There are three top benefits of sponsoring a football team and one of the oldest promotional techniques in the book. However, it seems to be the reserve for multinational companies, particularly the Premier League. Statista reported Yokohama and Fly Emirates investing £40 million on football kits for Chelsea FC, in west London and Arsenal FC, in north London, respectively, for the 2019/20 season alone. That’s a staggering amount, but there are still opportunities for small businesses: the local football club.
Local football clubs have various sponsorship opportunities that don’t break the bank. Although it’s subjected, packages typically start around a few hundred pounds and reach several thousand pounds, depending on the tier. Every package has some kind of benefits for small businesses, and let’s dive into them.
Top 3 Benefits of Sponsoring a Football Team
A welcomed form of promotion
Sponsorships are a segment of public relations, a more gentle form of promotion than advertising. The team’s parents, supporters, and opponents are likely to acknowledge and praise the sponsors. Wouldn’t you think, “That’s good XYZ is sponsoring this team”?
The best clubs show their sponsors:
- On their website
- In social media posts
- Somewhere in the newsletters
- In the clubhouse
- On kits
As a result of this gentle promotion, you may see an increase in direct website traffic, social media post engagements, and social media page like and follow growth, particularly if you share your team or clubs posts with supporting comments.
Lower player admission fees
Hundreds of families in different communities struggle financially, and they’re silently grateful for sponsors. Although many parents may not be aware of it, sponsors keep the costs of player admissions low and the cost of new kits.
I remember playing rugby, and a friends mum ran a garment printing business. She supplied the kit at a cost price to the parents with her business’s logo. We got new kits, parents paid a lot less, and the business got next to nothing sponsorship costs. Parents throughout the club went to the business for their workwear garments.
Higher website rankings
If the above hasn’t persuaded you to consider sponsoring a local football club, this last benefit might seem more financially tangible. A link from a local football club’s website is incredibly powerful for improving a website’s position on Google for your target keyword.
It’s a strong signal to Google that you operate in the local area, and likely reward you with higher rankings. As you already know, a higher ranking website leads to more enquiries, of which, many turn into sales. If your business operates in different areas with other clubs, sponsor them as ask the volunteer to send a link to your local service area webpage.
How to Choose a Football Team to Sponsor
Search for the local football clubs
Some towns or cities have more than one club, so your website can receive maximum benefit with a bit of research. Compile a list of clubs and copy the website address into Ahref’s Backlink Checker. The club with the highest Domain Rating (DR) looks more favourable.
Request a breakdown of the features
Ask the volunteer who’s in charge of sponsorships, and sometimes, communications, what sponsorship opportunities they have and what’s included in them. Ignoring the cost for a moment, focus on what you’re getting. If sponsors are featured on the website as a minimum, this is a good one. However, if sponsors are featured on the website, social media and newsletters, this is a great one. Go with it! If you’ve got a budget of more than a thousand, look to choose a package with clubhouse, pitch boards and kits promotion. You’ll more than likely receive the digital promotion as well.
Summary
The top three benefits of sponsoring a football team include a gentle form of promotion, low player admissions, thus supporting the families in the community struggling financially, and higher website rankings. As a result, your business builds brand awareness online and offline, leading to increased enquiries and sales throughout the season.