How do I get sponsored?

Alright, so heres the deal. I am purchasing an 83 CC 2001, and am probably going to run out of money restoring it. I want to go all out with this, and make it into one of the nicest 2001s around with modern modifications and what not (new interior/awesome paint job/ect....). Is there anyway that I can get sponsorship by people that you guys know to help me out a little with products? I mean this is probably going to be a type of " I ask you guys and you guys vote on what to do next" kind of thing. Is it hard to get companies to do this kind of stuff? And what does a sponsorship usually imply ( stickers as advertisements on the boat or what)? I guess you could call it kind of a wakeworld boat build.

Have them send me some sponsorship coin to, I need 8 new NVS 1010's, 6 Zapco amps, an 07' 141 Gator Gonzalez, and 8 Reef chicks for my boat. Thanx dude!


Just kidding Lyle.

hey, thatll do too haha

What would you do for THEM and what will THEY get in return. Not being smart but if I owned a company, why would I help you do something cheaper. What would my company get out of it. You have to look at almost ALL types of sponsorship from the companies point of view.

land a 1080, and they'll be lining up to sponsor you. other than that, better start saving your $$.

I used to race sprint cars and sponsorship was an on going effort due to costs involved. When said and done, the companies that did help either offered a great discount or their beta products for testing purposes (free). I was expected to promote their products and had go all over the place to events (at my cost)for them to show the stuff off. There is also a liability factor that needs to be considered. If anything happens (god forbid) to anyone, the companies providing sponsorship can be held accountable as well as you and your assets because you are now considered "commercial".

All it takes is a phone call to the owner/marketing/PR people of a company to explore what they will or will not do. I agree 100% with what Jim T said, What would you do for THEM and what will THEY get in return?

Get a job and sponsor yourself?

I'd be fine if Shell or Exxon product sponsored my wakeboarding.

I would say your Mom or dad would be most likely to sponser your boat.

Thank you Tim, but I have a job, and I'm in college.
And, what the companies would get out of it would be strong advertisement in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, which are starting to explode in the wakeboard community (finally). And thanks david, that is what I was looking for. I wouldnt mind being commercial, haha, if it gets me free stuff! And Jon, my parents arent going to sponsor anything lol. They have a boat, but its a twenty three foot center console and they said I dont need a wakeboarding boat. And, tommy, I'm working on the whole 1080 thing, but so far I need to cleanly land an invert first lol.
I guess i'll just start calling around. any companies that you guys think would help me out? No lame input please.

Lyle, I'm in the same situation. Freshman in college, buying an '86 2001, and trying to make it look good. As far as sponsorship I would say try local board shops or dealerships. Do you have any real experience? Not like having done one stereo system in your life, but having real training and experience plus lots of pictures of your past projects.

All in all. Pick up some more hours from your job. I'm a full time student and a full time employee. Thats how I plan to make my monthly payments on my boat and then do upgrades

Lyle, I am doing the same thing with my 1983 2001 CC. Basically I bought the boat as a club boat for Texas A&M. So far we got a tower half off from Joystick, free board racks from Lucky Devil Designs, and a free ballast equipment to make a semi-internal ballast system from boardstop.com. We have also been offered really good deals on a new acme prop and wetsounds stereo. Just have to get the money for it. I would like a new paint job, the best thing going I think would be a vinyl wrap. You get to have custom graphics at about half the price of a paint job.

If you can't find sponsorship, pick one project at a time and work on completing and paying for it. It will take longer, but you will eventually get it done. I am almost finished redoing my boat (only the floor left) and with each project you need to plan for unknown expenses. It can be done, I am a perrenial college student and I have done it.

fine a rich older lady and well you know the rest

seems like we could get a little club of college nauti owners haha. Leo, man how'd you go about getting it set up as the official club boat? And is that all it took to get those discounts? I could probably do the exact same thing here at South Alabama.

and yeah i have experience, ive worked on boats my entire life, and my father used to build boats. And, he can basically do anything when it comes to mechanics, electrical, ect... which is a huge plus for me because he teaches me everything he knows, so that is one way that ill save a huge amount of money

Lyle, what part of the country are you getting your '83 from? I know of at least one '83 2001 that you should stay the h--l away from. I know this because I came a whisker away from getting worked over by the owners.

(Message edited by greenpinky on December 02, 2006)

texas, is that where it was from?

It is a club boat because it is the only boat we have access to and because we started the club ourself. We weren't recognized as a club till this semester. We have been trying to get recognized for 2 years now. The sponsors were easy to come by. Just ask all the local shops and any local companies that supports wakeboarding. Get as many kids as you can signed up so that they are willing to help you out. Be able to promise them that you will get their name out, either by tournaments.

anyone else get sponsored for their boats?