be a part of it?
Christopher Bean Coffee Company is an edgy and socially conscious company that produces the absolute finest all natural and organic products for those living active healthy lifestyles.
Christopher Bean offers our sponsored team athletes with the following: I think we operate a little different than some other companies in that we don’t just offer discounts on product we actually send each sponsored athlete a kit. Depending on the level of sponsorship these kits can include: Free Product, Team Clothing, VIP Vouchers and Cash. Additionally an athlete is offered incentives to get published interviews, photo shots, and podiums. More details are in the contract.
In addition we have a full line of custom graphic kits. Our graphic kits cover a wide array of gear from full Motocross graphics, helmets, cycling, skate, snowboard, wakeboard, helmet and just about everything that can help the athlete represent. In addition to graphics we offer many types of team clothing for competitors. All of this is available to the sponsored athlete at three levels of sponsorship, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
What do you look for in a sponsored athlete or team?
Passion is number one. Obviously results get the most publicity and are important, but it’s not always the person in first that can represent our brand the best. We look for a mix of both. Age can be important from a coffee consumption standpoint. However, the younger guys and gals who haven’t come to appreciate a great cup of joe can always use their sponsorship to reward family, friends and supporters. We encourage anyone who gets onboard to use all of the resources we offer; discounts on clothing, Vip Vouchers, Free product, decals and graphic kits.
What is the most important information for someone to include in their application?
We really want to know if the candidate is a coffee lover and to what degree. Some candidates are passive about coffee and some can’t live without it. It does not hinder weather the candidate gets offered some level of sponsorship, it just lets us know if this athlete would be using our product or just endorsing it.
What is the most important thing for people to understand about sponsorship?
It's a two way street, you are being supported because of your passion and talent but ultimately you are being sponsored to help your sponsor sell more product. Companies sponsor athletes to get publicity for their products. The athletes who get the most publicity get the most to ride, wear, drink or endorse products. The most effective way for an athlete to get publicity, and thus money, is to win. If you can’t represent then your not it! If you do not appreciate what your sponsor offers, then you don’t get it. We all can't be Tiger Woods or Bubba Stewart, so realize who you are and keep it real, appreciate what is being offered to you. It’s all about exposure!
How often do you respond to applications?
We review applications, everyday, all the time, as much as we can. Our typical response time is two weeks. Sometimes it takes longer due to volume of applications, team manager schedule and what events the staff is attending. With so many people sponsored we spend a great deal of time on the road promoting events and supporting athletes. Be patient, we see your application, we will respond.
Has the internet changed the way you manage your sponsorship program or your sponsored athletes? If so, how?
The internet combined with this network have been the most efficient way to manage sponsorship. We really want to utilize the internet exclusively, but some are so determined they call, call, call, leave messages, and email every department in our company. This does not get anymore attention than the simple application. Any other form of communication is discouraged and only confuses staff and delays progress.
Tell us about your newest or most exciting product for this / next year:
The Team Moto graphics kits have been the latest rage at the Bean Factory. It has taken a ton of time and energy to source the correct materials, templates and design to come out with the first ever Christopher Bean Coffee MX Graphic Kit. We offer full bike graphic kits to team riders and for sale at www.beanmx.com.
On a coffee note we have recently launched our new website that offers state of the art shopping and check out system. It actually remembers our team athletes so every time they are on the site it will apply whatever rewards they have been granted in their contract. In addition to all of the team deals, anyone who shops on out site gets one Bean Buck for every ten dollars spent, so after just a few coffee purchases you are accumulating valuable Bean Bucs to use for future purchases. Remember your Team Rewards apply to everything on our site!
Learn More about Christopher Bean Coffee or apply for sponsorship at their Profile >
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Here's a quick 411 on what companies are looking for in your sponsorship applications.
1. Photos - make sure you have a ton of action shots and personality shots. Sponsors don't need to see pics of your dog or your house... stick to the pics that will help them make a decision.
2. Complete Profile - use the 'Interview' modules to show a company your personality and give them an idea of whether you'd be a good representative of their brand.
3. Interesting Updates - use the blog tool to post frequent updates so sponsors can see what you've been up to. You don't have to write a book for each post, just something interesting. Some good things to post about: sessions, contests, new gear, new sponsors, new goals... anything that will show a sponsor what's going on with you.
4. Complete Application - every company has a set of custom questions they want to ask you. Answer those questions to the best of your ability with proper spelling and grammar!
When you're done applying for sponsorship, check out the new Promote Yourself section to get more exposure for you and your sponsors.
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