Hey, Can We Will Being Sponsored?

Getting sponsorship for adventure racing is not as easy as it may seem. And what you get from sponsors may be less than expected. Keeping that in mind, some teams do very well at getting sponsorship and keeping sponsorship. These are the teams that provide value to the companies they are racing for.

First of all be realistic about what you can offer a sponsor. If you are new to adventure racing and have a new team, you really have little to offer a sponsor. Sponsorship, in most cases, must be earned. How do you earn sponsorship? By finishing on the podium in races that have good exposure.

If you and your team have the ability to provide good exposure then look for companies that could benefit from the exposure you could give them. Look for companies that have the resources to sponsor a team. Look for companies that are marketing to the same people that you can get exposure to. Remember that sponsorship for a company is no more than advertising to them. Getting gear sponsorship straight from the manufacture is easier than getting cash, or gear from a retailer. This is because it gives the manufacture exposure in the competition (with little or no risk that exposure will not happen at the race level) and the cost is fairly insignificant to them.

Approach a company from their perspective and list in detail what you and your team can do for them. Give specifics if possible. List previous regional or national level athletic accomplishment. List previous exposure you or your team has received in television, magazines or newspapers. List what races you are planning on competing in and what type of exposure these races have received. List exactly what you are willing to do for the company for different levels of sponsorship. Some companies may want to be a title sponsor and some companies may be interested in being a co-sponsor.

Don’t give up if a few companies turn you down. Most teams have to approach many companies before landing a sponsor. If you are lucky enough to get sponsorship, make sure you deliver on your promises and then go the extra mile and do more.