What was the sponsorship info website that was listed on the deleted B70 thread?

Just happen to have the thread still alive on my Treo.... sponsorhouse.com was the url posted

hey I was working on a response and all of the sudden puff it was gone!

I good take away of that thread is that if you understand how sponsorships work and you have some value to offer to a company you most likely will have a good chance to get some a deal regardless of your athletic skills. It is not about what the company can give you, it is a compromise among both sides: ‘You give me this and I give you that” type of deal... With that in mind you can approach business within or outside the tri-world!

I am naive about sponsorships.  I see people with "my sponsors" listed in their blogs, and I know they are not winning their AGs, so it's interesing to me to see how it works.  I'd love to be sponsored... or kept.  Either one, really 

Maybe I missed something, but I didn't see it going downhill (that fast ....) in general.  Thought it was a decent thread?

Perhaps the OP asked for it to be deleted which is all good.  Hopefully people took some positive information from it.

Edited by Daremo 2008-05-16 12:31 PM

I know athletes from BOP to FOP old and young with sponsors   But they don't mind going to expos (which are rare), work at races (usually the day before or after the race) or promote the company's products with tri teams and other venues.

I just tell them I know Jorge and ChrisM.  That usually gets me in the door!!

Jorge is hitting the nail on the head w/ this thread and the other which was pulled, you have to approach a prospective sponsor with what YOU can offer them. Having been on each side of this equation as an athlete looking for sponsorship and a business owner receiving sponsorship inquiries, I appreciate both sides. With regards to the latter, I receive numerous sponsorship inquires each and every week and all to often, the proposals end up right in the trash. Those in my deleted items box are typically along the lines of (PS - don't let this be you):

Dear PBN,
I am looking for sponsorship and would like XYZ in product, schwag, etc.... I finished 3rd in my age group at the xyz triathlon and won my age group at the 123 triathlon. I look fwd to your support this season.
Joe Athlete

The problem w/ the above has NOTHING to do w/ their race results as it could have said they won the o'all in each race, the problem is what's in it for the sponsor? You have to articulate why a business would have an interest in supporting you. Joe Athlete may be a great opportunity for a sponsor IF he can outline what he can bring to the table, but head-lining w/ age group placings at local or regional events typically aren't going to catch the eye of a sponsor, particularly if the prospective sponsor is in the business as they will have always received athletic resumes that are world-class.

With that, I could have (2) sponsorship proposals on my desk, (1) from an athlete w/ some local age group wins and another of a world class pro and we'll often go w/ the age grouper. Why....what are each of them bringing to the table. If sponsorship was based solely on race resumes, it would be very easy, but what most athletes fail to realize (especially those new to the sport), is that race results don't always tell the whole story (i.e. The Anna Kournakova Factor).

Also, there are a lot of 'good-will' sponsorships we do for charity, which I am not referring to here, this is regarding an athlete wanting sponsorship to support their addiction (errr I mean triathlon racing season ;o)

Below is post I made in a Nov sponsorship thread which I think is really applicable here as well....

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Typically businesses extending sponsorship falls into a few pools:

1. Companies who are in some way involved in the sport (either personally and/or the business has a tie-in) and simply want to help out an athlete

2. Companies who are in some way involved in the sport (either personally and/or the business has a tie-in) and want to create more exposure for their business

3. Companies who have no connection to the sport and simply want to help out an athlete

4. Companies who have no connection to the sport and are looking to advertise.

As PBN is involved heavily in the sport (and I obviously have a heavy personal interest having been in the sport for 20+yrs), we fall into #'s 1 & 2. Whenever possible it's great to have the best of both worlds in helping an athlete AND getting more exposure for our company.

What most athletes fail to realize is that the VAST majority of sponsorship opportunities will fall under either #'s 2 or 4. Many companies are happy to support an athlete, but they would also like some sort of return on it. When Nike put out $70MILLION for Lebron James' 7-yr contract, they want to be sure that Nike swoosh is visible in every photo he's in. I'm sure the upper brass at Nike are personally very happy to have Lebron on their 'Team', but that decision was MUCH more a business decision than a personal one b/c the CEO may play basketball on the weekend. Triathletes often forget this when approaching a business.

With that, what my suggestion to you, and generally speaking to anyone looking for sponsorship, ask yourself this question:

What is the company getting out of sponsoring me as an athlete?

You should be able to answer that question before you go looking for sponsors. You're in a unique position as the sponsor has already approached you - typically it's the reverse. I can't speak for every company, but I know for us, when I am presented w/ a proposal from an athlete whom I know nothing about, I have to ask that question. Why should PBN spend $X on this athlete? Many athletes I've come to know through the years who are sponsored by PBN aren't winning any big events - they're just great ambassadors to the sport and are people that we/I love to be associated with...but since you can't measure that in a resume, you'll probably need to provide something more tangible.

Sorry for this long-winded response, but I think it will save some of you time if/when you ever need to approach a company for sponsorship. I am much more interested in the athlete who helps out, volunteers, organizes group workouts and everyone has something positive to say about them vs the athlete that wins some local events – but is a complete jacka##. Many times we get the best of both worlds and have very fast athletes who are also great people.

Anyway, just keep that in mind when selling yourself to a prospective sponsor. If you can prove to them that they should spend $1 on you because in return you can bring in $1.01 for them, you’re a wise investment that the business should want to put their advertising $$ in.

Hope that helps!

It is www.sponsorhouse.com and it is a great hub for all sponsorship seeking athletes.

blueseventy for one has a nice subsite there