I have a question that I hope the people on this thread can help me out with…
Can anyone give me an idea of how much sponsors give Professional athletes in $$ amounts per year from the bottom up?? So what are some of the small sponosorships like and what are the “big time pros” making. Any information that anyone has would be extremely helpful.
Thnx!!
This topic has come up in the past, and I think the general consensus is, that unless you are great at marketing, and can win some bigger international races, if you make upwards of 50-60k at your job, stay there.
The bottom is zero dollars, the top is limited by how good you are and how marketable you are. I know athletes getting 20k+ from sponsors, I know athletes getting product only, I know athletes who are on performance bonus only and I know athletes who have a mix of base + incentive pay.
With that said, how do you suggest a budding athlete attract better sponsorship? How do you progress a company from just giving you gear to giving you a little $$?
With that said, how do you suggest a budding athlete attract better sponsorship? How do you progress a company from just giving you gear to giving you a little $$?
**
Spectacular race results. Without that, you are just part of market, not the marketing.
Suggestions would be to win HIGH profile events, say a 70.3 or a classic like Alkatraz or Wildflower. That should do ya, otherwise get a RICH better half and sponge off da parents.
tfun~
With that said, how do you suggest a budding athlete attract better sponsorship? How do you progress a company from just giving you gear to giving you a little $$?
**
Spectacular race results. Without that, you are just part of market, not the marketing.
That would seem logical, but not always true. I have a friend who is sponsored and paid, not because he produces spectacular results but because he tries hard, never quits, and is an excellent ambassador for the products.
Value to a sponsor comes from (roughly) three things: winning/placing well, being a good ambassador for the product, and giving good feedback to your sponsors on product design (i.e. “field testing”).
Winning/placing is most important for pros. As an AG’er, it is probaly brand representation that is most important. #3 is really only important if you have a specifically applicable skillset, either athletically or technically. Look at a lot of the athletes sponsored by the climbing/mountaineering companies.
Remember, the end goal of the sponsor is to sell more product. Winning races on product makes people see that it is “elite” calibre, or whatever you want to call that. Informing people about a product is important too, since we’ve all bought stuff off friend’s recommendations and things like that. And product feedback is important for making a product better, which also of course helps in selling, because people want bigger/better/faster/cheaper/etc.
So in terms of your progression as an athlete, it is about convincing sponsors that you can do those things well. You don’t need to do all of them well, but you probably need to be really good at at least one. You need to convince them that you represent a good opportunity for positive ROI – i.e. that they will make more than it costs them to sponsor you.
The lowest level of sponsorship is a discount on product. The highest is a salary that is good enough to raise a family on. The range is everything in between.
I LOVE hearing that. It has been hard for us lately as we want to be able to train more and hopefully reach the top of the sport…but both work too much. We do have good results…amateur world champ, national champ, wins at Chicago, etc…we would like to continue in the sport and are hoping to find sponsors that want to help us because they see our potential, how hard we work, and what we can offer. So I asked my original question because I want to know what is reasonable to ask for…and what experience people have had in obtaining sponsorship. I want to go to a company knowing what is appropriate. Thanks again for all of the feedback…it is appreciated!
Hawaii Champ = $96,000 per year from primary sponsor.
Another large part of the equation is getting coaching certified and then bringing home income as a coach on the side. Many Cat 1/2 cyclists and top triathletes do this as income. Get some people paying $200 a month for coaching can really help pay the bills.
Who is the “we” you mention? Or did you suddenly slip into the use of the “royal we”?
Evidently Jason Goldberg is helping them out and wrote that post.
Sorry, my husband and I are both triathletes…no implication of anything beyond that
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‘We…the royal we, you know, the editorial!’
‘That poor woman?!?! That poor slut!’
‘You wanna toe, i’ll get you a toe.’
classic.
Ah, that is good to mention, though. The husband-wife team is definitely something to present to sponsors. Two for the price of one, the perspective of a man AND a woman, etc.
giving good feedback to your sponsors on product design
Yes, I forgot about that one. Even my 12-year old daughter has a sponsorship that requires her to provide feedback on the product, and in one case the feedback affected the final design of the marketed product, so they do listen to their athletes (no matter how young they are ;-).
I think Jordan covered it all. From the tri pros I’ve talked to, and even in more mainstream road cycling and mountain biking, the bottom line is that it’s really hard to be a professional triathlete in the truest sense of the word, and live on that.
Evidently Jason Goldberg is helping them out and wrote that post.
roflmao
paulo, i guess not many people got it
Honestly, what you’re asking for is something which can not be easily placed on here, like a formula. Plus, what a company does for one person, they may not do for another, and may not want the details of what they’re paying/sponsoring the athlete with, to be known to the general public. So expecting someone to expose how much they make or whatever, isn’t realistic.
Here are some things to consider…
I have 4 main sponsors, and I have been with them since I started triathlon, and some even before then, when I was a runner. They are Mizuno, B+L, Zoot, and Rudy Project. I have built relationships with the employees of these companies, and in some cases, the owners! They have seen me develop, and seen what I do for them in terms of ambassadorship and exposure. Each and every year, my sponsorships with each of these companies has improved for me, and I believe for them as well. (Otherwise, I doubt they would be doing what they are doing for me).
Consider companies outside the sport. Gatorade, Powerbar, etc, constantly receive sponsorship proposals, etc., and the competition is fierce. They are already in the sport, so there is little you can do to help them tap into the market. Consider bringing a company from outside the sport, who has yet to tap into the tri market.
Knock on doors, the more, the better.
Research the companies. If the company is small, and not making millions, it’s a little far-fetched to expect them to pay you a salary for swimming, biking and running. Just because they’re a company, doesn’t mean they are made of money. When you know about the company, you have credibility. This being said, there are plenty of companies out there where a product-only sponsorship can be great!
Prepare a great proposal for each company! But offer some flexibility, and be willing to start small, but discuss opportunities for growth with a company. Year one of a sponsorship may only give you a third of what you want, but with good results, and helping the company acheive it’s goals, you could get all you want by year 3.
Don’t waste your time and energy. Commit to the companies which will commit to you. Nothing annoys me more than looking at an athlete who has 25 sponsorships. There is no way that person can help all those companies. Many of those companies are getting squat out of that person, and that person is doing a disservice to other athletes like myself who will commit to the companies he represents. Keep the companies few, and commit to being a quality representative for them. Don’t dilute your service!
If you have no presence in your triathlon community, being a grassroots builder of the sport, you better be one of the best in the world, because you don’t give yourself the opportunity to even help your sponsors then.
Hope this helps. Email me if you want to talk about it more.
Very funny Paulo (or as Gerard likes to call you “Paolo”)
“we” laughed really hard at that post glad that “we” can give you some laughable material too 
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