Sponsoring a baseball team

[emr]

My sons are signed up to play baseball this summer and the organization is looking for sponsors. It costs $300 to sponsor a team and we would get our logo on the team shirts. Has anyone done this and seen any benefit for the business?

Our situation is this, we service 5 local communities that are essentially the same town. We do a majority of business in the largest city and i live in a smaller city that has lots of money.... I don't but others in my city do. We have been trying to get more work in my city and maybe this would help get some name recognition here. Thoughts?

 

[MasterBlaster]

No experience here, but there are worse ways to spend money on advertising. I say go for it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I would hope you also get a banner placement on the outfield or something as well. When I sponsor the soccer team, I get a banner or at least the ability to hang one in sight of the bleachers.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Show up with your work rig to the games,too.

I have set up a giant swing before, at my house. two ropes b/t 2 trees. would grab attention before the game.

make the $300 work harder.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Excellent point! I always had my work vehicle at practices as it did not have enough seating for all three kiddos this year to take it to the games. One practice we even had the BS out on the field having some fun at the end of the practice. One parent asked how I would get a line in a real nice oak there.. I just had to show em. Tossed a couple as well. Sure sparked interest

 

[Old Monkey]

Don't do it to get more business. Do it because it's a good thing to do and never doubt the expenditure. It only takes one job to pay for itself.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

How I look at it, the exposure is just a secondary point of interest. I want the kids to have fun. They need balls to kick/throw, uniforms etc. to get to have fun while learning team work and social skills.

 

[stig]

Are sponsorships tax deductible in the US?

I sponsor my karate club with $1500 a year, and can deduct it, as long as I get some advertising out of it.

 

[emr]

Since I am a coach I might have to bring my rig some days just to make it in time. I started this thread because of my interest in terms of increased business only. I agree about doing the right thing and helping the kids. As a company we donate our time to our churches, kids schools, and Habitat for Humanity. Those volunteer opportunities have paid off in more ways than I fully realize and I am sure the baseball thing would too. I was just curious if anyone did something similar and saw any direct results from it.

 

[Tucker943]

I have always heard folks say it didn't draw them quick business. BUT, down the road it comes back to them. It's a great gesture regardless of the instant return. You can't lose on that deal. If nothing else, your brand was apart of something constructive and healthy for some kids in the community. That's a deposit in the karma bank.

 

[JoshINtrees]

No experience here, but there are worse ways to spend money on advertising. I say go for it.

I agree. Showing support for people doing an outdoor activity instead of veggin' on the couch can't be bad for business.

 

[JoshINtrees]

Are sponsorships tax deductible in the US?

I sponsor my karate club with $1500 a year, and can deduct it, as long as I get some advertising out of it.

I would write it off as "advertising", form 1040, schedule C, part II, item 8.

 

[SkwerI]

I agree with Darin (somebody quote that for posterity). It's only $300 and one job will cover that, but the dividends are worth so much more.

My only comparison is the volunteer work I do for Audubon. I can write it off as advertising expense, but that's not why I do it. I have acquired one client from my Audubon work and he's hired me for 3 jobs in the last 3 years so his work has paid my expenses. But I don't approach it as a sales tool.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I used to drive my elderly neighbor back and forth to the doctors, a stop at the pharmacy on the way home to refill her high blood pressure meds. I sat in the car and dozed while she would be waiting for her prescription, probably negative advertising when anyone saw me doing that. What a loafer!

I think it would be great to help out a team, for all the reasons mentioned.

 

[mccauleytree]

This is the first year we are doing it. We "donated" some work in return for a banner in the outfield. Not sure if we will get any other work out of it though.

 

[vharrison]

Don't do it to get more business. Do it because it's a good thing to do and never doubt the expenditure. It only takes one job to pay for itself.

I agree. Go for it, your kids will love their dad's company name on their shirts!! We did it for years, one of our foreman's had 4 kids.