May 20, 2024 • 4 min read
A few helpful tips to get sponsorship for your youth soccer team from TeamSnap for Business.
Youth soccer is getting expensive. That’s why one of the best channels for making your programs more affordable is getting youth soccer sponsorships. Youth soccer sponsorship is a marketing channel that involves sponsoring a youth soccer team, league, or individual athlete.
Youth soccer sponsorships or grants can take various forms, such as sponsoring team uniforms, equipment, facilities, travel expenses, tournaments, and events. Brands can also offer educational programs, scholarships, and mentorship opportunities to young soccer athletes.
How exactly do you get a youth soccer sponsorship for your organization?
Starting out with your local community is a strong first step. Depending on the size of your community, different organizations will likely have strong bonds with your league and the youth participating.
Local businesses enjoy giving back or providing an impact in their community and you’d be surprised how many are willing to help out. Reach out to your connections or take a grassroots approach to fielding these sponsors. Some examples: field banners or adding patches to your uniforms.
Ask the parents of your players for help with this. This is usually the #1 channel for gaining sponsorships each season.
Today’s youth soccer landscape has a heavy online presence. There’s a good chance your organization or league has a website and social media channels. Take advantage of this. Online channels are some of the most attractive, especially to brands outside of your local region.
Some examples include putting sponsor logos on your website or sending out sponsored emails and social posts.
Use digital tools and your digital channels to source sponsorships for your youth soccer team. TeamSnap Sponsorship can help with this process, you’ll learn more at the end of the article.
Grants may be defined slightly differently than sponsorship, but they will help accomplish the same goal: raising money for your youth soccer organization. A grant is a sum of money given for a particular purpose. There are a variety of national grants designed specifically for youth sports purposes, such as improving sports equipment for leagues and helping children stay active in the community. You may also want to look for soccer-specific scholarships and programs.
Think of a grant as a long-term option to raise large funds and a local sponsorship as a quick way to raise smaller amounts. Many of the grant programs listed below will only approve 501(c)(3) organizations.
To read the remaining two steps on getting sponsorships for your youth soccer team, please check out our exclusive infographic at the link below.