I know you’ve dreamed of it.
Getting sponsored by Manto, Keiko, Shoyoroll, Atama, Moya Brand, etc. etc. but what exactly does it take to get sponsored by big name companies?
Maybe you don’t want a big gear company, maybe you want a certain restaurant or a hair pomade company to keep that pompador hair looking good. (Dan Hubler has some amazing hair)
Do you have what it takes? Are you willing to do what it takes for that sponsorship? (No TLI)
I mean, does anyone really know what a company looks for when deciding whether or not they’re going to sponsor a competitor?
We here at Grapplers Review set out on a mission to find out what the top companies are looking for in their athletes as well as sponsored competitors telling us their experiences and giving us tips on how to get you sponsored. We talked to the who’s who in the Jiu Jitsu world from up and coming competitors/brands to established legends and wanted the COLD HARD TRUTH when it came to getting sponsored.
Before we get into the portion of how you go about securing that coveted sponsorship you need to ask yourself a few questions….
1) Why do you want a sponsorship?
Just like the question asks…why do you want a sponsorship? Are you looking for money? To say you have one? To look cool to your training partners?
This is something you HAVE to really ask yourself. A sponsorship isn’t exactly something to joke about. You will have responsibilities to fulfill and quotas to make. It takes effort on your part to earn the trust of a company and you damn sure don’t want to lose it because you flaked out.
2) What kind of a sponsorship are you looking for?
Money…gear….recognition from said company? Another tough question you have to come to ask yourself. Figure out what you want from a sponsorship with a company before jumping in the waters.
If you apply for a sponsorship to a company with no real idea of what you’re looking for then you will find yourself quickly being turned down.
3) Is said company representing what you believe in?
If the companies mission or beliefs isn’t what you’re about then why even bother applying?
What good would it be for you to be their sponsored athlete if you don’t even like what they’re about?
4) Does the company have your best interest in mind?
This is something that no one actually thinks about when it comes to sponsorships.
What is the companies goal for you? Are they going to be there for the ups and downs of your career, helping you along and being a positive influence or are they just wanting to use you to build their name?
These are just four options for what you really need to ask yourself before considering a sponsorship. Think very hard before you apply for a sponsorship or accept one.
Now lets take a look at what you will need in order to gain the upper hand when applying for a sponsorship, whether you’re a high level competitor or the average mat rat looking to cut some costs on cool gear or get an entry fee or two paid.
First off lets talk about Your Resume.