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SP101:3.1 There are a few misconceptions about what SPONSORSHIP is all about and what purpose it serves, so maybe I can help… First and foremost, sponsorship is not about appeasing ones’ ego and self-centered endeavors.

SPONSORSHIP 101

SPONSORSHIP TRUTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

There are a few misconceptions about what SPONSORSHIP is all about and what purpose it serves, so maybe I can help… First and foremost, sponsorship is not about appeasing ones’ ego and self-centered endeavors.

As a deck & clothing brand owner, I’ve encountered many different types of people from different action sports, who have wanted to be sponsored one way or the other. I’ve met the good, the bad & the ugly and I’m hoping some of my experiences can help you achieve your goals for finding sponsorship.

In my experiences, I’ve found that there are some skaters out in the world who want to be sponsored or believe they should be sponsored just because they are good at skating. Let me tell you that in many cases, just being good at skating isn’t enough to entice a brand/company/shop to sponsor you. There are thousands upon thousands of really good skaters out there (getting younger as the days pass I might add) and not all can be sponsored or even should be sponsored.

Now I’m not speaking for every deck brand, skate shop or whatever possible sponsor you may encounter. What I am giving you here and in future postings, is a general idea and a workable template for you, to help you choose your plan of action should you decide to seek sponsorship.

Its important to know that its not only your skill level that is the deciding factor for brands when it comes to considering you for possible sponsorship. Its usually more of a combination of these few factors: skill, style and personality. You may be the best skater in your area but if your attitude sucks, and you push around with an ego then some sponsors will never give you a second thought.

I think the one most common misconception here is that companies sponsor skaters just because they like them or they are good or whatever… The truth is they sponsor athletes because the company wants to make money. Every time a company hooks up one of their sponsored riders with gear, you have to remember that it cost that company money. Giving stuff to you means they aren’t going to sell those same items to someone else. The idea is that the company believes that you are a person worth paying attention to, worth giving product to and they maintain the belief that you riding/wearing/using/drinking their products will help increase product awareness and sales. And, as a sponsored skater you have to remember that YOU have a job to do and that job is to promote your sponsor like a maddog! Watch the X Games or the Dew Tour and notice when a rider is sitting on the sidelines waiting for his (or her) score that he makes sure the name of his sponsors can be seen, the name of his deck company is obvious, he deliberately holds up his Monster Drink squirt bottle to the camera and so on… That’s his job. Get the product known and seen in his or her hands. If you get sponsored, you basically have to sell the product. This means, use it, use it publicly and use it well. Otherwise, what’s the point? Why keep giving you gear that cost the company money just so you can have free stuff???!!! It’s not about you just getting free stuff; it’s about you working towards becoming a better skater everyday and towards promoting the companies that sponsor you. And it doesn’t matter what level you are at: Shop, Flow, AM or Pro – promote whoever sponsors you because it’s no joke to the company that’s spending their hard-earned money on you.

Hope this helped some…
Got a question? Ask. Peace,
Urban

Urban

Founder of Urban Royal Flats Skateboards Co. (aka URF Skateboards), designer, artists and generally all around coffee spaz (its good for my health I promise). Glad to be apart of the AP Skateboarding team of contributing authors. Got a question? Feel free to shout at me via the URF Skateboards website/blog, AIM or fan URF on Facebook... Visit the site for the links and stuff... "Be good to yourself, so that you may have the strength to be good to others." URF Peace