Discussion: Sponsors in Orienteering

I was wondering what people's opinions are about sponsors in orienteering. Obviously it isn't a sport with enough money to provide many fully professional orienteers. Still I would expect discounted shoe deals to be common. What companies could sponsor an orienteer and what level do you need to achieve in order to get sponsored?

Sponsors: Silva
Level achieved: Awesome

Why would you sponsor orienteers? they are the thriftiest things, spend less than $100 on equipment per year, and keep complaining that $15 is too much for an event!

While T/D may be correct, perhaps that is not the answer you are looking for.

If people are looking to get sponsored (as orienteers) they may want to stop looking at Nike and maybe at some off-the-run sponsors, such as small businesses/family run enterprises. They may not have the $100K contracts, but know what it means to be entrepreneurial and chase a dream. You'd be surprised at how many of them may open their pocketbooks. You'd have to do more legwork, but this is orienteering after all, not NASCAR.

T/D > $100 is one pair of good training shoes. I think elite runners probably go through shoes a bit quicker than one pair per year.

@Nixon, there is this all important K after the 100 :)

Ask not what the shoe companies can do for you, but what you can do for the shoe companies! (Hint: it involves selling shoes).

There's no reason NA elites can't get Pro-Deals from their local running stores if there's a connection between a club and a retailer. (Pro-Deal = Cost - 10%)

@ Nikolay, I was refering to T/D's post where he says the average orienteer spends $100 :)

Orienteers spend a fair amount of money on travel (to A-Meets, even to local meets, and for business and personal reasons). In terms of equipment, MTBO is the type of orienteering with the highest cost, and therefore the most sponsorship potential.

What companies could sponsor an orienteer and what level do you need to achieve in order to get sponsored?

Inov8 has a sponsorship team in the US and has been known to give US orienteers free shoes. Compete at a high level in the US and free stuff is quite attainable. Cash isn't so easy...

Is MTBO really the type of orienteering with the highest cost? Citation? I haven't done much mtbo, but I'd think ski-o would take the top step if you're talking about paying full retail for equipment. If you assume ~$2000 for a decent bike, that only gets you ~3 pair of skis with a stonegrind, and that doesn't include bindings, boots, poles, wax, waxing equipment. How frequently do MTBOers break their bikes? I've never had to replace my mtb frame. I've broken many skis, and you can't just get a new part for that.

Presumably you then have to come on here and tell us inov8 shoes are great so we all run out and buy a pair. Which is much easier than when youse were sponsored by K-Swiss :)

Toyota has a lot more total sales than Bugatti, despite the latter's average retail price being many times the former. (In other words, Bugatti doesn't have greater revenues than Toyota because their equipment costs more.)

Let's not conveniently forget important factors in our equations. That's for later this evening, I believe.

I would say that if you're hoping to get free hand-outs, then you had better be winning just about everything is sight, non-stop, and be a sufficient personality that a company would be interested in sponsoring you. Also you may wish to consider taking up snowboarding instead.

However, if you want to try and get some nice discounts, that's very achievable. Nevin is exactly right that the way to do it is to either approach a local running shop, or approach a brand you have an affinity for, in conjunction with the local shop. Naturally, all brands want to translate their investment into better sales, which is generally equal to how well those things sell in the retail shops.

For example, in Canada, inov-8 is generally receptive to supporting orienteers. However, the only way they will do it is through their retailers, and then the retailers would extend that discount to you. If you do it far enough ahead of time, then they'd add your order to their booking order, and that would be of benefit to the retailers and the distributors. inov-8 would be pleased to know that the shoes they are giving out for cheap are being used in an area where there is potential for others to notice, and then be able to buy their product at their retailers ("Nope, you can't buy these at the Running Room!"). Off the top of my head, I'm pretty sure you can make the same thing happen for Icebug, Rudy Project, CEP, CompresSport, Zoot, and will likely be successful with many others.

In terms of performance level, our shop is not quite so concerned about how good you are, as much as how hard you're working to achieve you're goals. You don't have to be supremely talented, but if you're training a lot, are involved in the club, racing a bunch and can represent the brand and the store positively, you're in business. We sponsor one girl who is in no way the best, but trains hard and everybody likes her.

So, its actually quite easy. Find brands you like, make a nice little athletic CV and cover letter, and send 'em out. If you have a nearby local shop, go and chit chat with them too. It helps if you're a regular customer!

I daresay that you should eliminate all thoughts of actually getting money from anyone though. Again, take up snowboarding. Or skydiving from space.

When someone is marketable as an athlete (or actor or singer or dancer or etc.)- they contact you and offer sponsorship, not the other way around...

Also you don't have to be awesome to get sponsorship. Anna Kournikova was never ranked higher then #8 but somehow I sense she got more money from sponsors then some #1 ranked players.

Someone get Justin Bieber a compass!

no need for a compass since he has his own map.

http://img.skitch.com/20100515-tqkceiar38j9tc2h4th...

You can always count on Hammer to have the Justin Bieber intel!

Gil - don't ask, don't get. I was in a really terrible AR team once that somehow got sponsorship. It was pretty terrible sponsorship mind you, but more than they would have gotten if not for asking.

Being in orienteering, it is unlikely that any company has ever heard of you to want to give you sponsorship.

@tRicky - I guess that works if someone is just looking to supplement their hobby and there is nothing wrong with that approach. I was more referencing to sponsorship opportunities that allow someone to become full time professional but I guess it was not really a theme of this thread.

Nixon's observation that elite orienteers go through more than one pair of $100 shoes per year is correct. As, I believe, is mine that there aren't any elite orienteers at the $10 events I sometimes show up at, and a good number of attendees are wearing $20 soccer cleats.

It is true that elite orienteers in North America are not likely to find enough sponsorship to keep them in the style to which they would like to become accustomed.
However it is possible to find money. A man I know in Ottawa qualified several times for the Canadian age-class triathlon team going to the World Championships - back when it meant something to qualify. He got all or most of his expenses paid the old fashioned way. He got out and approached people and businesses to sponsor him. No one company or group was asked for a lot but he turned over a lot of stones, finding $100 here, $500 there, etc.
His secret: He asked. He asked friends, he asked businesses, he asked service clubs knowing that they have funds to support local athletes and others in need. It is a truism in business that "if you don't ask you won't get".

Don't steal my line.