Planning a youth sports event requires many skills—organization, a deep understanding of the sport and its target audience, and logistical mastery. But what it demands perhaps more ardently is, of course, a funding source. Money for such events might come from many different avenues, including sponsorships, crowdfunding, grants, and donations, among others, and might require a bit of creativity and prowess to garner. Ultimate Sports Planners Guide chatted with two experts in the field to get their tips and tricks for fundraising and procuring sponsorships for youth sporting events.
At multisport event-management company Tris4Health of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jon Conkling is president and event director, in charge of planning both adult sporting events and youth events like the annual Grand Rapids Youth Duathlon and the Michigan Titanium Kids Triathlon. He says one key aspect of accumulating sponsors is understanding their motivations and connecting them to those of your organization. “Every sponsorship pitch we create, whether for a youth or adult event, is specifically tailored to the business we are trying to engage,” he says. “It’s crucial to understand the potential sponsor’s motivations for wanting to be involved with an event before discussing any financial commitments.” He says Tris4Health has had the most success attracting businesses that focus on families and children while also valuing health and wellness. For several years, the organization’s presenting sponsor for the Grand Rapids Youth Duathlon has been an area pediatrician group, and, this year, its new presenting sponsor for the Michigan Titanium Kids Triathlon is a family dental practice in town. “Both businesses aim to be associated with healthy community activities that involve children,” Conkling says.
Sara Soli, chief marketing and communications officer at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, echoes this idea, citing the alignment of values as a critical method for planners to compete for sponsors in a crowded market. “Developing a partnership will benefit you both far more than simply selling them a sponsorship package,” she says.
And this kind of relationship-building is what helps keep sponsors around not only for a single event but also for the long term, both say. “Sponsorship procurement is a long game that requires patience,” says Conkling. “Once you bring [sponsors] on board, continually demonstrate the value you add through your events and the positive impact you are making together in your community.” This positive effect can be demonstrated not only by sending out postevent summaries with data—like participation numbers—but also through experiences at the events themselves. “Sponsors enjoy being at the event and volunteering,” says Conkling. “These interactions resonate with the families attending, potentially turning them into clients. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.” And Soli says she has seen some of the strongest impacts demonstrated through sponsors’ interactions with players, whether through a game, photo op, or an exciting giveaway. “If the player walks away with a memory or memento, that brand will stick with them beyond the event,” she says. “We have had so many great activations here from many leading brands, but the best always create that touchpoint with players.”
And remember to reach out early. Conkling says Tris4Health’s sponsor outreach for next year’s event begins shortly after this year’s event concludes, and notes it is wise to connect with potential sponsors before they finalize budgets for the upcoming year.
Beyond sponsorships, fundraising methods such as in-kind donations play a helpful role. “In-kind contributions are just as important as traditional cash sponsorships, particularly when they pertain to goods or services that we would typically budget for,” says Conkling. “The more in-kind goods and services we can secure that relate to line items on our budget, the more money will be available for that campaign once our costs are covered.”
Soli says since the National Sports Center is a “stay-and-play facility” for tournaments, her team works with a third party to garner revenue from hotel stays. They also partner with a merchandise company and receive commissions from tournament apparel sales. “For certain events, we sell live-stream packages and photography,” she adds. Vendor spaces and concessions also bolster revenue.
Lastly, don’t hesitate to get creative and take note of what others are doing. “Think outside the box,” says Soli. “Go to other events, sporting or nonsporting, and take away ideas and opportunities from others that you might be able to implement at your events.”
