For sports competing at any level, there comes a time when big decisions have to be made. It could be the building of a new clubhouse, disbanding a team due to a lack player numbers, or putting together an ambitious five year plan to ensure that you are competing at a higher level. Usually, these would take place well in advance before implementing any change.
However, is enough consideration given to any potential direct, or indirect, impact these decisions could have on a current or prospective sponsor?
Over the years, there have been many high profile sponsor/athlete relationship breakdowns, usually caused by the isolated direct actions of one individual. More recently, the media has brought focus on how sponsors can be indirectly affected by decisions taken within a sport or club. For example, many media outlets reported that The Hut Group pulled out of a proposed £220m deal for training ground sponsorship of Manchester United. The reason? Fans, very publicly, threatening to boycott all sponsors due to the owners’ attempt to join a breakaway league.
For the majority, even the most expensive sponsorship opportunity doesn’t even scratch the surface when compared to the numbers above. However, relatively speaking, your decisions and resulting actions can have as big an impact.
How can individuals, sports and businesses better protect themselves?
Here, at Sponsor Connect, we have put together the three crucial sponsor(ship) considerations that must be given in any major decision making process:
| Understand | Take a step back and try to see if the decision or its process could have an impact on your sponsors. |
| Communication | Inform your sponsors of your plans, ideally before they are at the point of implementation. Encourage engagement and any feedback. |
| Collaboration | Work together to find the best solution for all parties. |
By ensuring these three areas are fully explored, in advance of a decision, any resulting issues can be dealt with beforehand, saving time and money. Additionally, by ensuring sponsors are kept in the loop, the relationship between you and your commercial partners is strengthened – that could lead to an expanded collaboration.
Sponsor Connect provides key guidance and support on how to maintain a successful relationship with your sponsors.
