'Sponsorships' for AM players?

D_Lewis

D_Lewis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ive been trying my best to find local businesses for small sponsorships with no success. Ive even sent out my sponsorship info to pool businesses that I support with my own money to try and work a deal out.

I dont ask them for cash, I dont ask them for free equipment, what I really want to do, is wear a logo of a company that I support in hopes of getting them more business by people seeing their logo. I know some people dont want the hassle of getting a logo shirt and would rather just make a monetary donation and Im fine with that. Every little bit helps with entry fee's, travel expenses, hotel rooms etc.

So, what Im trying to get to is, How do you go about getting a sponsorship for something like:
-discounted table time for practice
-cue work (tip installation, shaft sealing, weight changes, etc)
-a logo shirt to wear at tournaments, etc
-etc?

What should I be saying? What should I not be saying? Im going to Las Vegas this year in May for the APA National Singles tournament and Id like to be able to proudly wear a logo of a pool business that supports pool.

Help?!?
 
id like to hear some peoples opinion on this one too. i alwayswanted to do this too.
 
Maybe we should just go around saying "show me the money!"

But really, with travel, entry fees, cue product, food, gas and everything else..... who can afford to pay $10+/hour to practice the amount it takes to become good?
 
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Many pool rooms that I know of give their home league players team shirts. It is the least a pool room could do, considering the money a league team pays throughout the year and also a good way to advertise at bigger tournaments. I think the best things to do is talk to the owner and maybe get discounted time or maybe even free time during slow times. After all, you will be representing his pool room at nationals. I think you have it right-let him know that you will be at nationals and many, many people will see his logo.
 
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rossaroni said:
After all, you will be representing his pool room at nationals.
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Exactly what I was thinking. Our team went to Las Vegas this year for the 8 ball tournament for APA. We asked about team shirts from our local bar/pool hall that we play out of just to have them tell us that they arent interested in anything like that.

We give give give give give and they take take take take take and when we ask for something, they're 'not interested in anything like that' Even though us league players fill that place 5 days a week with league nights.
 
It's a great idea in theory for the player, but I'm not sure many room owners will agree. Most room owners and businesses are not convinced that by someone wearing their logo/business name will attract business. In fact alot of room owners seem "tight" with money and always complain of overhead costs and expenses. Unless business owners have the proof on paper to show how it will improve their income, most will not probably not be interested unless you are personally a close friend that they want to help out and see you succeed. Sad but true.
 
What I dont understand is that its a tax write off for businesses, especially if they purchase something with their logo on it. I know they foot the bill on it, but its not like they are just breaking even, dollar wise.
 
D_Lewis said:
Exactly what I was thinking. Our team went to Las Vegas this year for the 8 ball tournament for APA. We asked about team shirts from our local bar/pool hall that we play out of just to have them tell us that they arent interested in anything like that.

We give give give give give and they take take take take take and when we ask for something, they're 'not interested in anything like that' Even though us league players fill that place 5 days a week with league nights.
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Maybe it is time to find another place to play out of. That will probably help out too. After they see how much money they lose out on by not having you guys around, they may change their minds about supporting you guys. Maybe they can't afford to give you guys shirts, but it seems that they are just cheap and don't want to support you guys, the same way you guys support them week after week. Do they have shirts already for sale there?
 
D_Lewis said:
What I dont understand is that its a tax write off for businesses, especially if they purchase something with their logo on it. I know they foot the bill on it, but its not like they are just breaking even, dollar wise.
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for every tax write off there is a bigger income write off that comes with it, for example if the taxable income of the pool room and its owner is 40% he must also give up the other 60% that would have been his inome.
 
They have nice polo type shirts that the employees wear, those would even be sufficiant. Other then that, they dont sell shirts or logo'd merch.

I even emailed my playing cue company with my info and just asked if they even had a patch I could put on my case without a reply.

One company I sent an email to said they were not interested in pool in general but sent out a few stickers, atleast he replied to me, that was nice. (oakley)

Maybe people should make up a t-shirt reading "I sponsored myself to get here, thanks for nothing" and then using the logos of the people who could have easily helped but choose not to. Like your local league op, your APA/CPA pool room where you play 3-4 nights a week etc.
 
fasteddienc said:
It's a great idea in theory for the player, but I'm not sure many room owners will agree. Most room owners and businesses are not convinced that by someone wearing their logo/business name will attract business. In fact alot of room owners seem "tight" with money and always complain of overhead costs and expenses. Unless business owners have the proof on paper to show how it will improve their income, most will not probably not be interested unless you are personally a close friend that they want to help out and see you succeed. Sad but true.
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The owners will definetely see a change in income when the league teams leave their place! Like you said, sad but true, and I do agree with you. However, there are some good owners out there that support all the teams that play out of their establishment.
 
Fatboy said:
for every tax write off there is a bigger income write off that comes with it, for example if the taxable income of the pool room and its owner is 40% he must also give up the other 60% that would have been his inome.
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Fair enough.

Any suggestions?
 
D_Lewis said:
Maybe we should just go around saying "show me the money!"

But really, with travel, entry fees, cue product, food, gas and everything else..... who can afford to pay $10+/hour to practice the amount it takes to become good?
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Are the $10 you're talking about for table time? I don't think anybody ever made it big paying a premium for practice time. Try working in a pool hall. I used to clean tables before school/work for free time and every so often get in a couple hundred balls before opening.

From there you might get noticed. Asking businesses for sponsorships up front definitely isn't the easiest way to go about it. Play a lot, play well, and you might get noticed by someone who's willing to invest a tourney fee + plane ticket in you.
 
Koopa said:
Are the $10 you're talking about for table time? I don't think anybody ever made it big paying a premium for practice time. Try working in a pool hall. I used to clean tables before school/work for free time and every so often get in a couple hundred balls before opening.

From there you might get noticed. Asking businesses for sponsorships up front definitely isn't the easiest way to go about it. Play a lot, play well, and you might get noticed by someone who's willing to invest a tourney fee + plane ticket in you.
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Working in a pool hall would be decent, the wages would not probably be enough to get by working part time in exchange for practice time though. Unless I dont mind the ladyfriend making me sleep on the couch!
 
D_Lewis said:
Working in a pool hall would be decent, the wages would not probably be enough to get by working part time in exchange for practice time though. Unless I dont mind the ladyfriend making me sleep on the couch!
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It's all about sacrifices.
 
D_Lewis said:
Would you sacrifice your financial well being or food out of your mouth for pool?
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It depends. I don't know what you want to do with pool, but if you're looking for sponsorships I'll assume you aim high. I'm not saying starve yourself or live out in the streets, but if you want to be a high level player you have to give it all you've got.

But if you want to stick with AM, I don't think there will be any money in it until there's more money in the Pros.
 
See if there is something tangible that you can offer the poolroom in exchange for table time. I have cleaned tables for table time. You might work one shift cleaning dishes, or polish their woodwork, or host their website, or give free lessons once a week, or whatever. What skills do you bring to the deal?

I don't think anyone who sees your logo in Vegas is going to travel to your town to go to the poolroom on your shirt. A national chain, maybe, but not a local place; they just won't get anything from their sponsorship of you.

As far as you giving and giving while the poolroom takes and takes...Do you pay table time for league matches? If not, they are giving you that already, $30-$50 per week just for your team and one other. If that table wouldn't be rented at that time if you weren't there, the proper figure is less, but still not nothing.

I know a guy who got his employer, a steakhouse chain, I think, to sponsor him to go to big amature events. Maybe you could ask you employer?

Good luck!
 
Steal one of SVB's tournament shirts and tell everyone you beat him playing 10ball and he didnt have the CASH, so he gave u the shirt as collateral:D
 
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