Winning Sponsorship: Do Your Homework
Whether you’re a local Sunday League side looking for a new kit sponsor or a semi-pro club trying to level up your commercial game, we’ve all been there. You spend hours mocking up a shiny PDF, attach it to an email, and fire it off to every business in the local area.
Then… crickets. Nothing but digital tumbleweeds.
The truth? Most sponsorship proposals are, frankly, a bit rubbish. They’re usually all about “us, us, us”—the club’s history, the trophy cabinet, the badge. But if you want a brand to actually open their wallet, you need to stop talking about your club and start talking about their business.
Before you even think about hitting ‘send’, you need to do your homework. Here’s how to prep like a pro so you don’t get subbed off before the game even starts.
1. Scout Their Website
Don’t just look at the logo. Dive into their site. If they sell through shops or dealers (like a car brand or a drinks company), their main goal is almost always “increasing retail support.”
Look for their “About Us” or “Community” pages. Are they trying to look posh and high-end, or are they “one of the lads”? Do they have specific sponsorship guidelines? If they do, follow them to the letter. Check their recent press releases too, if they’ve just launched a new product, that’s your “in.”
2. Check the Socials
Social media is where a brand’s true personality comes out. Are they funny and self-deprecating like Ryanair or Paddy Power? Or are they corporate and serious?
When they talk about football or sports, do they sound like a genuine fan, or are they just ticking a box? Knowing their “voice” helps you tailor your pitch so it doesn’t sound like a generic template.
3. Track Their Recent Form
Get on Google. Search for the brand name alongside “advertising” or “marketing campaign.” You might find a TV ad or a billboard campaign they’ve run recently.
Ask yourself: who are they talking to? If they’re targeting “busy mums on the go,” and your club has a massive youth setup with hundreds of parents on the sidelines every weekend, you’ve found your winning tactic.
4. Spy on the Competition
What are other brands in the same industry doing? If you’re talking to a local estate agent, see what the big national ones like Savills or Purplebricks are doing with their sponsorships.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel; you just need to show the sponsor that you understand their industry. If you can say, “I saw how Brand X used a kit deal to drive 20% more valuations, and we can do something similar for you,” you’ll look like a tactical genius.
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