I just wanted to see what you feel sponsorship is and what you think that you get when you are "sponsored".

I do not know if any of you are sponsored or not. but i am am curious to know what you would do for sponsorship. you can either answer some of the questions or just write down what you feel about this topic

would you:

1) wear a shirt or any piece of clothing to promote you sponsor?
2) display decals on your ? not big ones that costs hundreds but lets say 5x7. 2 of them. one one each side
3) would you promote that sponsor? talk about them at any and every show you attend
4) would you refuse other freebees from another similar sponsor until your sponsorhip time is up(usually a one year sponsor)
5) would you accept just a product sponsor? lets say just a car audio related product
6) would you accept a none car realated? lets say stay free maxi pads, or q tips, or H&R Block.etc
7) would you accept money? whether it be to pay for expenses. or just a good ole cheque made out to you to be happy and merry(to display the product

there are so many more, but i just would like to see what people would do or not do. cause here are the negative questions

1) would you receive sponmsorship from a product you wouldnt believe in or not trust( inferior power or lacking in power)
2) would you refuse sponsor or help from some one you know you dont like? wether it be a person or company?
3) would you receive it and lie about it or recieve it and tell the truth(if you didnt agree with it)
4) is there any product out there that you would refuse(cause you didnt use it or like it or thought it was inferior, car audio or not)


last but not least.
5) would you accept a sponsor knowing that you'd probably just do nothing with it just to get the freebee? lets say you got offered and amp and you knew you wouldnt compete anywhere with it.

thanks folks , im just really curious what most of you would do or not do. please excuse the spelling mistakes, but it was late at might and i am tired

[ March 06, 2005, 12:03 AM: Message edited by: Team Shadow ]

To give everyone a bit of a backround so you know where my answers are coming from. Last season I did everything on my own. Either paying 100% retail on everything or buying used. This year I'm getting a bit of help to run Fusion gear, but I still wouldn't say I'm "sponsored".

So here we go with the "Would I" questions

1) Sure.. I love wearing car audio gear, so wearing one for a sponsor is no big deal to me.

2) Decals wouldn't be a problem so long as it's not on my daily ride. I don't need "steal me" stickers everywhere. If I couldn't do stickers I'd offer to have a banner over the car for shows.

3) Of course I would promote the sponsor. They're doing me a favour and the whole reason for me to be there is to promote them. I would do the best possible job I could.

4) Refusing freebees from other companies is a bit tricky. I mean with Fusion they've asked I run their amps. Nothing was mentioned about subs. I'm going to do some testing and if I'm happy with their subs I'll run them, if only to be able to provide more exposure for them. Otherwise I'll run what I feel comfortable with. If it created a conflict though (ex. if I got another amp) I wouldn't run it. It just wouldn't be right.

5) Not sure what you mean by just a product sponsor. If you mean would I accept a sponsor for rims stuff, then I would consider it. It all depends on the details

6) I would accept a non car audio related but only if I were comfortable with it. Maxi pads? No!.. Pepsi? Yes ;) Again, I wouldn't be able to get behind something I wasn't comfortable with.

7) Would I accept money? Right now I'd say no. Paying for a meal or my hotel I'd be OK with. Just writing me a cheque? I'd probably just ask for product instead. I've got a job to pay the bills with. I'm there to advertise for them, they could probably use that money elsewhere. (sponsor someone else for ex). Who knows though. Find someone to offer me some money and I'll let you know ;)

Ok... now for the "negative" questions.

1) I wouldn't run product I wasn't happy with. I mean, I KNOW there are better amps than the amps I'm running this year. But I know Fusion is coming out with better product and they're heading in the right direction. Not to mention the fact that I have a TONNE of respect for the guy that hooked me up. Besides, they way I see it is that it's not the gear that is holding me back right now, it's my knowledge and install.

2) Yes, I would refuse sponsorship from a person or company I didn't like. I'm just not the type of person who could do the BS'ing.

3) If I received it and didn't like it I would let my contact with the company know. If they can offer some sort of help I would pass that on to people. If their answer was "just shut up and deal with it" I would probably stop running the gear.

4) Yes, there is product I would refuse to run. In fact there are a couple of companies I wouldn't run right now. I won't mention names, but I just don't get a "good feeling" from the company.

5) No, I wouldn't accept a sponsorship and then not do anything with it. The way I see it is if you're accepting a sponsorship you're giving someone your word that you will do something for them in return. If you don't keep up your end of the deal then you've broekn your word. (and if you don't have your word, you have nothing)

[ March 06, 2005, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: JordyO ]

Well writen response Jordy. I think this would be a model reply for SPL or SQ.

Adam

Ive went ahead and sponsored myself...

You have to jump through MANY hoops if you expect to get anything for free....

jordy that is an awesome response. would be my exact ideal response basicly.. no beating around the bush on that stype of stuff.


Livin Loud

I'd be more than willing to put big window stickers on my car for shows, as long as they're willing to provide a set for each show, as I will not have them on my car every day.

Great stuff. now that you see all these questions and see them answered. what amount would it take to make you stop working in what your doing, to build a car and make a competition vehicle?

30 000? 300 000? 1 000 000?. an open cheque to build a winner from scratch. to cover you for one year and to make a record breaker? all product of thier choosing and you get to design it and make it happen. to compete with for one season. youd have to quit your work to do this for one year. build from oct to may and compete from may to oct. one full year. remember take into account that it would have to cover you for one full year and for you to leave your current job to dedicate to one year and then try to find a job at the end cause your original job is no longer there.

All expenses covered and all vehicle and transportation and all. what figure would make you do that? someone throw some numbers out. spl or sq. and to finish at finals with one of top three spots.

[ March 06, 2005, 02:55 PM: Message edited by: Team Shadow ]

The problem is no one can guarantee a top three finish with any amount of money and support. The only people with a deal like that was Gary Biggs and Mark Eldridge with JBL. And Mark Eldridge is no longer with JBL.

so you'd refuse it. or give it a try? That is what i mean. would you try. cause this could potentially ruin your name or not. Thats is what im after., would you put your name/reputatiion/skills on the line? whether it be for a small sponsorship. or a massive one? knowing that it might or might be good or bad.

[ March 06, 2005, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: Team Shadow ]