cali shot doc Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 (edited) Just wondering how many shooters on here are sponsered. Maybe talk about what you get for being sponsered and stuff if you are. Edited August 23, 2010 by cali shot doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ammo Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 My Son is Sponsered by DAD. inc Not many folks making money,, shooting,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 I think you will find the majority of shooters who say they are sponsored really only get some discounts on purchases etc if they wear the team colors. Some get some match fees paid once in a while. Only a very few at the very top of the sport are truly sponsored shooters. Just a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS101 Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 You forgot the "I wish" option in the poll..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 you need to put a definition and some parameters on "sponsored" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcarter Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 I think you will find the majority of shooters who say they are sponsored really only get some discounts on purchases etc if they wear the team colors. Some get some match fees paid once in a while. Only a very few at the very top of the sport are truly sponsored shooters. Just a guess. I am one of those but sponsorship is sponsorship. Most of the "BIG" name shooters have numerous sponsors that help the shooter out with different aspects of the sport. Maybe next year I will also be sponsored by a bullet manufacturer or a powder company who knows. I'm happy with any help I can get as long as I am happy with the product my sponsor produces. Come on Smith & Wesson.....I'm ready to join the team!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 you need to put a definition and some parameters on "sponsored" That's a good point. I look at sponsorships like scholarships to college. Not as many full rides out there as there are $2000 scholorships and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 I've been fortunate to have received sponsorships from Infinity Firearms and Atlanta Arms and Ammo. I don't think it's proper to disclose what benefits you receive from your Sponsors, but let's just say, if they pulled their sponsorships tomorrow, I'd still shoot their stuff because I really, really like it And my wife thinks I look better in blue anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 (edited) I'm working on a reverse sponsorship... I have letters out to the major manufacturers to see how much they would pay ffor me to show up at matches and shoot *someone else's* guns. The local Honda shop used to pay me to ride anything but a Honda. Edited August 23, 2010 by High Lord Gomer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 really depends on the definition of sponsorship. There are discounts available, maybe match fees covered/reimbursed, and a very select few that are covered completely/paid to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerwas Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I am fortunate enough to be sponsored by Unholstered.com and Grundhauser gunworks. I am very happy to say I shoot for both of these fine companies. It may not be at the same level as Robbie or Todd but it is substantial to me. If the criteria is to have almost everything paid for then there may only be a dozen or so people that could honestly say yes to this question. If, however the criteria is; are you getting free techwear or similar shirts, free holsters, mag pouches, belts, reloading components, massive discounts on pistols and free pistolsmithing for a lifetime, then I would have to say yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Agree with the prior posts. There are a variety of sponsorship "types." I competed in NHRA and NASCAR and received a variety of sponsorship packages. They ranged from contingencies, product, discounts, entry fees, and cash. Most of them required an annual contract, with specific performance, event entry, and marketing benchmarks. As in shooting, some guys worked the system and made out pretty well, others could care less and some made a living off of consistently beating the weekend warriors. I hade three cars on pretty much a full ride one year and ended up making more than enough off of sponsorship, winnings and contingencies to not have to work. That was probably my least "fun" year of racing BTW. A lot of shooters who are "Sponsored" are that way because they really like the product and or people of that company. With some companies, they are very interested in image and are thus more inclined to sponsor a "good" person rather than a "great shooter." The sponsoring company also has to consider if they are "Giving back" to all the people who support them, as in prize tables, or focus on mass marketing a top shooter who may increase their revenue. Thus, sponsorship is largely a business decision. While I answered yes to the poll, I support the companies who sponsor Team Firebird because they are good people who give back to the sport. Same can be said for companies like JPRifles and Sierra. There are some products that may have some slight advatnage in quality or price, but having them would not change my performance and I refuse to buy product from companies who do not support the action shooting sports. While I won't post those, you all know who they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Yep, sponsored by Freedom Gunworks. (Thanks Bobby) Sponsorship is a big deal no matter if it is just a free tee-shirt or a full ride with use of the company jet. Not only because of the sponsorship benefits but knowing that the person/company you represent are the kind of people who give back to the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFoley Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I am fortunate enough to be sponsored by Wilson Combat, Blade Tech, JP, and Shooters Connection. Each deal has its own merits, and it is never proper to discuss your compensation in my opinion. I am grateful for the support of these companies. I agree with what MarkCO said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I am available for sponsership if anyone is interested. I keep thinking SA will just snatch me up, but I guess Robbie keeps them busy. Lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 It's not much but it helps. Selected as a "good" person rather than a "great shooter." My Smth is retiring Opportunites available for 2011. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyC Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) Where do I sighn up? Do you need to be a master, grand master to be sponsored or are some of you A's and B's. Also how did it come up, did they ask you or did you ask the company. Thanks, Guy Edited August 25, 2010 by GuyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear23 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 No desire to be sponsored. Don't need it and i'd feel guilty taking their stuff anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ammo Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Some of us Thing we want Sponsorship,, But do we? Would it bring stress to a sport we Love and shoot for fun? Would it become a JOB! You have to be careful what you ask for,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rr4406pak Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 How do you other sponsored shooters deal with shooters or other people asking you what you get for being sponsored? I try to be polite, but then I hear rumblings of the sponsorship thing "being secretive". I don't want sponsorship to get a negative connotation to it. I try to explain about how much these sponsors are helping the sport, it's just part of the deal that we can't say anything about what we get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I am not sponsored and proud of it. My shooting (Good, Bad or Ugly) is ALL MINE and selling that freedom to save a few bucks isn't worth it to me. Once you sell your self to companies for representing their products all of your efforts and accomplishments are now theirs. Been there, done that, and don't want to do it again Your accomplishments will always be more rewarding when you know that it was achieved 100% by you and nobody else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aristotle Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I'm not going to speak for anyone else, but I'll put it to you in 4 words... I support the sport. That means I support the effort to making this sport available for everyone, I support the people, the community and I support the companies, both big and small that invest and caters to our sport. Either stand in front of me or behind me, has no weight on my decisions, at the end of the day only God will judge me. Much too many people make too big of a deal out of it, more than I do. Don't flatter yourself, I hardly notice. Anyone that knows me truly knows I don't think to highly of myself in that aspect, because that's not why I do it. You will definitely get both sides of attention, good and bad. You also put a big target on your back, especially by folks that believe that they should be the one wearing that jersey. So before you do anything like this, you really have to ask yourself what you are doing it for, and truly understand that meaning and be willing to take the good with the bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steel1212 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I'm like Ari I support those that support our sport. I had somebody contact me to try their product. Their exact words where, "let me send you this if you think its crap let me know its crap". Basically he didn't want me to use it if I didn't think it was a good product. I thought it was an excellent product and still use it! That is just how it is. The companies that support me are good companies that make great products! Also, I'm pretty sure my accomplishments are MY accomplishments. Nobody pulled the trigger for me to get me where I am. Sure they may have helped with gear and supplies but I still put in the time and effort to get where I'm at. Am I thankful for the support absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dskinsler83 Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 as was asked earlier is this something that you proposed to the companys or them to u? do you have to be a master shooter or grandmaster? i have seen people wearing this fancy shirts with names all over them and still come in below top 5 and sometimes top 10?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aristotle Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 (edited) as was asked earlier is this something that you proposed to the companys or them to u? do you have to be a master shooter or grandmaster? i have seen people wearing this fancy shirts with names all over them and still come in below top 5 and sometimes top 10?? Every company is going to be different, and as with being employed with every company, everyone's roles are different. With the companies that our team represents, a majority of us are exactly that, representatives for the company. We definitely have some world class athlete's on our team, but most of us, we are folks you will most likely see at matches, local and major, not just shooting through with the RO's and skipping awards only to be seen in the results. Every sponsorship program will be different, and ours is definitely different than the traditional. It's obviously done really well, because there are many teams like it now. Simply wearing a shirt does not ensure you will win the match, other people may put folks like that on the pedastal, but that's definitely not the case. Don't get too wrapped up in what "fancy" things other people wear or shoot. I am in the process of filling out and vetting shooters for a National IDPA team for our sponsors, and I can tell you that the winning aspect is just one of many things I look for in a shooter. I have bypassed winning shooters, for shooters I know that will represent our companies with integrity and respect. Simply being a winning shooter is like simply being a fast shooter. If you don't have the "rest of the package", you become useless. As for How, most folks, you will have to contact them, and pitch yourself, and everyone's criteria will be different for what they are looking for. But when you become Robbie, Doug, Jessie or Dave, they will come looking for you. Edited August 27, 2010 by Aristotle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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