Corporate sponsor?

[Lawrence Carella]

I am hoping people who have gotten their league a sponsor to add money into the prize fund will be willing to share their secrets.

On Long Island (NY) we have leagues who are sponsored by Coor's Light, or Bud Light to name a few. How can I even begin to talk to companies to see if they will contribute to my league and if I do, what would be a return benefit I can offer for them.

The only benefit I could offer would be maybe increased cheap advertising on our league standing sheets, advertisements for the league, or on the uploaded standings list.

[drinaman]

Our bowling center has a electronic marquee on the busy road outside the bowling center. We arranged a corporate sponsor (an HMO) who agreed to contribute to our prize fund and also pay the bowling center owner a fee to advertise on the marquee during a one month open enrollment period!

[Lawrence Carella]

Thanks for the response.

Our center is very vanilla and while it does have a electronic sign inside, the league is not run by the house so getting the 2 sides (league vs house) to cooporate is gonna be tricky.

[Angel Zobel-Rodriguez]

I heard of a scratch league in the NW a while back that was sponsored by a particular beer company. The league put in the rules that was the official beer of the league, and any bowlers drinking a competitor's product were fined.

I'm sure people paid the fine to drink other beer, but it's essential for a league taking that type of sponsor's fee respects and reciprocates with the sponsor as much as possible. I wouldn't think it's too much to ask people to drink one beer over another if they pitch in several thousand bucks.

On the other hand, I bowled in a nightmare of a summer league sponsored by a mortgage broker. This was in the mid 90s when housing was slumping and rates weren't that great. At first the sponsor was asking any of us interested in buying homes to check them out, but then they were demanding the names and phone numbers of all our friends/coworkers. I don't care if they gave us a million bucks, they didn't have the right to harass the league.

[Lawrence Carella]

Well with the new season on the horizon in a few (ok 6) months I figure I would try again.

I am sending emails to a few local banks and distribution places in the area. I know some pro shops sponsor leagues and I believe they contribute $500 to the league. Would $500 be session, or $1,500 total be a good amount to ask a corporation for, or do you think I am cutting myself short (or asking for too much)?