Every month or so I receive a newspaper-like publication, courtesy of my
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) District 17 membership, called Cycle
USA. It’s a collaboration of sorts, covering regional motocross and off-road
motorcycle racing events in several AMA districts in the upper Midwest. Stories
are contributed by a host of writers, each with their own individual styles and
one common characteristic: sponsors always get their props.
The first mention of a racer in an article goes something like this: "Phil
McCracken's Amsoil-Red Bull-FMF-Renthal-WD40-Bic Pen-Uncle Bill's Cigs & Live Bait
KTM 250SX finished a close second place to overall winner Harry Butz and his Pro
Circuit-MX Tech-ProGrip-Slim Jim-Porky Barn CR250."
As a young, aspiring racer, I would have assumed that Harry Butz had won
enough races to be showered with free goodies from Pro Circuit and all-you-can-
eat beef jerky from Slim Jim. For some riders, that just may be the case. But if he
rides at any level south of the Pro class, it's a safe bet Phil McCracken isn't
getting anything free, no matter what his lengthy list of sponsors might
suggest. Why? Business, baby. Sponsorship is all about moving product. I'll
explain, but first a little personal history on the subject.
I first tried my hand at sponsorship after the 2002 season, in which I won the
Open B class of the Missouri Hare Scrambles Championship (MHSC). The Internet
provided plenty of advice on how to contact companies, how to present a racing
resume and what type of message to convey. Much of the advice suggested
stressing the concept of being a role model and promoter of the industry. I
already had my own website that was gaining popularity among my racing
colleagues and felt that there was no better way for me to promote the sport,
so I had to be a shoe-in for sponsorship, right?
Not exactly.
I sent about 10 resumes to companies like FMF, Race Tech, and others whose
products I'd used and enjoyed. I did my research, found the individuals who I
thought would be most sympathetic to my cause, and forwarded my work. My
message was simple, yet eloquent: I liked their products, used them regularly,
was a role model for our sport, and would give them free advertising on my
website. The results? Absolutely nothing. Not a single response.
Earlier that year I'd had another poor experience with a slightly different form of
sponsorship from a local motorcycle dealership. Prior to the start of the MHSC
season, the dealer had mailed postcards advertising certain dollar discounts on
parts and accessories for finishing in the top 3 of most classes at any given
race. Anyone who bought a motorcycle at this dealership and raced it in the
series was eligible. The program seemed more generous than anything I'd ever
heard coming from a dealership, so I called to get the scoop. They confirmed
everything described on the postcard, so a month later I drove 40 miles to the
dealership with a handful of trophies, expecting to claim about $100 of
discounts. Naturally, the postcard (and the guy on the other end of the phone)
neglected to mention one key caveat: the motorcycle had to have been a brand
new purchase of a current year model. I'd bought my motorcycle from them a
couple years earlier. No discounts for me.
Kawasaki's contingency program for the MHSC worked the same way. Anyone
who knows me well should know that while I always buy dirt bikes new, I rarely
pay top dollar for a current year model. Leftover floor models are my bikes of
choice, but they do little for obtaining contingency money. For some reason
Kawasaki doesn't think a brand new 2004 KX250, debuted in the 2006 season,
does much for their marketing effort. Go figure. I discovered this indirectly after
registering for the program in 2004 (racing a new '03 KX250) and never saw a
penny of Kawasaki contingency bucks. In 2006, Kawasaki was a little more
forthcoming in their online registration, admitting that a 2004 KX250 wasn't
eligible for the program.
Enter Sponsorhouse.com
A few years ago, RocketRacing.net's Jim Walker mentioned he'd obtained
sponsors through a website called sponsorhouse.com. It links up those looking
for sponsors with those who have sponsorships to give. The process is
effectively the same as traditional methods – prepare a resume and send it out
to companies – but the website handles the flow of sponsorship applications
and offers from sponsors. Signing up for the service is just a matter of following
instructions and deciding how much you want to pay for various levels of access
to sponsors (I chose the next-to-most-basic access and paid $15 for the
service). Once enrolled, you prepare a resume using the sponsorhouse.com
format, upload pictures of yourself if you want to, and then review sponsor lists.
Each sponsor (FMF, Twin Air, Renthal, etc.) has its own profile, and if they're
accepting applications, one click of the mouse gets you to a page with a cover
letter format. After writing a brief message to the company, in which you explain
why you want sponsorship, it's forwarded to the company electronically.
I signed up for sponsorhouse.com a little late in the application "season"
(November/December is a good time to start; I began applying in February) but
was still successful in obtaining an offer from Renthal. The offer was a 35%
discount on Renthal products. Not exactly a showering of free stuff, but a
respectable offer in my first attempt. Most of the discount mail order companies
sell Renthal products about 15% below retail price, so it seemed, on the
surface, to be a nice deal. But there were conditions. Naturally, I had to plaster
Renthal stickers over certain parts of the bike. Easy enough. I also had to use
Renthal sprockets, grips, and handlebars, which makes sense. The first two
items have been bike essentials for years, but handlebars, not so much. Back in
the days when Renthal was primarily a crossbar-handlebar company, I switched
over to Tag's thicker, tapered bars with no crossbar. Anyone with a Scotts
steering damper can tell you why it's so much easier to use when there's no
crossbar in the way. A creature of habit, I've stuck with Tag. However, to abide
by the Renthal contract, I'd have to buy a $65 set of Renthal "Fatbars" (tapered
and crossbar-less, like Tag). After reading that provision in the contract, I was
less enamored with the idea of sponsorship. Mostly, it comes down to
economics.
Let's do some math.
A typical sprocket combo from Renthal retails for $90 (this is with the "standard"
countershaft sprocket, not the more expensive Ultralite). The mail order
companies usually sell the sprockets for 15% under retail, or $75. The Renthal
35% discount takes the price down to $59. If I buy two sets of sprockets each
year, I save $16 each time, or $32 for the year.
As for grips, Renthal's basic sets retail for $13 and can usually be bought for $10
through the same discount sources. A 35% discount gets you down to $8.50. As
with sprockets, I go through a couple pairs of grips each season, so I'm saving
$1.50 each time ($3 total).
Bottom line, I save $35/year on the stuff I actually want to buy for the bike. But
to get that discount, I’d have to spend $65 for handlebars I don’t want or need.
Now obviously, it's unlikely Renthal would ever know the difference if I used
their handlebars or otherwise, but somewhere, intertwined within my
propensity for favorable economics (read: cheapness), I do have a conscience.
Twin Air also came through with an offer, this one a 40% discount on filters. As
with the Renthal offer, the actual economic benefit of the deal is marginal, but
the conditions were very manageable. I have to put a Twin Air sticker on my
bike and agree not to use any other brand of air filter. So look at me folks, my
KX250 is now a Twin Air Kawasaki KX250. I got sponsorship!
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) District 17 membership, called Cycle
USA. It’s a collaboration of sorts, covering regional motocross and off-road
motorcycle racing events in several AMA districts in the upper Midwest. Stories
are contributed by a host of writers, each with their own individual styles and
one common characteristic: sponsors always get their props.
The first mention of a racer in an article goes something like this: "Phil
McCracken's Amsoil-Red Bull-FMF-Renthal-WD40-Bic Pen-Uncle Bill's Cigs & Live Bait
KTM 250SX finished a close second place to overall winner Harry Butz and his Pro
Circuit-MX Tech-ProGrip-Slim Jim-Porky Barn CR250."
As a young, aspiring racer, I would have assumed that Harry Butz had won
enough races to be showered with free goodies from Pro Circuit and all-you-can-
eat beef jerky from Slim Jim. For some riders, that just may be the case. But if he
rides at any level south of the Pro class, it's a safe bet Phil McCracken isn't
getting anything free, no matter what his lengthy list of sponsors might
suggest. Why? Business, baby. Sponsorship is all about moving product. I'll
explain, but first a little personal history on the subject.
I first tried my hand at sponsorship after the 2002 season, in which I won the
Open B class of the Missouri Hare Scrambles Championship (MHSC). The Internet
provided plenty of advice on how to contact companies, how to present a racing
resume and what type of message to convey. Much of the advice suggested
stressing the concept of being a role model and promoter of the industry. I
already had my own website that was gaining popularity among my racing
colleagues and felt that there was no better way for me to promote the sport,
so I had to be a shoe-in for sponsorship, right?
Not exactly.
I sent about 10 resumes to companies like FMF, Race Tech, and others whose
products I'd used and enjoyed. I did my research, found the individuals who I
thought would be most sympathetic to my cause, and forwarded my work. My
message was simple, yet eloquent: I liked their products, used them regularly,
was a role model for our sport, and would give them free advertising on my
website. The results? Absolutely nothing. Not a single response.
Earlier that year I'd had another poor experience with a slightly different form of
sponsorship from a local motorcycle dealership. Prior to the start of the MHSC
season, the dealer had mailed postcards advertising certain dollar discounts on
parts and accessories for finishing in the top 3 of most classes at any given
race. Anyone who bought a motorcycle at this dealership and raced it in the
series was eligible. The program seemed more generous than anything I'd ever
heard coming from a dealership, so I called to get the scoop. They confirmed
everything described on the postcard, so a month later I drove 40 miles to the
dealership with a handful of trophies, expecting to claim about $100 of
discounts. Naturally, the postcard (and the guy on the other end of the phone)
neglected to mention one key caveat: the motorcycle had to have been a brand
new purchase of a current year model. I'd bought my motorcycle from them a
couple years earlier. No discounts for me.
Kawasaki's contingency program for the MHSC worked the same way. Anyone
who knows me well should know that while I always buy dirt bikes new, I rarely
pay top dollar for a current year model. Leftover floor models are my bikes of
choice, but they do little for obtaining contingency money. For some reason
Kawasaki doesn't think a brand new 2004 KX250, debuted in the 2006 season,
does much for their marketing effort. Go figure. I discovered this indirectly after
registering for the program in 2004 (racing a new '03 KX250) and never saw a
penny of Kawasaki contingency bucks. In 2006, Kawasaki was a little more
forthcoming in their online registration, admitting that a 2004 KX250 wasn't
eligible for the program.
Enter Sponsorhouse.com
A few years ago, RocketRacing.net's Jim Walker mentioned he'd obtained
sponsors through a website called sponsorhouse.com. It links up those looking
for sponsors with those who have sponsorships to give. The process is
effectively the same as traditional methods – prepare a resume and send it out
to companies – but the website handles the flow of sponsorship applications
and offers from sponsors. Signing up for the service is just a matter of following
instructions and deciding how much you want to pay for various levels of access
to sponsors (I chose the next-to-most-basic access and paid $15 for the
service). Once enrolled, you prepare a resume using the sponsorhouse.com
format, upload pictures of yourself if you want to, and then review sponsor lists.
Each sponsor (FMF, Twin Air, Renthal, etc.) has its own profile, and if they're
accepting applications, one click of the mouse gets you to a page with a cover
letter format. After writing a brief message to the company, in which you explain
why you want sponsorship, it's forwarded to the company electronically.
I signed up for sponsorhouse.com a little late in the application "season"
(November/December is a good time to start; I began applying in February) but
was still successful in obtaining an offer from Renthal. The offer was a 35%
discount on Renthal products. Not exactly a showering of free stuff, but a
respectable offer in my first attempt. Most of the discount mail order companies
sell Renthal products about 15% below retail price, so it seemed, on the
surface, to be a nice deal. But there were conditions. Naturally, I had to plaster
Renthal stickers over certain parts of the bike. Easy enough. I also had to use
Renthal sprockets, grips, and handlebars, which makes sense. The first two
items have been bike essentials for years, but handlebars, not so much. Back in
the days when Renthal was primarily a crossbar-handlebar company, I switched
over to Tag's thicker, tapered bars with no crossbar. Anyone with a Scotts
steering damper can tell you why it's so much easier to use when there's no
crossbar in the way. A creature of habit, I've stuck with Tag. However, to abide
by the Renthal contract, I'd have to buy a $65 set of Renthal "Fatbars" (tapered
and crossbar-less, like Tag). After reading that provision in the contract, I was
less enamored with the idea of sponsorship. Mostly, it comes down to
economics.
Let's do some math.
A typical sprocket combo from Renthal retails for $90 (this is with the "standard"
countershaft sprocket, not the more expensive Ultralite). The mail order
companies usually sell the sprockets for 15% under retail, or $75. The Renthal
35% discount takes the price down to $59. If I buy two sets of sprockets each
year, I save $16 each time, or $32 for the year.
As for grips, Renthal's basic sets retail for $13 and can usually be bought for $10
through the same discount sources. A 35% discount gets you down to $8.50. As
with sprockets, I go through a couple pairs of grips each season, so I'm saving
$1.50 each time ($3 total).
Bottom line, I save $35/year on the stuff I actually want to buy for the bike. But
to get that discount, I’d have to spend $65 for handlebars I don’t want or need.
Now obviously, it's unlikely Renthal would ever know the difference if I used
their handlebars or otherwise, but somewhere, intertwined within my
propensity for favorable economics (read: cheapness), I do have a conscience.
Twin Air also came through with an offer, this one a 40% discount on filters. As
with the Renthal offer, the actual economic benefit of the deal is marginal, but
the conditions were very manageable. I have to put a Twin Air sticker on my
bike and agree not to use any other brand of air filter. So look at me folks, my
KX250 is now a Twin Air Kawasaki KX250. I got sponsorship!
| "I'm thinking about approaching Yamaha, KTM, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and even Husky for sponsorship. I will threaten to ride their equipment if they don't pay me something to stay on the Honda." --Jeff Smith |
This should save me $5, maybe even $10 a year.
| The Sponsorship Story |
From the 2006 archives