Getting Sponsored by Durty Dan
Pleasing Sponsors by Oh Pawlak
Getting Sponsors by Oh Pawlak
Let's Make a Deal by John Amodea
How to Get Sponsorship by Robbo
About Sponsorship by Jeffrey Laporte
Sponsorship by Iceman
What it is and isn't by Doug Devin
1st Word on Sponsorship by John Rathburn


SO YOU WANT SPONSORS, EH? by Martin Multamaki @2001
A lot of people ask us how to obtain sponsorship for their team without understanding much about why they need it or want sponsorship in the first place. There seems to be an urban legend circulating in the paintball ranks that a team needs to be sponsored to be competitive. The reality is the opposite: a team needs to be competitive to be worth sponsoring. Obviously, paintball even at the lowest levels can be an expensive sport and sponsorship may help cover some of the costs a team can incur, however, most sponsored teams never see a penny of monetary contributions from their sponsors. SPONSORSHIP IS NOT ABOUT GETTING FREE S#*T - its about lowering the overhead operating costs of the team. One thing must always be remembered: when you are sponsored, you dance on someone else's strings! Here's a little list to help understand whether or not your team needs sponsorship...

1) DO YOU REALLY WANT IT? ...has your team been together long enough to feel like they are missing out on corporate recognition and deserve a nod from the companies they have willingly supported up until now? Will the support, however small, bring a new level of morale to your team and encourage your players to develop better skills and stick together? Sponsorship also means the WHOLE TEAM must use the sponsors products...

2) DO YOU REALLY NEED IT? ...is your team unable to play events because they lack something a sponsor can provide, other than money? A good example would be transportation (car rides for young guns, or plane tickets for old pros) or hotel rooms. Most teams already have everything they need to play - they just wish it was cheaper. Be aware of the pitfalls - if you seek out sponsorship for something you don't need, you commit the teams time and energy to supporting a business that isn't helping your team financially. That same energy could be better spent on a sponsor that has something the team DOES need.

3) WHAT DOES THE TEAM NEED? ...if you decide as a team that you want/need it, start looking for sponsors by identifying everything that the team needs for the average tournament, then eliminate anything you already have. You'd be surprised how many sponsorship opportunities arise for the strangest things, most of which are outside the industry and therefore easier to negotiate. Try this list:

- entry fees
- paint money (or paint for BYOP)
- hotel rooms (if more than one day)
- transportation to the event
- portable sun shade/open sided tent
- team banner
- setup table
- good, reliable markers (and backups)
- non-fogging goggles and mask
- comfortable pack and pods
- team uniform
- after tournament clothing
- good pair of cleats
- reliable air system and/or fill tanks
- working hoppers
- allen keys and other small tools
- large supply of batteries for guns, hoppers, etc.
- paper towel
- drinking water/gatorade
- food energy source (fruit bars, chocolate, etc)
- mosquito repellent, lens cleaner, lubricant
- dinner after the tournament

Entry Fees are part of the money dilemna that most teams simply can't get around - if the team can only play a tourney if the entry fee is waived, sometimes it might be worth calling the tournament host a day before the event and ask them. If the tourney desparately needs more teams, they may waive the entry fee knowing they will make the money back in the paint you shoot. This generally doesn't work for BYOP events. If you have to travel a long distance to the tourney, the entry might be waived as well just for your attendance and the potential of you returning next year with other local teams. If you are sponsored by a field, this is where you get your big breaks - playing their tournaments for free (unless they want you to ref). Make friends with other local field owners, and they may waive your entry fees as well. At some point though - you're going to have to pay. Offer to ref tournaments that you don't want to play (like 3 mans) in exchange for the host paying your entry to another tournament (like his next 5 man). Its hard work but fun, and your team still gets exposure to the players, thereby helping your sponsors.
Track down a local paint distributor willing to give you a price break or get a vendors permit/business license so you can get paint at wholesale for practice. This will help significantly reduce overhead costs for the team, and in some cases may lead to free paint based on quantity purchases. If you're sponsored by a field, they may be able to throw your team a few free cases a month for practice based on free paint they receive from the distributor for quantity buying.
Hotel Rooms can be thrown in by a tournament host desparate for more teams, if the teams ask for it - but don't expect the Ritz. More likely, the tournament host will already have a deal worked out with a local hotel for discount accomodations - it pays to ask. One of the lesser sponsors may be willing to provide rooms because a) its proof that you attended the event, b) its a relatively small expense, c) its a great tax deduction for the sponsor.
Transportation to a tournament could be arranged through a tourney host if they know of other teams coming from your area - split the cost of gas and save some cash if its possible. If you're flying to a tourney, look for a friend or family member who may be a travel agent and can obtain discounts. Transportation generally isn't covered by sponsors - in fact, you probably don't look all that professional asking for it.
Sun shades are necessities at any event and are a good way for sponsors to advertise by screening their logo on it (just like a banner). Come up with a design featuring all your sponsors and team logo, then present it to the sponsor willing to cover the cost of the banner/sun tent. Remember to leave room for future sponsors, just in case. Your sponsors may also simply give you their banners to hang. Setup tables are most likely bought items, unless you find a folding table sponsor - hey, why not! Look around. A sponsor like Canadian Tire could actually cover many of the little items on the tournament list like tools.
Good, reliable markers don't come cheap and therefore are not easy to get sponsors for - when you've got some recognition behind the team and some decent placings, try asking a company or gun distributor that you're interested in for a deal. Just make sure the whole team wants to use the same gun, and you can all afford to buy new markers - you probably won't get anything for free. The catch here is this: if you're already doing well on the tournament scene, why would you need new guns? Better off getting a parts sponsorship for the guns you are already using. New goggles are being made every day from a variety of new companies - unless you're stuck on one particular brand, check out some of these new companies and hit them up for a sponsorship deal before you buy. While you're at it, why not try for an anti-fog compound sponsorship. Same goes for the pack and pods - try some of the newer companies if you need better packs for the team but be prepared to pay first.
Team uniforms are sometimes easy to come by - most of the larger companies now carry a line of jerseys and/or pants that can be bought cheaply or given freely as part of a sponsorship package. Don't feel that your team has to wear the same uniform as everyone else - looking different on the field is one way to attract sponsors attention to the team. Even a team set of $5 body building pants can look good as part of the package. The same applies to after-tourney duds - sponsors need teams to walk around simply wearing t-shirts with their logos on them for advertising reasons. Asking for a whack of t-shirts, hats, and stickers is usually a reasonable request with sponsors.
Cleat sponsorship outside the industry is not common in paintball but is very common with other sports - talk to any sporting shoe company (Nike, Reebok, etc) about your chances of a team deal.
More important than new air tanks (since you've likely got them anyways) is a sponsorship from a scuba tank fill place - you can get a discount on used scuba tanks for filling your own tanks, as well as a deal for hydrostatic testing (necessary on all fibre wrapped tanks every 3 years and steel cylinders every 5 years).
Food and Drink sponsors abound - look for companies promoting energy bars and "power" drinks that might be willing to throw a few free cases to a team at each event. With the right deal, they might even pay for the entry in exchange for some sort of sample booth or special promotion.
Dinner after the tournament is a strange sponsorship that I've seen done a few times (the Nudy Bar Bandits comes to mind)- simply contact a local sports bar/grill in the same town near the event and ask them to cover the cost of a team set of mock turtle neck long sleeve shirts with silk screening as part of the team uniform in exchange for their logo prominently screened on the shirt. Throw in a free meal afterwards and you've got a pretty sweet deal. All the team has to provide is to hand out flyers at the tourney inviting everyone back to the sports bar for a good time. This works particularly well with strip joints, which cater to the usual rowdy bunch of mainly-male paintball players looking for the nearest dive.

The bottom line is this: most teams simply do NOT need to be sponsored and are likely better off without it. If it is a necessary evil to move up the next level, then start with a home field sponsorship for practice space, and maybe some paint. Offer to ref special events in return for tourney fees at other fields. Use a vendor's permit/business license to get cheap paint and equipment from suppliers at wholesale or purchase through an existing business at cost. Negotiate for free tourney entry where practical, and look for support from companies outside the paintball industry. The image of paintball goes a long way to winning over sponsors from the outside - if possible, bring some potential sponsors out for a day of play. Put together a dynamite team resume including colour pictures, events played and/or won, a roster with player backgrounds, future events intended, what you need, and what you can give back to the sponsor. Video footage of the team playing helps as well.

5) WHAT CAN YOU OFFER BACK? ...this must be the most misunderstood area of sponsorship - the fact that a sponsor actually wants something in return. Within the team's resume, it is important to discuss at length the reasons why your team should be sponsored and what you specifically intend to do, to promote the sponsors product. Be prepared to take every opportunity to plug your sponsors - a website is a good place to start. If you can code your own, offer to do one for your new sponsor as well. The specifics are up to you and your sponsors, however, remember to be creative - work for what you get.

6) WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS? ...most of the industry sponsorships that are handed out are on the basis of friendship, not necessarily performance on the field. If you've been around on the tournament circuits long enough, you start to know people. The more people you know, the better are your chances of landing a sponsorship through one of them. Also remember not to bother important industry people at tournaments with questions about sponsorship - buy them a beer instead and talk about skiing, or nascar...whatever...A rep will remember having a good time with your team and a fun bunch of guys are more likely to score some help in the future - if they want it.

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