1. SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Sponsorship

2. What Is Sponsorship?
A sponsor is a person, organization or business that gives money or donates products and services to another person, organization, or event in exchange for public recognition

3. Reasons For Business Sponsorship
To increase sales
To introduce a new product to a large audience
To compete where many potential customers are in one place
To earn goodwill
To be identified with an event that the target market likes
To enter new markets
To entertain clients, employees or potential customers
To enhance the company’s image

4. Why Become a Sponsor? Businesses become sponsors to:
Receive guaranteed exposure, recognition and acknowledgement
Sponsors monitor their ROI (Return on Investment) and want it to be high

5. Niche Marketing
Involves researching a target market to determine specific items or services a small group will buy
Must understand the larger target market as well as the niche market for every event they sponsor

6. Auto Racing and Sponsorship
NASCAR = #1 sport in fan loyalty and loyalty to sponsors
Sponsors put logos on drivers’ uniforms, helmet, and car
Receive extra PR when they win
One of the most sought after target markets is men 12-34

7. Less Expensive Options
Affinity Sports
Niche markets whose participants are passionate about their sports but those sports aren’t traditional
Bass fishing
Rope jumping

8. Sponsorship and Your Career
Many companies that want to advertise their products through sports hire outside consulting firms
Many companies have their own special sports marketing groups within their marketing departments

9. Sports Agents Legal representative of a celebrity
The celebrity pays the agent to manage their career including contract negotiations and endorsements
Most are attorneys or accountants
The complexity of contracts requires legal knowledge and negotiation skills
The agent is paid a percentage of earnings to protect the client’s financial resources

10. Image Is Everything
Celebrities can pay to have people look out for them professionally and personally, but ultimately they need to be responsible for their own behavior
Character development takes time, but it can make the difference between a star and a wanna-be

11. Image Is Everything
The number of crimes committed by pro sports players disturbs the general public
Arrests hurt your ability to attract sponsors
While teams, leagues and commissioners tend to overlook or forgive transgressions by highly skilled athletes, sponsors may not

12. Handlers
Sponsors are now paying handlers to work closely with athletes who are unwilling or unable to police themselves

13. Handlers
Henry Gaskins serves Allen Iverson as almost a foster parent. Gaskins (NBA) was employed to act as a full-time mentor, companion and off-court coach
Iverson’s agent, knows that preventing problems is in the best financial interest of both Iverson and Reebok