Gary Gray
01-26-2001, 08:14 AM
I think I have read about every post on this board ref sponsors, and Reality checks. Some I agree with, and some I don't. Everyone is entitled to their opinion! So, here is mine.
I have fished tournaments for about 17 years now, and it is a very slow, but a up hill battle. At every seminar that I have done, I have always been asked about sponsors. I think it is the most asked question out there. Reason being, everyone who fish's, is competitive. Whether it be against your partner in the boat, the guy next to you, or the tournament that happened last weekend. I have heard it many times, " I could have won that tournament if I would have been in it". So, what do we all tell everyone, : get in, have some fun". That's where it all starts from!
Then comes the sponser, the angler, and the relationship! It all starts at the bottom line, we go to a company, ask for a handout, and usually got the standard answer," I get so many requests for sponsorship, that I have to spread it out a little" This is what happens when you connect with most companies. I am one of those guys who has decals on my new truck, so it is not holding the truck together, or covering up the rust spots. It is simply ads for my sponor's. I put it there because of loyalty, not because someone has given me a decal. I have only changed 4 sponsors in 12 years, My boat, which now for the past 5 yrs is a Yar Craft, myTruck, Dodge, Planner Boards/Off Shore, and now Storm/Normark. The worst problem with sponsors at major corporations is, they change people like we change shorts. Every year it is a up hill battle, just to keep up with who is now in charge. A good example is, I have been with Storm for 11 years, then Normark bought it, was still there, got to finally know who is who, then they make a change, and I got a letter say cuts had been made, and I was one of them, I called the Regional manager, and he knew nothing about it, But it was fact. So I am no longer with Normark/Storm, and I know I was responsible for creating a Million dollar market for them. Is that Loyalty? I know I was! Gary Roach is also no longer with them, think about it! I do only endorse, and pronote products that I believe in, and I will always. This does not mean that I will never fish a storm lure or a shad Rap again, they are great baits.
Sponsors are what you make them out to be, and what they make you out to be. It is a joint venture by both parties, and loyalty should be a big factor. The best advice I can give anyone, is be honest, be loyal, pick and choose your sponsers, after all they will pick and choose you. LOYALTY: I am proud to be on Mercury Marines National fishing team, and here is why: When I was 8 years old, I use to have a Setline on the Fox River in Oshkosh, we caught catfish, and sold them. This was a summer job so to speak. One day, when I was checking my setline, the test boats from Mercury came racing down the river about 35mph, that was fast back then. When the boat came past me, it hooked my line, and I got a hook in my wrist. I ended up going to the hospital and all that to have it removed. When I got home, there was a note for me to call a Mr. Carl Kiekaeffer, which I did. He told me to row my boat up river the next morning to their test docks, but be there at 8:00am. I did, and I got a Grand tour of Mercury. Carl took me around the whole plant, gave me dounuts and milk, and then we went back out to the test dock, where my 16ft Thompson wood boat was tied up. On the back of my boat was a Brand New 10 hp Mercury motor, I looked at him, and he said," now go catch some fish". By the way, Carl Kiekaeffer was the owner, of Mercury Marine. I have run Mercury motors since!
The biggest problem out there in this business is,everyone wants to be sponsored by most of the same companies. Don't just try to get a sponsorship from a company because your buddy has. Most of these companies have so many people, that everything is spread real thin. I am not picking on Northland, or John Peterson, I know John and he is a great guy, but if you asked him how many people he sponsor's with just product, it would be many, ask him how many he pay's, it would be few. I am only using Northland aS AN EXAMPLE, They are a Great Company, and make great products. But that's business.
I think if you are starting out, you should start with local sponsorship. I have 5 local sponsors, and they are great, look at Resturants, Sport shops, car dealships, Places that you patronise, and most will help you, because they want your business. Look around you, there are getting to be a lot of outside the industry sponsers out there, so they must think this fishing game is GETTING BIGGER!
Good Luck, and good Fishing, Be honest, and Loyal,
Gary Gray
I have fished tournaments for about 17 years now, and it is a very slow, but a up hill battle. At every seminar that I have done, I have always been asked about sponsors. I think it is the most asked question out there. Reason being, everyone who fish's, is competitive. Whether it be against your partner in the boat, the guy next to you, or the tournament that happened last weekend. I have heard it many times, " I could have won that tournament if I would have been in it". So, what do we all tell everyone, : get in, have some fun". That's where it all starts from!
Then comes the sponser, the angler, and the relationship! It all starts at the bottom line, we go to a company, ask for a handout, and usually got the standard answer," I get so many requests for sponsorship, that I have to spread it out a little" This is what happens when you connect with most companies. I am one of those guys who has decals on my new truck, so it is not holding the truck together, or covering up the rust spots. It is simply ads for my sponor's. I put it there because of loyalty, not because someone has given me a decal. I have only changed 4 sponsors in 12 years, My boat, which now for the past 5 yrs is a Yar Craft, myTruck, Dodge, Planner Boards/Off Shore, and now Storm/Normark. The worst problem with sponsors at major corporations is, they change people like we change shorts. Every year it is a up hill battle, just to keep up with who is now in charge. A good example is, I have been with Storm for 11 years, then Normark bought it, was still there, got to finally know who is who, then they make a change, and I got a letter say cuts had been made, and I was one of them, I called the Regional manager, and he knew nothing about it, But it was fact. So I am no longer with Normark/Storm, and I know I was responsible for creating a Million dollar market for them. Is that Loyalty? I know I was! Gary Roach is also no longer with them, think about it! I do only endorse, and pronote products that I believe in, and I will always. This does not mean that I will never fish a storm lure or a shad Rap again, they are great baits.
Sponsors are what you make them out to be, and what they make you out to be. It is a joint venture by both parties, and loyalty should be a big factor. The best advice I can give anyone, is be honest, be loyal, pick and choose your sponsers, after all they will pick and choose you. LOYALTY: I am proud to be on Mercury Marines National fishing team, and here is why: When I was 8 years old, I use to have a Setline on the Fox River in Oshkosh, we caught catfish, and sold them. This was a summer job so to speak. One day, when I was checking my setline, the test boats from Mercury came racing down the river about 35mph, that was fast back then. When the boat came past me, it hooked my line, and I got a hook in my wrist. I ended up going to the hospital and all that to have it removed. When I got home, there was a note for me to call a Mr. Carl Kiekaeffer, which I did. He told me to row my boat up river the next morning to their test docks, but be there at 8:00am. I did, and I got a Grand tour of Mercury. Carl took me around the whole plant, gave me dounuts and milk, and then we went back out to the test dock, where my 16ft Thompson wood boat was tied up. On the back of my boat was a Brand New 10 hp Mercury motor, I looked at him, and he said," now go catch some fish". By the way, Carl Kiekaeffer was the owner, of Mercury Marine. I have run Mercury motors since!
The biggest problem out there in this business is,everyone wants to be sponsored by most of the same companies. Don't just try to get a sponsorship from a company because your buddy has. Most of these companies have so many people, that everything is spread real thin. I am not picking on Northland, or John Peterson, I know John and he is a great guy, but if you asked him how many people he sponsor's with just product, it would be many, ask him how many he pay's, it would be few. I am only using Northland aS AN EXAMPLE, They are a Great Company, and make great products. But that's business.
I think if you are starting out, you should start with local sponsorship. I have 5 local sponsors, and they are great, look at Resturants, Sport shops, car dealships, Places that you patronise, and most will help you, because they want your business. Look around you, there are getting to be a lot of outside the industry sponsers out there, so they must think this fishing game is GETTING BIGGER!
Good Luck, and good Fishing, Be honest, and Loyal,
Gary Gray