When it comes to marketing, the name of the game is getting eyes on your brand. And local sports sponsorships are a smart way to ensure those eyes will be there, week in and week out.
Not sure if a sponsorship is right for you? We’ll walk you through the benefits and types, plus offer a few tips to help you make the most of this marketing tool.
Local sports sponsorships benefits
We all know that a sports sponsorship will get your brand seen, but what does that really mean for your organization?
Brand awareness
With hundreds and even thousands of attendees headed to high school, university, children’s and local rec-league team sports every weekend in your community, simply having a visible banner on the field can help boost brand recognition. Add in jersey sponsorships and sporting event giveaways, like stadium cups and T-shirts, and your brand will be seen countless times at games, in the community and in homes. In fact, T-shirts alone generate an average of 3,400 impressions (PDF).
With reach like that, it should come as no surprise that it’s not just mom-and-pop shops sponsoring local teams. Tim Hortons has tapped into this opportunity with its sponsorship program, which supports 360,000 young athletes each year and garners plenty of local goodwill and brand exposure.
Promoting wellness
Even if your brand is already well known in the community, sports sponsorships can have added benefits—like promoting wellness. By connecting with the community through sponsorship, you can remind people to schedule important wellness visits, get regular screenings, eat healthy or protect their skin with sunscreen.
Types of local sponsorships
While banners, arena naming rights and sporting event giveaways, such as foam footballs, are common sponsorship choices, there are other sports sponsorship options.
Team sponsorships
Sponsoring a team not only gives you access to their games, but it also creates opportunities to participate in their charitable and community events, giving you even more chances to be seen.
Broadcast sponsorships
If your team of choice appears on the radio, television or online, it may be possible to advertise during their games. Creating this association with the team allows you to reach new audiences.
Athlete sponsorships
Partnering with a popular local athlete can be a great way to capture sports fans’ attention. Having the athlete participate in your ads, wear a polo shirt at a local charity event, or pass out hand sanitizer at a local community gathering can be an impactful way to grab attention.
Sports sponsorship tips
Once you know you want to get in the game, consider how best to score a branding win. Ask these questions:
- Does the sport have good crossover with your intended audience?
- Does the team already have a similar sponsor?
- How wide is the team’s reach? And do they capture attention on social media?
- Do the team members’ values align with your brand’s values?
A multi-faceted win
Local sports sponsorships do more than just build your audience—they provide opportunities to bring better health and goodwill to your patients and the community. And that’s a goal, a home run and a hole-in-one combined.
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