Aug 01, 2023 • 5 min read
A few helpful tips to get sponsorship for your youth sports team.
Youth sports are expensive. That’s why one of the best channels for making your programs more affordable is getting youth sports sponsorships. Youth sports sponsorship is a marketing channel that involves sponsoring a youth sports team, league, or individual athlete.
Youth sports 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 athletes.
How exactly do you get a youth sports 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 approaching to fielding these sponsors. Some examples: banners hanging on the fields or courts you play on, 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 sports 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 sports 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 sports 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.
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.
Sponsorship letters are one method of reaching out to potential sponsors. A clear and concise sponsor letter can help you gain funding to subsidize the costs for travel, equipment, and registration fees.
Want help crafting the perfect youth sports sponsorship letter? Click here for an easy template! You can upload this sponsorship letter directly to the TeamSnap Sponsorship platform to get started.
TeamSnap Sponsorship is a strong tool for club and league managers to use in attempt to attract youth sports sponsorships.
TeamSnap Sponsorship makes youth sports more accessible by connecting organizations like yours with regional and national brands as sponsors. And, there’s no additional cost!
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