Need your opinion....

[Demenshia]

I was contacted by a local high school and asked to sponsor their football team. I haven't done anything like this before so not sure if the price is normal/fair. So I thought I'd ask for your input. They want me to sponsor them for $350, and with that comes an announcement during all football games as well as an ad on all the concession stand drinks for my business, as well as a possible in for fundraisers. Does this sound like the right price? It's a good chunk of change for me right now but may pay off with the advertising, let alone doing something good for the High School... TIA for any input

Deme

[Luci]

I've been out of the loop on the high school sponsorships since I retired, but I will inquire. Our city recreation department has sponsorships for the youth teams for $250. This buys the team shirts with the sponsor name on the back, the name on a sign on each field and concession stand. I'm not aware of any other "benefits."

[gmp]

Do you have an association with this high school? In other words, when they see your ad will they connect your name and face and family with the business, is there a familiarity there? A lot of times a school community likes to help out their own, if that makes sense.

[BLSoaps]

It sounds like it could be a great opportunity for exposure. I'm assuming you have a website that these ads would refer them to. If you had a store front, that would be even better. Not knowing the extent of your sales set up, it's hard to know.

I would negotiate for a guaranteed fundraiser though, not just the possibility of one. Then you'd KNOW you'd at least be reaping some benefit from it.

Also, regardless of whether or not anything comes of it, I would think it'd be tax deductible. The promotional opportunities are good though. Obviously the stuff they do. Also, you could have a lot of fun with promoting the team on your website as well. It could be fun to add blog updates on how the team is doing, something that changes frequently enough to work at bringing people BACK to your site often. Perhaps see if you could get a few team members involved in the blog. You could donate gift baskets to the Homecoming King/Queen & Court. Make a big deal about it, see if they'll let you present them to them on the field.

There are lots of possibilities with this, but you'll have to look for some fun ways to make it work, and then DO IT! I think it sounds like a lot of fun!

[sockmonkey]

Consider this:

How many home football games will there be?

How large is the school?

How many sponsors will there be in total? (If they get 20, that means 19 other advertisements will be competing for attention)

Who pays money for the possible opportunity to do fundraisers?

Part of the people in attendance will be from other areas or towns which may or may not be convenient to your shop (if you have one). Unless they buy a drink with your company name on it, they will have to memorize your company info--if they're interested when they hear the announcement.

Call some radio stations and newspapers, as well as mass mail coupon companies to see what $350 can get you.

You can also ask the team what would you get for $100 or even $50. Of course, if you're just being charitable there's nothing wrong with supporting the team.

[Trae]

$350 seems like alot to me, only because our little league asks that much for a 2 year sponsorship, name on the shirts and a big sign on the field. I sponsored a soccer team for the last two years at $150 and got nothing out of it except a crappy fundraiser. I'm not saying don't do it, because your area might be different from mine, but maybe find out some other people who have sponsored and ask them how it worked out for them before you shell out that kind of money. Also, ask if the football team has a program that you can advertise in. Our high school offeres ad space in the programs that are handed out at each home game. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Demenshia]

I just wanted to thank everyone You all brought up a lot of good points, some I hadn't thought of before Thanks again.

[shopkeypurr]

I've sponsored our high schools year book and with that i get an advertisement in the year book. It depended on the size of the ad as to what the fee was though. I was asked to sponsor some local baseball teams but that would mean my business name going onto the shirts and me having to pay for the uniforms. ITs called a donation but its very expensive so i didn't do it. I know a lot of businesses that will sponsor a team and in exchange the team is named after that business.

My friends who own a funeral home sponsor a little league team and its called Galzarano's. It doesn't say funeral home on there thank goodness but he told me that as sponsor of the team he pays for the uniforms. Unforms for a full team of kids can be very expensive.

[David Fields]

If you think you are going to get $350 or more in business, don't do it. If you are simply making a donation to a fund you support, go for it. We stopped donating years ago except to a select few organizations we like and support. We do not expect increased business because of our donations. We are in a mall in a major college town. We get hit up twenty or so times a week. double that in the fall from hundreds of frat and sorority groups, every PTO, little league and church group in the town and the same from around thirty smaller towns surrounding us. Everyone promises exposue and increased business. Some threaten if we don't donate. It is sad.