Attracting a sponsor for a grassroots football team

Q: What are sponsorships in sports?

Put very simply, a sponsorship in football, and sport in general, is a business providing funds to a team to help them buy essential assets such as team kits, equipment, training facilities and even travel to and from matches. In return for this investment, the sponsor will receive extensive advertising across the club, the team kit, in a newsletter or programme, online and so on. This association can prove a great way for businesses to demonstrate good corporate social responsibility, boosting their reputation, whilst also helping commercially too.

Q: Why is sponsorship in football important?

Sponsorship is important for a football club as it can help to fund necessities to ensure the club can continue to run. Not only does it provide the means for your club and team to operate, but it also, on a vanity level, demonstrates that you’re a professional club. Having this type of support from a business can take the financial strain off your shoulders, leaving more time for you to focus on performance, training and matches. A football sponsorship works both ways, giving a brand great exposure and a football team the means to focus on the sport.

Q: How do you get a team sponsor?

Instead, we recommend showing initiative and actively searching for football club sponsors to approach. In this scenario, you are left with the power of choice and can find a football sponsor that aligns with your values and goals more closely, making this method of finding a football sponsor even more valuable.

Q: What companies should you approach for sponsorship?

The next step is to come up with a ‘target list’ of companies to approach about sponsorship. A good place to start is looking for new companies in need of exposure to help them build brand awareness, particularly if they are a local business. You can also look to your competitor clubs and target their sponsors’ competitors. It’s good to approach businesses where you will be able to speak directly with the decision maker, so don’t aim too high into a big corporation.

Q: How do you ask for sponsorship?

Firstly, you’ll need to have your shiny new sponsorship package to hand. You will then need to accompany this with a sponsorship letter, the overall purpose of which is to introduce your team, outline the benefits of sponsorship in football as an advertising investment and appeal to them to become football sponsors of your team.

Q: How do I write a sponsorship letter?

Begin with a solid introduction that outlines the club, the story behind it in terms of how it all started, the impact the club has on the local community, how it helps youth and provides opportunities in sports and all of the good work that your club does. Introduce the team, their age ranges, why they love being part of the club and what makes you different from the rest.

Securing a sponsorship for your grassroots football team can be a game-changer, providing essential financial support that helps the team grow and succeed both on and off the pitch. Unlike professional clubs with vast resources, grassroots teams often rely on the passion of volunteers and local funding, making securing a sponsorship essential.

However, attracting the right sponsor requires more than just sending out a few emails or hoping for goodwill - it’s about presenting a compelling story, showing value, and building mutually beneficial relationships. In this blog, we’re going to take you through all the effective strategies for securing a sponsorship for your grassroots teams, from identifying potential sponsors to creating strong pitches to convince them of your team’s worth.

The benefits of having a sponsorship for your grassroots team

Grassroots sponsorships work both ways in terms of benefits. It can help support local and national businesses by advertising their brand, as well as provide invaluable support and improve performance on the pitch for your team. Sponsorships can help lessen financial burden by funding full seasons and reduce stress by allowing players and coaches to focus on the game and make the most of their resources.

Aside from giving you the relevant funds you need for operating your club, having backing from a business can also add more established credibility to your club by demonstrating a sense of professionalism - which can also help with securing future sponsorships as well.

Where to find football sponsorships for grassroots football

There are many ways to find potential sponsors for your team. Some sponsorships may even approach you first, but we don’t recommend waiting around for opportunities, as there’s no guarantee they will happen anytime soon. Instead, it’s best to take the initiative and actively look for sponsors yourself. You can find sponsors both online and in person.

A few of the ways you can find sponsorships include:

Joining networking and social media sites - Social media is a great way to connect with businesses far and wide. For teams based in smaller towns, options may be limited, and it may be harder to find sponsors in person. Social media plays a crucial role for any small-town grassroots team. Even the smallest of teams can gain a decent amount of social media followers and supporters by sharing their stories and opening themselves up for sponsorship opportunities.

Attending local business and community events - Meeting and chatting with people in the local community is a great way to build a network of supporters and potential sponsors. Businesses that are attending community events are likely very interested in supporting their locals, so it’s a great opportunity for finding sponsorships.

A great place to start when looking for sponsorships is new businesses - They are typically the ones most in need of exposure, and a partnership with a small business will equally benefit both the business and the club.

What to consider when picking a sponsorship

If you’re looking for sponsors that will stick around, then you’ll need to find the right ones for your team - ones that fit your target demographic. Thinking about this will not only benefit your audience but also make it more likely for a sponsor to stick around longer, as they will reap the benefits. A few questions to ask yourself when considering this include:

Who are the people who come to your matches?
Who are the players?
What interests do your fans have in common?
What companies and products might appeal to them the most?

Once you’ve thought about this, you’ll be ready to start picking businesses to approach. When choosing companies, make sure you’re doing appropriate research so you can find brands that fit your team's values. For example, if your club values teamwork or honesty, then you’ll want to search for businesses that have the same moral ethos. This can make a great key selling point when pitching to them, as businesses love working with companies and people who share their values.

Some other things to consider when looking for sponsorships include:

The business's financial situation and whether you think it’s a viable sponsor for your club (will they be able to financially support your team in the ways you need?)
Will they be able to fund full seasons?
Is it a mutually beneficial partnership?
Do they fit in with the prestige of the club?

If you’re still unsure of businesses to approach for sponsorships, a good place to start is sports and health businesses. They will naturally share your values and interests, and your audience will be a great match for them.

How to approach businesses for a football sponsorship

Just like when preparing for your matches, you’ll need a game plan. Start by creating a sponsorship package that demonstrates the key areas a company can get involved in and at what price. Creating a sponsorship package will need to be both appealing and to the point. A few great tips for creating an effective pitch for sponsorships are:

Be honest about prices throughout the pitch.
Provide options for them to choose from. This will make your pitch seem a lot more appealing and make it more likely they’ll get involved.
Do your research. This is essential for appearing professional during your pitch.
Let them know how many people they’ll be exposing their brand to. This can be done by giving them an estimate of how many people come to your matches, and how many followers you have on your team's social media page.
Maximise your team's appeal. Is your club in a beneficial location? Is your kit a colour that the town has an affinity with, or does it have a creative flair that may make it stand out among the rest? These are likely to have a stronger appeal to your potential sponsors.

How to pitch a sponsorship to businesses

When it comes to pitching to potential sponsors, one of the biggest things you need to consider is your key selling points. The businesses need to know why they should sponsor your team specifically and what’s in it for them - which is what they’re most interested in. Luckily, there are many ways a grassroots team can benefit local and small businesses. A few great key selling points you can include in your pitch include:

Logos on your team jersey
Logos on your team's website
Logos elsewhere on your team kit
Different prices for sizes on the team kit
Company banners displayed beside the pitch
Promoting the company on the team's social media
Inclusion in club events
A booth, box or special seating at your club for the company
Sponsored giveaways.

Make sure to help them visualise how your club can fit into their existing marketing. It’s crucial to take the time to get to know them and their business. Learn about their brand messaging and their previous activities, and use that to come up with ways that you can collaborate with them specifically to create a larger appeal for their brand.

What your grassroots team can offer a sponsor

There are a wide range of reasons why a business would want to sponsor your grassroots football team that go beyond visibility. In your pitch, you’ll want to ensure you’re offering them more than just that one benefit.

If this is your first time approaching a sponsorship, you may find it hard to think up benefits your team can offer to sponsors, so below we’ve included some great key selling points for your pitch.

Storytelling opportunities - Storytelling is a great marketing tactic and something most businesses look for. If your grassroots team is a big part of the community or has a story that a brand can be a part of, then this is a huge benefit to businesses, as it will help them gain credibility with the club's loyal fans.

Branding opportunities on your kit - Think about your kit and how much space it has on it for sponsorship logos. Everything down to the colour will appeal to brands if their logo looks good when displayed against it. For example, a red logo on a red kit wouldn’t be effective, but a yellow logo on a red kit would stand out and seem more attractive to a potential sponsor.

What can your team provide that others can’t - Do your values align with the business? If they care about sustainability, how does your team fit in with that brand? Does your team have an engaged social media following? Make sure you know your key selling points.

Giving back to your community - A lot of businesses see non-profit grassroots teams as a way to give back to the community by supporting local talent, as well as being a low-cost marketing tactic.

Creating custom kits - A great way to appeal to sponsors is to be open to creating a custom kit with them. It can benefit both parties by supporting player performance while ensuring brand visibility. If you’re wanting to get your own custom team kits, then you can head to our custom football kit page to learn more about prices, options and enquiries.

Keeping a sponsorship on board

When you finally secure a sponsorship, the next order of business is to keep them invested in your team in the long term. Building relationships with the brand on a more personal level is a great way of achieving this. Regular check-ups and meetings are a great way to show a sponsor that you value their involvement. Try bringing fresh ideas to the table and involving them in your social media posts, as it will show your club is engaged and ensure long-term partnership success.

Get custom kits with sponsorship logos for your grassroots team

Attracting sponsorships for your grassroots football team is not just about securing funds - it’s about building lasting relationships that benefit both your club and the sponsoring business. They allow you to create partnerships that not only support your team’s immediate needs but also contribute to the long-term development of players, coaches, and the wider football community.

Once you’ve got your first sponsorship in the bag, you’ll want to begin upgrading your kit. From high-quality team wear to football accessories, get everything you need for your grassroots team with Avec Sport.