Grassroots football teams are often founded on mutual love for the game; however, once a team starts playing on a regular basis there becomes the need for a \u2018proper\u2019 team kit, which unfortunately cannot be funded on enthusiasm alone.<\/p>
This is where it becomes essential for clubs to secure a sponsorship deal to fund team kits. However, attracting sponsorship can be one of the biggest headaches that club managers face, as highlighted in\u00a0our recent video interview<\/u><\/a>\u00a0with the chairman and manager of amateur club Southey Wolves.<\/p> With this in mind, we decided to find out exactly what would motivate a company to sponsor a grassroots team, and interestingly, the prime motivation was community rather than profit.<\/p> Read on to discover:<\/p> Why local businesses would choose to sponsor grassroots football<\/u><\/a><\/p><\/li> The importance of getting behind your local team \u2013 the sponsor\u2019s story<\/u><\/a><\/p><\/li> How to secure sponsorship for your grassroots team<\/u><\/a><\/p> The personal approach<\/u><\/a><\/p><\/li> The tactical approach<\/u><\/a><\/p><\/li><\/ul><\/li> What a team should expect from a sponsor<\/u><\/a><\/p><\/li><\/ul> <\/p> To reveal more about what motivates companies to get behind grassroots football, we carried out a survey amongst 504 small businesses, here are the results:<\/p> <\/p> Investing in the community is the key motivator for local businesses.<\/p> Those with children were more likely to invest in their team.<\/p> Company logos on shirts will advertise the sponsor\u2019s business week after week.<\/p> Awareness is also a key area, simply being asked ranked highly in the survey.<\/p> Thriving companies are in a perfect position to put something back into the community.<\/p> Sponsors should expect to pay \u00a3500 to cover the cost of a full team kit for two years.<\/p> Toby Vernon<\/p> <\/p> CPP is entering into the fourth season of sponsorship for the team.<\/p> Partner at CPP<\/strong><\/p> Sponsor of Ecclesall Rangers U11s<\/strong><\/p> To gain further insight into the subject, we spoke to Toby Vernon, partner at\u00a0CPP<\/u><\/a>\u00a0which has sponsored one of the Ecclesall Rangers\u2019 teams for the past four seasons.<\/p> The inclusive team ethos and community spirit plays a huge part in CPP\u2019s continued support of Ecclesall Rangers. The team is very close to Toby\u2019s heart, so much so that he is one of the team\u2019s coaches and his son Henry plays for the Under 11s.<\/p> \u201cI have always admired the spirit and way Ecclesall Rangers is run. Club founder and Chairman, Martin Windle, is a huge advocate of inclusiveness for all abilities, fun and enjoyment and this is the backbone of the club.\u201d<\/em><\/p> When asked how rewarding he found sponsoring the team Toby, went on to say:<\/p> \u201cVery rewarding. Grassroots football brings huge benefits to children in many ways and I\u2019m proud to be able to lend some financial support to ensure the team have the kits and training gear they need. CPP don\u2019t sponsor the team for any financial benefit but do it to support grassroots football.\u201d<\/em><\/p> In terms of benefits for his company:<\/p> \u201cMatch day kits and training gear display company logos and CPP has also received some press coverage over the years, particularly when our team won the Fair Play Trophy. But, for me, the main driver has never been based on any financial benefit and I suspect this goes for most businesses that sponsor grass roots football. I am driven by wanting to support youth football and the benefits this brings to local communities. My advice, therefore, is use grassroots sponsorship as a way to support a good cause, not as a means of financial reward.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p> From a team\u2019s point of view, it is great news that community values are often enough to secure that all-important sponsorship. Knowing who to approach, however, can be a whole different challenge. Here we speak to grassroots managers\u00a0Darren Large of Tinsley FC<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Richard Askham of Ecclesall Rangers<\/em>\u00a0who, due to the nature of their clubs, have taken very different approaches to getting local businesses to sign on the dotted line\u2026<\/p> Darren Large<\/p> <\/p> Darren began managing in 2015\/16 and has since taken on the additional role of Club Secretary.<\/p> Club Secretary & Manager<\/strong><\/p> Tinsley FC U10s<\/strong><\/p> Sponsors: PC Civils, BOSCH, Right Mix Concrete and HE Barnes Electrical<\/p> Richard Askham<\/p> <\/p> Richard is preparing for his 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0season as manager.<\/p> Manager<\/strong><\/p> Ecclesall Rangers U9s Blues<\/strong><\/p> Sponsors:\u00a0 The Play Arena.<\/p> Darren began by taking the local approach when securing sponsorship for\u00a0Tinsley FC:<\/p> \u201cInitially we had club sponsorship from BOC, which is based across the road from our home ground and the founder of the club worked there. Despite some initial interest from some local companies, we were never actually able to \u201cseal the deal\u201d.\u00a0It has to be said that this wasn\u2019t very successful given the demographic of the area.\u00a0I honestly believe this was because no-one even knew there was a football team in Tinsley.\u201d<\/em><\/p> Realising that local businesses were reluctant to take the plunge with a relatively unknown new team, Darren decided to bring his sales pitch closer to home, namely to the players\u2019 families.<\/p> \u201cThankfully, we are fortunate to have a fantastic parent group at the Club who have managed to secure sponsorship with their own network of contacts, and a number of whom are self-employed, which helps!\u201d<\/em><\/p> As Darren\u2019s experience highlights,\u00a0personal interest is clearly a driving factor in why companies invest in local teams<\/em>. This was reflected in our survey, with almost a quarter of respondents agreeing that they would sponsor their child\u2019s team. Again, highlighting the importance of investing in the local community.<\/p> Securing sponsorship for a team in a well-established club in a more family-orientated area presented an equal amount of obstacles for\u00a0Richard<\/u><\/a>. On the plus side, the club\u2019s size and reputation will naturally attract local businesses within the community; however, there is a high chance that all of\u00a0Ecclesall Rangers\u2019 16 teams<\/u><\/a>\u00a0(not to mention the array of clubs from nearby schools) are all likely to be approaching the same local businesses.<\/p> Aside from talking to local business owners, Richard took the tactical approach and decided to\u00a0appeal to companies that might benefit from the demographic<\/em>.<\/p> The Play Arena was an inspired choice of sponsor for the team, enabling the soft play center to get its name directly in front of its key target market week in week out.<\/p> Richard\u2019s approach ties in with the response we received from 20% of small businesses: brand exposure. By investing in their core customer base, The Play Arena is not only keeping the brand front of mind with both players, parents and siblings, it is also investing back into the community that keeps the company in business.<\/p> <\/p> Once a team have finally secured a sponsor there is then the question of \u201cwhat do we ask for?\u201d We asked Richard how he pitched the financial side of the agreement:<\/p> \u201cI asked for \u00a3500 to cover the cost of a full kit for the team. I offered two years\u2019 exposure as the kids will obviously grow out of the kit; however, the kits are likely to get handed down. This will ensure weekly exposure of the company brand around the local community from the shirt logo alone, plus potential PR opportunities.\u201d<\/em><\/p> With so much press coverage about the astronomical sums of money changing hands on the international football scene, it is encouraging to see that when it comes to amateur football, the game is still very much rooted in the local community.<\/p>","urlTitle":"sponsoring-grassroots-football","url":"\/blog\/sponsoring-grassroots-football\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/sponsoring-grassroots-football\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/kitlocker.com\/blog\/sponsoring-grassroots-football\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":false,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1743007627,"updatedAt":1743007820,"publishedAt":1743007820,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":356097,"name":"Kitlocker"},"tags":[{"id":3901,"code":"football","name":"Football","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/football\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tqcd4tn7sd13njvufgwdtjo0vigljfatpyccbj6q30ra39so.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tqcd4tn7sd13njvufgwdtjo0vigljfatpyccbj6q30ra39so.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tqcd4tn7sd13njvufgwdtjo0vigljfatpyccbj6q30ra39so.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Why You Should Be Sponsoring Grassroots Football","metaDescription":"Sponsorship is becoming increasingly important for a club's survival. Find out why businesses chose to support amateur football teams & how to get a share.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":46965,"title":"How To Wash Football Shirts","url":"\/blog\/how-to-wash-football-shirts\/","urlTitle":"how-to-wash-football-shirts","division":356097,"description":"We tell you how to wash football shirts in order to keep both the shirt and the printing in good condition. Trust us, we know football shirts!","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/en0io6diwxwaqem6uqqklzju0dmoiems8a2pdj63v23od8rg.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/en0io6diwxwaqem6uqqklzju0dmoiems8a2pdj63v23od8rg.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":47604,"title":"Why #PowerUp?","url":"\/blog\/why-powerup\/","urlTitle":"why-powerup","division":356097,"description":"The return of grassroots football is edging closer. Many of you will be thinking about your match kit options for next season.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/lpm5e5csenm6ty3c9ybtsc9q6qzxtgwggtxti6f490abipqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/lpm5e5csenm6ty3c9ybtsc9q6qzxtgwggtxti6f490abipqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":47607,"title":"Which Variation of Football is Right for You?","url":"\/blog\/which-variation-of-football-is-right-for-you\/","urlTitle":"which-variation-of-football-is-right-for-you","division":356097,"description":"Looking to get back into the beautiful game? Maybe you're completely new to football. Read our guide on the different variations and how to get involved.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/dwybizr1ufz9gtxgxkisikdnzfcellmyx6jhxpbeqnrgrevk.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/dwybizr1ufz9gtxgxkisikdnzfcellmyx6jhxpbeqnrgrevk.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}Why local businesses choose to sponsor grassroots football<\/strong><\/h2>
1. Community benefits<\/strong><\/h4>
2. Family interests<\/strong><\/h4>
3. Company branding<\/strong><\/h4>
4. Just ask!<\/strong><\/h4>
5. Financial ability<\/strong><\/h4>
The importance of getting behind your local team \u2013 the sponsor\u2019s story<\/strong><\/h2>
How to secure sponsorship for your grassroots team<\/strong><\/h2>
The \u2018Personal\u2019 Approach:<\/strong><\/h2>
The \u2018Tactical\u2019 Approach<\/strong><\/h2>
What a team should expect from a sponsor<\/strong><\/h2>
Keeping it real<\/strong><\/h2>