Sponsor me in skiing?

Question

ok so most people just say get noticed by doing competitons but i have been competing in moguls for 6 yrs. people dont just run over to you and become your sponsor. i live in colo and i moved here just for skiing alone, my parents quit their jobs and got new ones just so i could continue to compete at a higher level. skiing is expensive and having a sponsor would benefit me a lot but im not sure how to go about doing it, im going to send a letter to k2 but what should i write and what kind of pics should i send?

Answer 1

Have you won a lot in those 6 years? No offence, but if you aren't on the podium at the end of the day you'll never get a sponsor just by entering races.

Not to discourage you, but getting big name sponsors is a pretty hefty chore. You'd do better to create a relationship with smaller sponsors first. K2 gets THOUSANDS of sponsorship requests a season. Your chances of getting some cash for entry fees and free gear are better if you start with a smaller company or even your local ski shop.

The sponsorship game is all about relationships. If you don't know the local reps for K2, you should make that a priority. They won't get you a sponsorship either, but they have some corporate connections which may be of use to you. You'd be surprised at how much the social networking plays a part in this. Buying members of K2's demonstration team rounds of shots at a big Apres-Ski party really helps.

What kind of competitions are you entering? If there is no media to see you, you will not get noticed. Look for an "Open" competition, enter it, and ski your tail off. In Vermont, we have the "Vermont Open" all it takes is an entry fee. Place well in some big comps and you can add that to the resume.

What kind of pictures? Good ones. Pix of you in mid-air actually doing a trick. Get a good photographer. Find someone who specializes in sports and ski photos. A professional shooter will make your pix look better than if they are taken by some lame-o with a point-and-shoot digital camera they bought at Wal-Mart.

Good Luck.

More: Age level might have something to do with it. Eliza Outtrim is #13 (as far as US skiers go) in Women's FIS World Cup Freestyle Rankings. Something tells me you are not her. But if you are skiing against others who are sponsored you should more than likely ask THEM who their contact people are. Also...if you are competing at that level, doesn't your coach have some ideas? Heck...I was a lousy racer...I mean bad, but even my HS coach had connections to get us some freebies and occasional entry fees and travel costs. We were never gonna be superstars or anything, but the local ski shops would throw some cash our way when we were going to state games and other HS competitions. Jeeze...start ragging your coach.

Answer 2

I was a really good mogul skier 2 billion years ago and I notice that even today,at my age (late 40's),  that I can do the airs most of the girls are doing. some are progressing with the sport, but a twister / spread was actually on TV last weekend. PLEASE...... my 360's are still better. (no Flippin' for me now) so with that said, really try to set yourself apart from everyone else by doing something different. also, you gotta have the marketable personality. notice how some winners don't get much press but the real nice , cute, girl-next-door- types can get press?  don't worry about sponsorships on hard goods exclusively..try soft goods and health products. put a thing on your helmet "this space for rent" "your name here" whatever.... you could try for kashi or some protien bar manufacturer, the hand warmer things, real estate firms, knee rehab clinics, let your imagination fly here. any company may want to help. just don't limit yourself to ski / boot / binding mfg. companies.

Answer 3

check out http://www.sponsorhouse.com. there arent a whole lot of huge companies there to sponsor you but its a good start.

Answer 4

Well... the guy above me pretty much nailed it, so he probably deserves the points. However, what I would add is to talk to your local shops. I don't race on skis, but I do race mountain bikes and even though I'm not that great, I'm on a local race team that is sponsored by several local stores. Maybe all they can throw your way is a bit of a discount or a free tune every now and again, but it's something.