Sponsorship Misconceptions
by Brad Tharp, Owner and Founder of FishingCareer.com

Today, as in the past, sponsorship programs play a vitally important role in the road to success for the tournament angler. With the rapid growth of the sport, companies often feel stretched to the limits by the never ending requests from anglers seeking sponsorship deals. Companies within the fishing industry are finding themselves turning down requests at a rate of 10,000 refusals to one acceptance.

While revenues received from tournament paybacks have increased substantially over the years, the entry fees have increased as well. Consistently placing in the money is still not enough income for the angler to maintain a living. Therefore cutting expenses through the use of sponsors continue to play a key role for the angler. With these companies stretching their advertising and promotional budgets to the limits, where does the fisherman go next for sponsors? I recommend outside the industry.

Due to the advent of many tournament changes in the last couple of years, such as the EverStart Series, FLW, B.A.S.S. WCF and the new for 2001 Wal Mart Bass Fishing League, many new doors are beginning to open. Companies that have nothing to do with FISHING are now looking our way to spend their advertising dollars. What do companies like Land-O-Lakes, Fuji and Lowe's Home Improvement Centers have in common with fishing? One thing, name recognition in an industry that is now Sixty Billion Dollars per year strong. Many more companies are on the sidelines waiting, watching and slowly beginning to gravitate in our direction. Through the FLW tournament program a third angler will soon take his place in history on the Wheaties cereal box.

What do these companies have to offer the angler? Cash, in turn for promotion. The angler of today will have to work smarter than ever at promoting himself and his sponsors. These promotional methods will take on a whole new appearance and design in the way that we work for these companies. New creative advertising will develop that no one has seen to date. TV commercials, the Internet, Ezine and Magazine Periodicals will find advertisers they never thought possible a few years ago. I see more and more local news sports anchors that include bass tournament results as a part of their weekly broadcast. This, along with what I have mentioned above, will open endless new doors for the angler pursuing potential sponsors and promotional avenues.

So fellow anglers, the misconception is this. Millions of companies are out there that do not sponsor anglers because they simply have never been approached. Until we, the fisherman, give them the opportunity to become represented within this growing industry, they will continue looking elsewhere to spend their advertising and promotional dollars. Companies currently involved in Nascar Racing, Professional Golf and Pro Bowling are always a good place to look for prospective sponsorship deals. If they are advertising in these sports, then they will look at fishing as well.

With a little research via the Internet, one can find a wealth of information surrounding a particular company and may even find the name of who to contact. If you contact a company and get a negative response, don't give up. Get back into research mode and find another contact within that company. You may find the person who is also an avid fisherman that can present your proposal to the marketing committee in a more favorable manor.

Involvement from these companies is possible and will not only benefit you the angler, but the fishing industry as a whole. Be persistent!

Brad Tharp Owner and Founder of fishingcareer.com
bt@fishingcareer.com