How do sponsorships actually work?

[chemical46]

I've seen that a few companies actively ask for people to sign up such as Podium / RamRods / Merlin.

How do the bigger companies like W&W / Beiter / Shibuya sponsor people? Do they have spotters or is there also some type of application? How many people are actually sponsored by the big companies vs. prople that just wear their shirts?

 

[Timid Toad]

Personally I disagree with sponsorship, in that it's sole aim is to skew the sport. I hear to many people saying they bought xyz because some top guy shoots it and wins. That top guy would be winning if he had a strung banana in his hand.
Sponsorship in our sport is a farce.

 

[bimble]

and that's why they sponsor those archers... I remember when Sergio won Vegas (the first year when the prize was $50k) and there were a whole bunch of people trying to get hold of a Cascade 8/10 (because that's what he uses) only to discover it was a discontinued release and you can't get it any more.

 

[autura]

Personally I disagree with sponsorship, in that it's sole aim is to skew the sport. I hear to many people saying they bought xyz because some top guy shoots it and wins. That top guy would be winning if he had a strung banana in his hand.
Sponsorship in our sport is a farce.

What would you suggest to replace it? What wrong with buying something that is proven to win?

 

[autura]

I've seen that a few companies actively ask for people to sign up such as Podium / RamRods / Merlin.

How do the bigger companies like W&W / Beiter / Shibuya sponsor people? Do they have spotters or is there also some type of application? How many people are actually sponsored by the big companies vs. prople that just wear their shirts?

you win lots, or a good social media following now adays, Prove your worth. Its promotion of the product, either by "win on sunday sell on monday" or "influencing"

 

[Timid Toad]

What would you suggest to replace it? What wrong with buying something that is proven to win?

It's the archer that wins. Give them any kit and they would still win. So it's not the kit.

 

[Stretch]

Most brands have some form of pro staff manager. You build a reputation and relationship and you’re in with a chance. They tend to be connected into national squads/coaches which can also be a path in. I guess if you’re competing at a high enough level you know who they are.

In the past some dealers coordinated with the sponsoring company (so basically sponsored by the shop and the manufacturer didn’t charge) - not sure if that model still exists.

Other methods of building a reputation can also lead to free stuff if you wait long enough but it is not true sponsorship (and not common).

Stretch

 

[ATH]

Personally I disagree with sponsorship, in that it's sole aim is to skew the sport. I hear to many people saying they bought xyz because some top guy shoots it and wins. That top guy would be winning if he had a strung banana in his hand.
Sponsorship in our sport is a farce.

It's true, maybe not quite the banana but there are a lot of good options for equipment out there that a lot of top archers could use. But given that they will still tend to have some kind of personal perference, getting equipment for discount/free from a given manufacturer that you would use anyway, is a pretty good deal for said archer. And its a good deal for the manufacturers because they do need to make sure at least someone good is shooting their bow otherwise people won't consider it on the same level.

In general, the bow manufacturers will tend to have the most formal and restrictive contracts, but also the most lucrative both in terms of kit provided and financial rewards for medals won at international/national championship level events. To get high enough in the national rankings to be a likely candidate for the big manufacturers, you'll have gotten to know the top sponsored archers already and often you'd be introduced to the companies via them. You can also apply cold, by submitting an "archery cv" with details of competition results and other reasons you might be a good choice to be sponsored.

 

[English Bowman]

A few years back I wrote an e-mail which I sent to all the manufacturers / suppliers of American Flatbows in the UK asking for sponsorship on behalf of a young lady that I was coaching, and saw promise in. I got a reply from Bearpaw / Bodnik who gave her a free bow, arrows to match plus some other bits and pieces including shirts, in exchange for blogs on her progress. She won the British Champs that year and got selected to go to the World 3D champs where she placed top ten, she wrote the blogs but they didn't publish them.

 

[Timid Toad]

How long ago? I know back in the early nineties coaches used to write to manufacturers for kit.
And now, with the big brands eyeing up the tradf/field market rather than just target, their sponsorship pathways seem in play across the board.

 

[munchkin]

Or you can get a bad boob job, wear skimpy clothing and have an army of weird male social media followers all the while only being a mediocre archer.

 

[munchkin]

In all seriousness….
In the (field) hockey world, a lot of new start ups have applications for sponsorship, aimed a lot at younger players, in exchange for helping promote the brand on social media and at their clubs. Mostly a small percentage off products, but discounts and perks get bigger the higher standard you play, and getting on to regional/national training programs or squads.
I imagine some archery companies are similar.

 

[Timid Toad]

Or you can get a bad boob job, wear skimpy clothing and have an army of weird male social media followers all the while only being a mediocre archer.

A boob job on a bloke is always going to be bad, no?

 

[munchkin]

A boob job on a bloke is always going to be bad, no?

Not necessarily! Pec implants…. Also that guy who got a trad girl tat on his leg and got mini implants to go with it

 

[dvd8n]

Not necessarily! Pec implants…. Also that guy who got a trad girl tat on his leg and got mini implants to go with it

There's a world out there that I know nothing about...

 

[Timid Toad]

 

[English Bowman]

How long ago? I know back in the early nineties coaches used to write to manufacturers for kit.
And now, with the big brands eyeing up the tradf/field market rather than just target, their sponsorship pathways seem in play across the board.

It was in 2016, I've just checked and she got the bow in August of that year

 

[Shirt]

Archery Sponsorship | Merlin Archery

Merlin Archery

www.merlinarchery.co.uk

This is a reasonably good explanation.
The point made above about being introduced by their existing pro staff is a very good one and is the most common one for manufacturers until you're dealing with people in the top 20 of the world ranking list who generally need no introduction.

 

[Azhooter]

To be sponsored you need to be fairly good at what you are doing and then ask the company you want to be sponsored by. In most instances they will sell you their product at a reduced price and you will it up.

A good personality is very important and probably more important then your skills. I've been sponsored by a lot of companies when I shot tournament archery. It's been many years since I've competed but the process is still the same.

BTW, the real top archers are given a free ride so that people will copy them, buying the newest and greatest equipment. Last year's models are just as good but people will pay for the idea that they can buy a win.

 

[Timid Toad]

I'm also of the opinion that these days you need to be "insta-ready", ie young, photogenic and a prolific social media user.
Most of our sponsored archers have separate accounts for their archery business - so-n-so archer - and work them daily. Sponsorship is about exposure, best value for the company for the least spend.