Does Anyone fancy putting heads together to find me a sponsor?

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

Does Anyone fancy putting heads together to find me a sponsor?

Shhh · Challenger level

What are you looking for a sponsor to provide? Somebody that finances the whole year, would somebody chipping in with something be of use or is it the whole deal or nothing at all?

Ballavong · Lower Club Player

I do find it sad and hard to comprehend that despite your success on the British tour and large climb up the ATP rankings you are struggling to find a sponsor or funding from any source. I have little else to add it help unfortunately :(

Smidster · Challenger level

Wish I thought there was anything I could do to assist.

Out of interest what kind of ballpark are you looking at money wise?

Could you try the Online route? - similar to James Ellington (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/8964297/London-2012-Olympics-James-Ellington-awaits-identity-of-eBay-bidder-who-pledged-to-sponsor-him-32500.html)

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

hi guys,

shh- ideally im looking for a sponsor to provide finances for a whole year. But realistically im looking for any type of financial sponsorship. What ever the said person can provide, i dont have too much pride to turn down any amount. So someone chipping in with something would be of great use of course.

in response to smidster - i could do alot if not my whole year on 10,000 pounds i think which is nothing compared to most. If i managed to get that then id be over the moon.
i thought about that but then thought because it has been done before then i need to set myself apart and be unique.

It is a tough situation and i can only go with what ive been dealt and control whats in my control like what i do on the court.

seagull · Hall of fame

Tenner in each then

In fact give me access to playerzone and I will go a tenner every month!

-- Edited by seagull on Saturday 7th of January 2012 11:03:07 PM

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

What's the playerzone?

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

https://atp-playerzone.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f

seagull · Hall of fame

Need to have access to playerzone to enter challengers...so you should get it soon!

Smidster · Challenger level

Thanks for the reply.

£10,000 is less than I thought and does at least make it accessible to more small businesses etc.

With the Olympics coming up there is going to be interest in Sport in general and, you would expect, more companies trying to cash in. Do you have a letter, or term it as a business proposal, that you can send to businesses, sports shops etc. Similarly could be worth getting in touch with local papers etc to see if you can get some media coverage.

Miriambee · Futures level

Fitzy, you've just won the british tour at billesley, which I believe with Tipton is one of your local clubs. I'm sorry if this sound a bit obvious, but have you tried talking to say the management committee and asking for some financial help there, or even in exchange for some coaching sessions?

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i know from personal experience how tough this is having sent out many letters and cold called many companies to try and find sponsorship for Boggo all to no avail.

I agree with the suggestion of speaking to the club, you may find though them a benefactor who would be willing to put some cash you way. i feel that a private individual is possibly more likely than a company right now.

Armchair · County player

Start with putting your full name on here and a link to your bio,results , ranking etc.

That will at least make it more accessible to those of us who don't follow all the British players and know their nicknames.

Then who knows someone might pick it up in the press and a bit of welcome publicity could be forthcoming

Count Zero · Tennis legend

Actually Armchair raises a good point, you seem very good at communicating with us on here, have you thought about setting up a proper blog instead? obviously if you get people following that you can put requests for sponsorship in there. You could also try approaching your local newspaper, see if they could run an article on you that you would be more than happy to assist with etc and again throw in bits about sponsorship.

Alternatively if you have spare time perhaps trying to help out a local charity, possibly if they are having a tennis event etc. whilst that won't get you money directly it could be all about raising your profile in the community.

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

hi,
in reply to the blog, im putting together a website and going at it from a different approach for a while.
Im going to go to the companies to ask for their services rather than out right money, which in turn will seem less of an outlay to them.
Like services i use or would use if i had them. for example travelodge giving me a room. Or sainsburys giving me a years supply of chicken.
chiltern railways giving me free travel, petrol stations giving me % off fuel or a certain amount a month. to give you examples and hopefully in return the advertising they will see it was a good investement with minimal risk as what id be after would be a drop in the ocean in terms of there retail.

In regards to the local approach ive spoken to the chairman of warwickshire lta and he is trying to pull some strings for me so we will see what happens on that front.
Im just going to blanket as many areas as i can and if i dont get anything from anyone then i have to hold my hands up and say too good it wasnt meant to be really.

Ive been nominated for WLTA senior player of the year so if i win that i will do a press release about it all local and hopefully national on the back of my recent success as well.

Speaking to Mr harman on the phone tomorrow in the hope that i can get something out there through him.