how do you get sponsored?

[coz]

really how do you get your name out there. i am more of a free surfer than a contest surfer and dislike contests. i have the ability but i just need to learn how to get mhy foot in the door. any advice?

[jonny]

figure out what you can do to benefit the brandname of a potential company.

If you dislike comps you may struggle - the reason surfers get sponsored is so that when all the photos from the comps go in mags, and on tv etc their name is plastered everywhere.

Laird can get away with not entering comps because he is Laird. Not sure many others can though.

If you come up with a clever way to advertise a company's brand, promote them, benefit them in some way. get it down on paper and send them a proper proposal. It's all about money at the end of the day.

[cozz]

"Laird can get away with not entering comps because he is Laird. Not sure many others can though."

hello jonny. umm havent you ever heard of a "free surfer". as in Donavon frankenreiter, jason collins, and brad gerlach just to name a few. there are hundreds of surfers out there that are free surfers and dont have to enter contests to get sponsored :!: :lol:

[Guest]

Yes, but those characters who are sponsored "free sufers" are just that. Characters.
They offer something that is out of the ordinary for a prospective sponser...sometimes they are particularly articulate or clever and can help a sponsor develop & test a produce like fins, boardshorts or deck grip, perhaps they are abit "out there" for some other reason, like the well known musician mentioned previously and can offer brand association with a product that way.
Perhaps they have been a well-known contest surfer with a "cool" profile previously and are getting abit older and want to move into the biz in another way. Simply (and lets not kid ourselves here) they offer their sponser something none of the thousands of other frothing groms who want to be a free-surfers can.

Lets be honest about the business also, despite the nice marketing, the cool vibes etc you'll find the surf product industry cut-throat - how do you think manfacturers like Rip-Curl & Billabong got to be so global so fast...with penetration into the whole youth culture so quick? Those people are clever. They do not tolerate fools or wannabes, nor even put them on the payroll.

I suggest if you are sponsor hunting as a free-surfer you first be objective about your surfing...are you really blindly talented? Can you dramatically prove to a potential sponsor in some way you're better than all the others approching them wanting the same deal??? Have you been a regular contest winner in the immediate past? Can you front up & deliver the goods for a camera day-in day-out, in a hugh variety of conditions....from 1 foot onshores to 10 foot reefbreaks? Do you look good on film & stills when surfing (i.e not flailing your arms around?)
Have you seen yourself surfing on video and critiqued yourself yet?

Are you clean? Do you have a criminal record (i.e bad passport and unable to travel to some countries) , a drug or liquor problem or offensive tattoo's on your body...any of the above...forget it.

Do you deal with physical stress well? Travelling & being in different environments all the time is hard on your mind & body, eating different foods all the time, time-zone crossing - things you never think of. Are you able to accept you're only going to be a good as you last photo in a mag or video and the profile you currently have in the surf media, and you will have no income security while performing the role of free-surfer.

So, reality check here dude. Are you up for it?

If you are, work on something that makes you different, "quirky" perhaps and eye catching. Just being a good surfer is not enough. Build up a recient photo portfolio and be a desirable person to associate with a brand. Sort out what brand you'd like to represent and for what reasons - cause you'll be asked when you're being grilled by the suits at the boardroom table - You'll have to sell youself bigtime. Draft up your surfing C.V and it better be professional looking. Get a good fashionable haircut, some good clothes and go & make an appointment with their local marketing manager for that brand.

Good luck

[Guest]

And also in addition to my last post. Surfing Mags & Vids sell a dream, they sell a lifestyle, an illusion. There are not hundreds of "free" surfers earning a living out there pleasing themselves what they do & being paid for it.....there are only about 20-30 world-wide who pick up regular paychecks in this role. Most "free-surfers" are picking up abit of free product & a paycheck if & when their footage is used in a vid, dvd or otherwise. Most are not on regular payrolls.
Most are scratching from one place to another surviving on the crumbs they earn selling footage. They are, in reality, anything but "free" surfers.

[......]

Hey leave this kid alone, if he thinks he has what it takes let him try. Dont keep putting him down. It is real hard to get sponsored but he'll only get better as time goes on and he'll learn how to adapt.

[Guest]

In my above 2 posts I laid into the original poster because he patronised "Jonny" in his reply. Jonny was offering grown-up sensible advice.
Jonny used the example of Laird being an exception to reality. He was a good example. Better examples of exceptions involved in other sports would be Anna Kornakova (tennis) or Jona Lomu (Rugby Union). Someone who for their celebrity status & media profile is bigger than their actual performance in their chosen sport. Thus they are able to continue recieving financial reward for their profile.

In the sport of surfing world-wide there would be 20-30 people who can get away with that lark. Most are ex champions of note, ex junior world champs, celebrity musicians & other notables.

No sponser will front up with product & money without a likely quantifiable return for their investment in either increased market profile or valuable intellectual property developement...(a good recent example of this is FCS fins new FG series).

I didn't want to rain on his parade, but as a potential "free surfer" looking for sponsorship he has to actually have achieved something of note to start with (won contests) or have real ideas about new product he can go to a manafacturer and offer assistance and testing along with marketing that product (i.e getting his face in mags surfing & wearing that new product about to be launched by whatever brand).

I suggest the original poster is young with much to learn. The most valuable lesson is, with sponsorship there is no such thing as a free lunch.

[coz]

to guest,

all i wanted in the first place is a local surfshop or local company that does not exceed the community. yes i am very young and i also have a lot to learn. but i thought laird was a terrible example b/c he is a surfer who makes dreams come true and infact he does not have but one sponsor (but i am sure that has recently changed) and that sponsor is gerry lopez surfboards. all i am is a surfer who rips better than most of the people in my local waters and wants to see if i can take my talent to the next level. i thought that you were being unrealistic i that you thought i wanted a big-name sponsor. i am sorry for the mis-communication. you dont see me patronizing you do you?

sincerely,
coz

[Guest]

Sorry, no offense intended from my end either.
I do have some personal experience with sports & product sponsorship, I was a full time athlete for 8 years (not surfing...that's my hobbie) I retired 6 years ago now...seems a lifetime ago. During this period I learned many things about how it all works and how to persue sponsorship.

I guess if you're looking at getting abit of help from local surf-shops, perhaps a local brand of clothing or whatever made nearby you need to demonstrate local profile. If not a successful contest surfer locally it's going to be much harder for you....
Perhaps you need to be the local "legend" surfer instead, you have to find some way of getting your face, surfing, good-works as a water-man (i.e save afew drowning children over summer ;->) or whatever in the local media...so the guys who own the local surfshops or businesses you'll approch will have already heard of you & think you're a good guy- understand?.

Sponsorship is a relationship between the businesses giving you stuff or money and you. Basically you become an employee of that business and your job is public relations. Your job is to promote that business by stickers on your board (lot's of aerials in photo's ok), wearing their logo on your surfing clothes when you get your photo in the newspaper...stuff like that.

The alternative is rather than working in the public relations side of the business.....you help them with development. You help them make & develop better products. The down side of this area is you'll get lots of free product to use & experiement with....but very little money usually. You can't eat a surfboard or buy beer with boardshorts. But you do get cool gear to place with.

It's up to you - you have to sort out what you really want to do. But I reckon you may want to sell your soul & do contests for awhile...at least until you get enough results to snow-ball you into deals to get you started. Then you have more leverage & concrete results behind you.

Got to it. World's your oyster son.
"guest"
ps - go to your local library too & get afew books out on branding & marketing. Arm yourself with knowledge as well.

[coz]

good stuff guest. i will take that into account when i am sending out portfolios. but contests will be my last resort. its not that i wont do well just that i surf more for the soul of the sport and thought i might be able to push surfing my local waters more by getting a sponsor and getting more people to visit watever that surfshop may be.

[jonny]

A website has been established recently that matches up companies looking for people to sponsor with people wanting sponsorship.

We got approached to see if we were interested not long ago.

I'll see if I can dig out the details.

I guess another thing to think about is what do you want form a sponsor? And what is realistic? Are you looking for a huge dollop of cash so you can spend your days travelling the best breaks in the world? Or would you be happy say to start off with a handful of t-shirts for free that you wear to promote the brand? Lot's of little sponsorship deals soon add up.

Look at the top guys, they have a sponsor for their boards, a different one for their shoes, one for their sunglasses, one for the wetsuits, one for their beer etc etc etc.

[coz]

hey jonny if you find out what site that is can you give it to me. and all i want is a handfull of t-shirts at the least. i am not looking for all the money (yet). all the money and stuff will come much further down the road as i grow. my problem is that i have gotten to good for my body. i am a young kid who is trying to do more powerfull manuvers but my body lacks the power needed. in about a year or so i will have grown into my ability and will be ripping much better than most of all the guys in my local waters.

[jonny]

coz - are you in the UK?

If so - let me know a t-shirt size and I'll send you one of ours out to get you on your way.

[coz]

unfortunatelly i am not from the UK. but my dad does go to scotland a lot to coach the u16 national team for soccer. how is the surf in the UK i have always wanted to go with my dad and check out the surf.

[namino tsume]

hey, i am, like coz, trying to get a local sponser. does anyone have that site that links sponsers with sponser-wannabes?

[TBOWGN]

So, you want to get sponsored for surfing?? Im brand new to this forum but thought id let you know I run a website that helps people 'Get Noticed' for Surfing, Skating and Snowboarding.
Its only new, but you can register for free and promote your skills to the world - Check it out: htt<url removed, please get the forum owners permission before promoting your own website this is not a forum for free advertising thanks>
Let me know what you think.

Cheers