Finding sponsorship - a really serious question.

CPD

CPD

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A re-run of the Barcelona World race has already been set for 2014.

http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en

Now, this is where one has to think somewhat out of the box, given the current economic arena in which we all shuffle to find a worthwhile existence.

If you wanted to enter such an event, then what sort of thing would you be doing right now ?. I have a sailing partner in mind who I think I can get to commit. I am thinking more along the lines of the commerce and sponsorship involved. I have never looked at doing anything this big before, but as my mum used to say, aim for the stars, and you might hit the moon.

Any thoughts relating to anything related to taking on a project as big as this welcomed.
 
Not to put a dampener on your aspirations but... There are plenty of people who can sail (or reckon they can) there are a lot of those who would jump at the opportunity to have someone (sponsor) pay for their dreams.
It is just not that easy. i think everyone who has ever done this klind of thing will say that getting the funding is the biggest problem.
Donald Crowhurst was a classic example of the sponsorship problems killing him.
If you really want to do it finance it yourself. From that position it may be possible to get sponsors to limit the impact on your personal finances.
Just don't expect the good fairy to come along and provide everything in the hope of worthwhile publicity. sorry to be negative olewill
 
Hello Alan

As a sponsor, I would be looking to see what sort of remuneration/kudos I would receive back from you in return for the money which I would bring to the table.

What sort of yacht, what is its racing capability, is it viable. Will it survive?

What are the crew like, how much intense, constant sailing have they done in the past. It would be no good just having a YM (Ocean) ticket and only have done coastal sailing in UK waters, as sometimes these crew members cannot apply the required knowledge in times of serious crisis!

The Southern Ocean is very unforgiving.

The above are the sort of questions I would need answering if you came to me with a cloth cap or a begging bowl asking for money.

I used to have two graduate RF engineers working for me full time in the government radio communications research laboratories and they certainly knew their stuff. If you asked them what the Free Space Path Loss (FSPL) was over a certain distance at a certain frequency under urban conditions with a precipitation of X and an atmospheric absorption factor of Y, they would return in 5 minutes or so, calculator in hand and state quite correctly that the FSPL was likely to be in the order of 145dB at 38GHz through light rain. Brilliant!

Now, when asked to set up the same project to measure these effects absolutely, out on the 30-metre Open Area Test Site or to set up in the fully Anechoic Chamber, they did not have the slightest clue! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

We had an expression for these graduates: "They could work out Pi, R-squared, H of a Jam-Jar, but they couldn't get the bloody lid off".

Knowing the theory and applying it are two totally different things. As I said earlier, you need a proven track record of successful long-distance racing and have gained the respect of the sponsor before you are likely to get real sponsorship money flowing in.

I hope the above doesn't put you off? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I do sincerely wish you the very best of luck too. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
It seems that the main thing sponsors look for is quantifiable ROI. I've been involved with the whole process on a number of occasions, and the potential sponsors all want to see a return for their pennies. There is also a funny threshhold: requests for beer and pizza money from the petty-cash tin attracts a certain kind of sponsor. They seem to be a Joe's Panel-Shop sort of sponsor- people looking for a tax write-off. I take one of our boats, sponsored by a car-dealership- they get sweet new rags each season, but that's about it.
The other end of the scale (and there seems to be very little middle-ground here) is the Marketing Budget money. That is often easier to get if you're really serious about it. Companies can stump up the cash if they're going to get more return than, say, a TV advert series. By way of example, one of our local boats was sponsored by a certain rubber beach-shoe company and they had completely new EVERYTHING! For that, though, they had to go to something like 5 major regattas with a wheelbarrow for the silverware, and they had to win our national Blue-Water Trophy, and to add to the task-list, they supplied their sponsors with magazine cover-pictures and TV coverage. 2' of TV news-coverage would be worth, effectively, half a new suite of 3DL sails, so you can judge the return for investment. Base your media campaign around a 10:1 ROI and start from there, multiplying your requirement by 10 to see how much media bandwidth to generate.
Cases like Mike Perham are a different model: his sponsors can track the hits on their website, and by the very nature of his campaign he attracts printing-ink to him, so they score in the public eye whether he succeeds or not...
If you could style yourselves to be a Tracy Edwards' Maiden campaign, or a Dame Ellen or a Shosholoza, or had Dave Beckham as crew, or something like that, you'd have a lot more splash-appeal in this day and age.
As a final choice, there is another way, though...
Here you share the proceeds of the sponsorship, but you're looking at HARD work. Be prepared to offer your sponsor a ROI, but in doing that, offer your public a bigger ROI.
Imagine this: "CentaurPipeDream will be sailing the Worldrace in aid of 1.4 million HIV/AIDS Orphans in South Africa. For each mile you sponsor, a child gets a dose of ARV to keep it healthy a day longer". That way, you look at re-investing 90% back into the project, and taking 10% for your actual costs, which include the media juggernaut you have to create, and the Oprah Winfrey appearances, and the public-speaking tours, etc, etc....
Let me offer another example to spur you on?
A set of sailing clothes, branded up the wazoo with the sponsor's logo for each of ten kids from a sailing school program for disadvantaged kids costs (in my country) less than half of the bill for a company taking 3 guests to watch the Lions getting caned by the Boks... Print media generated by sponsorship: probably 6 seperate articles and a dozen photos in magazines and newspapers. Indirect coverage: expect to see the name/brand around for at least 2 years! It's a no-brainer which generates more goodwill and return on investment, but to get people to see the logic is impossible!
Sorry for the rambling rant, but I'm cynical about the missed opportunities that decision-makers pass by or actively avoid on a daily basis.
 
Great post Adamstor.

I think that you've got it about right....

Understanding and delivering the case for the investment is what it is all about....

So, the challenge is building a strong enough story, and then getting the opportunity to pitch it.
 
There's also the problem of managing the sponsorship campaign while getting the boat sorted. Two separate tasks. Two separate people? Or even two separate teams?

And then, if you succeed in finding a sponsor someone has to be ashore keeping them happy, while you're getting your rocks off afloat.
 
Get figures.

How much will it cost?
How much publicity did the winners of the last race get in the press?
How about the guys who came last?

If you can't give solid numbers to those questions you'll be dismissed as a dreamer.

And you need to answer other questions,

What boat, new or used?
Chances of winning?
Plans for the boat afterwards - sold to recover costs or kept?
Key people on board, anyone with experience in prepping an open 60 would be a big plus.

If you know someone even slightly high up in a major company, badger them. If you're serious about this, you don't have friends anymore, you have networking oppertunities.

Are you just doing one race, or do you want to make this a career? I think you'll struggle if it's the former. Sponsors these days seem to be keen on relationships, not one off projects.

Good luck!
 
Alan,
I used to sponsor quite a few uopcoming Formula Ford and Drag Racers in a small way.
We used to use the Sponsorship plan book, which worked for a couiple of the guys.

Try reading something like this......

http://www.amazon.com/Developing-Success...5883&sr=8-7

Yacht racing sponsorship is really no different to a world race series or long event. The key is the benefit return on money spent.

Think how many plucky Brits have cobbled together a half arsed brave attempt while their French competitors get all the whzzo kit, and are home tucked up in bed several weeks in front of you, feted by an adoring public.

One of the best ways is to actually get a professional event sponsorship management agent.
 
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