It’s a gorgeous September day on the Gulf Coast. The sun shines down on the slick-as-glass Gulf of Mexico as hundreds of swimmers splash into the water for the 1,500-meter swimming leg of the Brett/Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon.
The Brett/Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon is in its 16th year with the vacation property company as the title sponsor. Naming rights for signature events are among the benefits for Gulf Shores | Orange Beach (GSOB) Sports & Events’ highest level of sponsorships. In the case of Brett/Robinson Vacation Rentals, it’s the diamond level.
“Brett/Robinson Vacations is our longest-standing annual sponsor and has been with us since the beginning,” says Michelle Russ, vice president of sales, sports, and events at GSOB Sports & Events.
GSOB Sports & Events understands the importance of bringing local businesses in as partners to attract quality sports events. The organization, created in 2005 and fully implemented in 2007, was born out of the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission for that purpose.
“We realized we needed to develop an annual sponsorship program to engage local businesses, giving them the opportunity for sports tourism buy-in and to create a revenue stream for our organization to enhance and grow events,” Russ says.
In 2007, GSOB Sports & Events developed its sponsorship program, first by creating a package structure and meeting with stakeholders in the community to pitch the program.
“Once we had solid buy-in—both conceptually and financially—we were able to grow and expand the program year over year,” Russ says.
The highest-level sponsors receive elevated benefits such as being the presenting or title sponsor of one GSOB Sports & Events-owned event with naming rights and their linkable logo included on each page of its website.
“We are looking for strategies and best practices used to attract and retain sponsors,” Russ says. “The best-laid strategies and practices take trial and error, time and creativity, and successful sponsorship programs are no different.”
Meaningful connections
Jon Schmieder, the founder/CEO of the Huddle Up Group, a sports consulting service, says developing a true partnership with sponsors creates a long-term connection.
“We believe the old school marketing in magazines, digital outreach, email blasts, signage, etc. is dead,” says Schmieder. “Sponsors want to be ‘partners’ and work with the property they fund to help them activate out-of-the-box programs for the sponsor’s brand.”
It takes a lot more creative thought and intention now than in years past to move the needle in creating a connection with potential customers and stakeholders in a meaningful way, he adds.
Average sponsorship levels change dramatically from one market to the next.
“We did a deep dive on naming rights deals a few years back and the results were all over the board,” says Schmeider. “The money and term length of the various deals were quite different from one location to the next. There wasn’t a lot of consistency for us to lean into on that front.”
The Huddle Up Group has a long reach, working with more than 400 destinations on an annual basis, explains Schmieder. Partners include sports commissions and CVBs, as well as sports governing bodies such as USA Rugby and USA BMX, and sports experiences like Ripken Baseball.
To Schmeider, consistent and intentional communication with partners is key.
“Trying to generate sponsorship revenue isn’t an event or a sale, it’s a process,” Schmieder says. “Consider it a journey and not a singular transaction. We like to use the ‘four touch rule’ in relationship building. That is making sure that you track the outreach to all of your key stakeholders and talk or meet with them one-on-one at least four times a year, so once a quarter.”
Schmieder said that in his days leading the Denver Sports Commission, they had a chart on the wall with each partner’s name on it and four boxes next to each name. When a staff member engaged with that partner, they put the date and location in the box and signed it.
“That way we were all monitoring who had been ‘touched’ and who was being ignored,” he says. “The development process really has to be just that, a process.”
For GSOB Sports & Events, annual sponsorships go from champion to diamond level, and range from $5,500 to $44,000, depending on the sponsor level selected. Half of the sponsorship may be paid with in-kind services used for site visits and promotions, and the cash portion can be billed quarterly.
Each sponsor, no matter the level, receives the following benefits:
- Listings on GSOB Sports & Events’ website promoting the sponsor business
- Enhanced website listings showcasing the sponsor business
- Direct marketing opportunities to provide special offers to participants
- Social promotions enticing followers and fans to visit sponsor social channels and websites
- Onsite event opportunities allowing sponsors to meet face-to-face with customers
- Business listing in printed Playbook, an annual welcome book distributed year-round to event participants
Staying in the loop
Russ says maintaining sponsorships and relationships is the same as any other sort of relationship: communication is key.
“As a team, we stay in contact with our sponsors throughout the year and continually change and enhance our benefits packages year over year to offer sponsors the best benefits possible per level,” she says.
GSOB Sports & Events has several ways of keeping sponsors in the loop. Each month, the organization sends an email exclusive to sponsors called Sponsor Recap, detailing economic impact numbers for the events held in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach from the month prior and highlighting opportunities for sponsors coming up. These opportunities include inviting sponsors onsite at events to engage with participants, submitting content for social media storytelling, and signing up to attend sponsor-specific events like its annual “Make the Most of Your Sponsorship.”
Schmieder wrote in a recent blog post about the importance of building “relationship bridges” with stakeholders, forming a long-term foundation to enhance the efforts of both parties.
“Be intentional and consistent. Book time to invest,” he wrote. “Build relationship bridges. Use them as foundations for future growth…would you rather focus on relationships or transactions? Relationships win every time.”
