Nothing is more American than youth sports. 56.1% of American youth aged 6-17 play organized sports.
One reason for this high rate is small business sponsorships. Many small businesses work with local teams and leagues to spread the word about their activities. If you want to make a difference in kids’ lives, you should start sponsoring youth sports.
Where should you begin? What sorts of activities can you do in your sponsorship? What are some financial considerations you should make?
Answer these questions and you can decide if sponsoring local teams is the right thing to do. Here is your quick guide.
Find a Worthwhile Sports Team
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You may have several local sports teams in your area. Most of them have sponsors already.
It is okay to sponsor a team that has previous sponsors. But you may want to find a less well-known team and become their first small business owner sponsor. This will give you greater visibility and control over your sponsorship deal.
Go beyond outdoor sports. Look at robotics, speech and debate, and eSports teams.
Try to find a team that associates with your smart business in some way. If you run a technology firm, a robotics team is a good fit for you.
Get Creative With Sponsoring Youth Sports
When people think of small business advertising at sports events, they think about posters with company names on them. But you are under no obligation to make posters.
You can hand out fliers with your company’s details on them. You can print your name on the team’s balls or uniforms.
You can mint trading pins with a logo on them. You can get trading pins here and from a number of other services.
Consider a way you can integrate the team into your own advertisements. If you sponsor a baseball team, you can include baseball diamonds in your commercials.
Consider Financial Aspects
You can receive substantial financial benefits from your sponsorship. Getting your name out there may be enough to attract customers to you. Keep an eye on your analytics pages on your social media accounts and see if your sponsorship bolsters your Internet presence.
You may be able to get tax incentives for your sponsorship. You can write off your expenses as business costs or charitable donations. Look at your local tax code and touch base with a tax professional.
There are many intangible benefits that translate into financial rewards. You can form stronger ties with your community and employees. You can bolster your own credibility, encouraging workers to stay with you for longer periods.
The Basics of Sponsoring Youth Sports
Sponsoring youth sports is a great way to help yourself and your community. Look at the various teams near you. You can go beyond Little League.
Once you have a business you like, think about creative ways to advertise. You can print out posters or create trading pins. Provide service for them so they will work with you.
Track the effects of your sponsorship on your business, including potential tax benefits. But prioritize the happiness you create. Sponsoring youth events is one way to help your community. Find out others by following our coverage.
