Think back to when you played sports growing up. What do you remember? For many people, one strong image is the jersey they wore. That jersey signified they were part of a team, a community of people coming together for a common goal.
Yet those same jerseys that have the ability to evoke cheery nostalgia also represent one of the biggest problems facing community sports organizations today: sponsorship.
Sponsorship is so crucial to the livelihood of community sports that it was addressed not once, but twice at the Ottawa Sport Council’s inaugural Sport Summit held in early November.
Think back again to the jerseys of your youth; they were likely emblazoned with the logo of a large corporation, such as Sport Chek or McDonald’s. It’s unlikely they featured the logo of the locally owned sporting goods store or the neighbourhood café. That’s because most organizers are focusing their efforts on sponsorship from large corporations and chain restaurants instead of local businesses.
When coaches, event organizers, or even players seek sponsorship from a large corporation, smaller, local businesses lose out on an opportunity to be good corporate citizens, as well as the chance to promote their brand to their target audience and to get to know the community they serve.
A Google search for “community sports sponsorship,” illustrates why organizers are encouraged to target large companies when searching for funding. The entire first page of results are links to the websites of companies such as RBC, Boston Pizza and Tim Horton’s, all of which have a page dedicated to the community sponsorship programs they offer.
With established programs in place and information about how to apply for sponsorship in plain sight, these companies make it easy for organizers to find what they’re looking for.
While it is often the responsibility of general managers or coaches to find sponsors, local businesses can also step up and take the initiative to make themselves available to those organizations looking for funding.
The City of Ottawa has dedicated a section of its website to sponsorship and advertising opportunities.
The site lists 15 city-wide sports programs and services that need sponsorship, and that’s in addition to the numerous sports teams in every neighbourhood who need new equipment, new uniforms, or a bus to take them to their next tournament.
Though it serves mainly as a jumping off point for businesses looking to dip their toe into sponsorship, it shows just how desperately the Ottawa sports community needs sponsors.
Many small businesses do not have the financial means to support a team and searching for and choosing a team to support may seem like a daunting task, but it is important to remember the benefits that come from sponsoring a community sports organization.
Apart from creating goodwill in the community, sponsoring a local team creates a positive image for a brand.
The 2004 Cone Corporate Citizenship study found that 86 per cent of Americans stated they are likely to switch from one brand to another of comparable price and quality if the brand is associated with a charitable cause.
If people in the community know the neighbourhood pizza place supports a local soccer team, they may well choose to eat there rather than a corporate chain.
Another important benefit for local businesses is the personal relationships owners and employees get to build with their community and customers.
Team members will meet the owner of the local sporting goods store when they come to deliver their new uniforms, and will think of them the next time they need a new pair of cleats.
The final, perhaps most important reason more local businesses need to become sponsors is this: when the next generation of kids looks back on their time playing community sports, and they picture their jersey, they won’t remember a McDonald’s logo; they’ll remember the people in their community who supported them right from the start.