Just Wondering

[Not_myself]

Hello

I basically run a league and would like to get some sponsers for this league but i do not own or run the bowling centre and there for i cant promise the potental sponser with sinage around the centre. However i have managed to get a small write up in the local paper. The only thing i can try and offer them is a mention in it.

I was wondering these couple of things:

a) is it worth trying to find sponsers
b) is up to me or the centre to find sponser and
c) any suggestions about how i can improve the league

Thanks cya

 

[daniel]

I'll just give you a few ideas on what my league does and it might help you out...

We run a weekly raffle where we have 4 sponsors. A local winery sponsors 1 x 700ml bottle per week, a local pizza house sponsors 1 x lg pizza per week and McDonalds supplies us with some "freebie" vouchers.

While we can't offer them signage, we credit them with advertising in our league newsletter (handed out to each team, each week) and on our leagues website. While its not huge exposure, it can still mean a lot to a small business.

Generally its up to you to find sponsors, not the centre. You'll get more response from local small businesses, rather than corporates, and in most cases these smalll businesses would be more likely to donate goods and services, rather than cash. So.. you can do what we do, run a weekly raffle and use the sponsored goods as prizes. Per year, we raise $1000+ for the league this way.

As for question C... what type of league do you run? Is it singles, doubles, 5 man teams? Give me some more details and I'll be happy to share some ideas.

Good luck,
Daniel

 

[patrick]

hmmmm... the raffle idea in my honest opinion doesnt work, at least not in the centres i've been associated with....

and raffle tickets feel kind of evil to me..
while you're "fundraising", you're 99% of the time just taking money out of the pockets of the bowlers because they are the people buying the tickets... people are cluey to that around here and shy away from raffle tickets.

it might/probably does work in places where you get spectators to the centres - i dont know....


basically, i'd try and talk with the owners, ask them every possiblility that you can think of to try and lure a sponsor to the bowl and see what they think about each item.. if you present them with lots of options you maximise your chances of a) them taking you seriously, and b) reaching an agreement (they might not like signage, but love newsletter's covered in sponsors etc).

also make sure to point to the fact that anything you do is going to improve their business!


just my two cents, best of luck!

 

[The Spanner]

What do you actually want a sponsor for? Are you looking for a league shirt, or just to help out with fundraising?

When we were fundraising for De Veer, we set up a game of "Strikes and Spares". All who wanted to participate threw in $2, with 33% going to the Winner of Strikes, Winner of Spares and Kitty copped the other 33%.

Spanner.

 

[Not_myself]

Thankyous for the replies, to answer your question daniel, i run a four man league we have currently got 11 teams out of the 12 possible thanks to some advertising before the start of the current season by the centre.

The season is halfway through and i want to improve next season by saying we have sponsers for awards to encourage the current teams back and if some dont come back use the sponsership to encourge new teams.

I like the idea of having a newsletter but we are a centre that doesnt hold any tournaments and we basically dont have any news, could people give some ideas as to what we can put in them if we get one up and running

One last thing, when you approach a potental sponser how do you go about it. Like what do you say to them and that. (I hope that question makes sense if not dont answer it)

 

[The Spanner]

I've attached one of our weekly newsletters. This might give you an idea of the kind of things you can put in it.