What is a reasonable sponsorship fee?

August 24, 2010 1:14 PM

What is the going rate for "beer league" sponsorship?

The guys and I are putting together a winter men's league hockey team. We'd like to hit up a small list of local bars for sponsorship. We're going to ask the bars we frequent but we have no idea how much we should be asking for.

Does anyone out here have a sponsored softball, basketball, ice hockey, or any other team? How much is a reasonable request for jerseys with "team some bar" on them and a loyal client base of guys who drink like hockey players?

posted by cmfletcher to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)

Best answer: My team asked that they buy the uniforms for the league maximum number allowed on the team. It is a softball team with jersey tops only. I think it was about $500 total and we agreed to wear them for at least 2 years of play. I know one of the other teams in our league has the bar pay the entry fee. I have to say that the bar in which we drink like old men softball players (much like hockey players) sponsors another team in the league so they give us a lot of free pitchers and buckets of wings. Probably comes out to be about $250-$350 worth of freebies over the course of the season.

I would ask them to pay for an item like the entry fee. That way they see where the cash is going and feel like they have a direct connection. Simply giving cash, they might think you guys are going to spend some of that at another bar. Since cash is fungible, the amount each guy saves from that can be used towards buying your own jerseys, socks, etc. On my hockey team, since the goalie did not pay (inducement to come have a real hard disk shot at you at 90+ mph) we had to cover him as well.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:43 PM on August 24, 2010

Best answer: Ask for Entry Fees for the league. Softball around here is around $400. every couple you can probably hit them up for jerseys, like the First year for sure. Some bars are cooler than others. One that sponsored a team of mine demanded at least 10 players/people to show up after each game, and cut us no deal what so ever. Needless to say we didn't make numbers and moved on. It really depends on the bar that you frequent/ hope to get sponsored by. Some owners are cool, and some are not.
posted by Amby72 at 2:16 PM on August 24, 2010

Every couple Years I mean. The bar will want to get you jerseys so it has their name on it, the advertising that you provide. If they are in good with the local beer company reps, many of them can get you pretty cheap jerseys and gear with beer logos on it too.
posted by Amby72 at 2:19 PM on August 24, 2010

Response by poster: League fees are going to run over $5,000 for the team. That's not going to work.

I'd be happy with the sponsor covering the cost of uniforms for 2 years. Jerseys and socks can easily eat up that money. If they throw in a few pitchers in exchange so be it. For 15 skaters and a goalie that will be in the $500-$700 range. I'll let you guys know how it works out.

Our goalie doesn't pay either. He expects us defensemen to watch his back too!
posted by cmfletcher at 9:07 PM on August 24, 2010

Response by poster: Here's an update on the question. We spoke to the owner of a bar that a few of go to after work and to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs. He's agreed to fund the cost of quality jerseys with the bar logo and colors. In exchange we're going to have 2-3 team nights out at the bar. One to host the party where the jerseys are distributed, wind down before the holidays or catch a flyers game, and one at the conclusion of the season.

We got about $1,000 for a jersey budget and he's talking to his beer distributors to see if they might be able to kick in for a logo patch on the sleeve.

Thanks everyone!
posted by cmfletcher at 1:49 PM on September 1, 2010