Commercial sponsorship is an established feature of the financing of British sport and is one way of providing vital extra income to maintain and improve club facilities.
Sponsorship Guidelines
Be clear about the objective and aims e.g. to cut any major costs by converting suppliers into sponsors.
Indentify the sponsorship opportunities within the club such as the following.
- club naming rights
- match rights
- programmes
- equipment supply e.g. kit, balls phones, IT, gas, electricity, water
Identify the benefits that can be offered in return such as:
-
advertising opportunities e.g. perimeter signag, post protectors, programmes
-
match tickets
-
hospitality at matches
-
use of club as a corporate venue
Make approaches for sposorship to :
Target the right people
Be professional in approach. Prepare your proposal thoroughly and include the following elements:
• aims and objectives
• benefits to sponsor
• publicity value – national/local media/TV and radio
• hospitality
• promotional opportunities to mini/youth sections
• company awareness on signage/posters, programmes, tickets, advertising an event, merchandise/kit/equipment
• duration of sponsorship – plan well ahead
• cost to sponsor AND to the club i.e. the cost of the benefits that are being given away.
Managing a sponsorship
Continuous feedback to the sponsor on the success of an event may encourage further opportunities and establish an extension of their commitment.
Sportsmatch Funding
Sportsmatch is a Government business sponsorship incentive scheme for sport that matches money raised through sponsorship, pound for pound. The scheme is directed at the development of grass-roots sports and helps to encourage business to invest in the area. Awards are made to schemes that increase participation in rugby and improve playing skills. Since the advent of the National Lottery, Sportsmatch has moved away from financing big projects and most awards are relatively small averaging at £9,000.
For further details and an information pack, please contact:
Sportsmatch Scheme Manager
Institute of Sports Sponsorship, Warwick House, 25-27 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0PP
Tel: 020 7233 7747 Fax: 020 7828 7099
Email: info@sportsmatch.co.uk
Web: www.sportsmatch.co.uk
Manufacturers, Advertisers and Sponsors Mark - IRB Regulations
IRB regulations state that only one emblem, mark and/or name of the manufacturer, not exceeding the size specified in the table below, may not be displayed on each item.
Not more than three emblems, marks and/or names of advertisers or sponsors not exceeding (in each case) the size specified in the Schedule below may be carried.
| |
Non-Advertising |
Manufacturing |
Advertising (Marks) |
| |
|
Team |
Player |
|
|
|
| |
National Reprsntve Team Emblem |
Emblem |
Name |
Number |
Name |
Competition |
Manufacturing Marks |
National Representative Team |
Others |
| Jerseys |
100 (2) |
100 (1) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
100 (1) |
80 (1) |
160 (1) |
160 (3) |
| Shorts |
80 (2) |
100 (1) |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
80 (1) |
80 (1) |
80 (1) |
| Socks |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
15 |
No |
No |
|
Boots |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Tracksuit |
100(2) |
100(1) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
80 (1) |
325 (1) |
325 (3) |
|
Medical Case |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
160 (1) |
160 (1) |
|
Ball |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
160 (1) |
No |
No |
Note: (i) The number, e.g. 100, relates to the aggregate maximum total square cms which can be carried
(ii) The number in brackets, e.g. (2), relates to the maximum number of that category of emblems names or marks which can be carried
For further clarification, please contact the IRB:
Tel: 00 353 1 662 5444 Fax: 00 353 1 676 9334
Email: irb@irb.ie
Web: www.irb.org
Further information
‘Making Sponsorship A Success’ is a useful guide to securing sponsorship for sports organisations and takes the reader through the whole sports sponsorship process step by step. Copies can be obtained by contacting the Sports Sponsorship Advisory Service:
SSAS
Francis House, Francis Street, London SW1P 1DE
Tel: 020 7854 8598 Fax: 020 7854 8501
Email: ssas@ccpr.org.uk
Web: www.sponsorship-advice.org
‘Hollis Sponsorship and Donations Yearbook’ is the definitive guide to the UK’s top sponsoring and donating companies and also supplies details of sponsorship opportunities, specialist consultancies and services. Copies cost £75 and can be obtained from Hollis:
Hollis Directories
Harlequin House, 7 High Street, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8EL
Tel: 020 8977 7711 Fax: 020 8977 1133
Email: orders@hollis-pr.com
Web: www.hollis-pr.com
Other useful contacts
RFU Commercial Department
Tel: 020 8892 2000 / 8831 6526 Fax: 020 8891 3254
Email: SponsorshipAdvertising@rfu.com
Web: www.rfu.com
Sport England HQ
16 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0QP
Tel: 020 7273 1500 Fax: 020 7383 0273
Email: info@english.sports.gov.uk
Web: www.english.sports.gov.uk
Local Authority Sports Development Units
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