How to go pro? Or get sponsored?

[Loves2Shoot]

You don't pay the sponsor, you pay for gas, bullets, rooms, food, targets, pasters, ect., and if you are serious for many years, you will spend some serious $$$. I think Matt Burkett wrote somewhere that if you wan to to dip your feet in the water with the big guys, your shooting budget will need to be 20k+ minimum, and that was many years ago.

[DocMedic]

And I'm a Midshipman at the Naval Academy soon to be in the Marine Corps as a commissioned officer.

I would have thought that your only possible "sponsor" would be the academy and then the service team. I saw service team shooters at a number of IPSC matches before converting to IDPA.

I doubt your CO would authorize you to moonlight for Acme Ammunition Co. I wouldn't.

I shot with a sponsored shooter for S&W the other weekend who's in the Army and she said it's not too terribly difficult

But maybe things have changed. But maybe only for the Army.

This is my 10th year being in the Army. Theres no issues with having a Civilian life outside of the military as long as show professionalism at all times as your representing the US military. IE why alot of soldiers get part time jobs. Just know though that when uncle Sam calls, your going to drop all obligations that are not military related, thus you need to find a sponsor that are willing to work with that. But let me tell you, being sponsored is means to an ends of becoming broke faster in this sport . This is one of those sports that will make you go broke going professional.

But honestly though, here some advice by someone thats been there and done that, once you commission over as a 2lt, your not gonna have as much time as you think outside of the military, so treat shooting as what it is as a fun hobby, that way you don't stress yourself out.

[M1911]

Get yourself assigned to the USMC shooting team. That way Uncle Sugar will be paying for your training, practice, ammo, travel, etc.

[Lee B]

Every year, the companies that are accepting applications for team membership in to the current calendar year post a press release or some kind of communication (S&W did there's in April).

I would take some leg work to track these things, but if you're really serious, find out when open applications (from any/every company you can think of) are being accepted and send it in.

To my knowledge, there are only three "paid" positions on a team like S&W. The rest are not paid, but may get discounts on equipment, reimbursement for matches, etc.

Here's an example for a sponsorship requirements from Team ITI:

http: / / itiwsi.com /blog /?p=200 (sorry I can't post links yet)

You'll see one company's offerings and requirements to be on the team.

[waktasz]

A lot of the people out there that are sponsored "only" get access to a discount on products. I would love to get sponsored by a bullet company. Even saving a few percent would be awesome. There are very, very few people out there earning cash to shoot guns.

My company sponsors me...but I'm the owner so that doesn't count.

[Chuck Anderson]

First things first is to build a resume of performance. If you're a natural and start winning matches right out the gate, and I mean IDPA Nationals, USPSA Nationals or Area matches, you might be able to get a jump on it. Otherwise, you're looking at 5-10 years of shooting and building up some knowledge base. It took me about 10 years before I started seeing any return on my investment in shooting. This year is the first I'll actually turn a profit and I got really lucky at one match. Don't worry about being the match winner. There are several folks out there that can pull off big wins but aren't sponsored or sponsored in a very minimal way. Take a look at the USPSA Nationals. Last couple years we've had 3-4 National Champions who weren't sponsored, or were sponsored at the free T-shirt level. It's about more than winning matches. Sponsors don't really care if you're the SSP Champion of Western Nevada for 2009. They do care about the image you present to other shooters. I know a lot of shooters with decent sponsorship deals who have never won. But they are terrific champions for their sponsors products. They learn about them, they talk about them and they shoot them well. Don't trash products. I just listened to some sponsored shooters go off on rants about how bad something is, only to turn around and look for sponsorship from that same vendor a year later. Good luck and good bye to credibility. That said, don't accept sponsorship from something you don't believe in. You won't be happy with your performance, you won't represent the sponsor well and you'll sour them on sponsoring anyone in the future. Don't expect a lot from sponsors. I've had a bunch that I started off with a bit of product or discounts. Because of those relationships, both with the companies and folks they recommended me to, like Warne recommending me to Leupold, I've starting bringing in a lot more. It won't be enough to live off of, but it does take some of the sting out of the training bill at the end of the year.

[twodownzero]

If anyone needs to be sponsored, it's the guy who won the limited nationals last year.

[RangerTrace]

In my opinion, sponsorship is about sales and positive representation. So my advice would be to find a product/company that you absolutely love, have 100% faith in and use it every chance you get. Then, tell everybody you know about it, show it to everybody you know and if the product is as good as you believe it is, those folks will buy that product. Then, maybe, just maybe if enough people buy those products and tell the company that they were referred by you, you might be offered sponsorship. At least that is how it happened for me.

[pjb45]

In USPSA the estimated membership is around 20K. Out of that 20K there are very few that actually support themselves with one sponsor. TGO has been with SA for a very long time. TJ was with Para. Max is with Sig. Dave works for Glock. Julie with S&W. Doug makes a living from shooting but not via USPSA per se. I suspect Phil works for a firearm company.

Matt hustled his ass off every year for sponsor money. His DVDs and Training added income. Taran works his ass off getting sponsors as do some other top shooters.

IMO, most professional GMs supplement their income with training. A few either have gun shops/ranges or are getting into firearm production.

A whole bunch of shooters do get partial help from sponsor(s) but I believe it is not enough to actually support themselves and their families.

In my very limited experience and knowledge, I know of only six or so shooters that can actually totally support themselves as a sponsored pro.

Pick another way to make a living to support your shooting habit.

[jmorris]

I think Matt Burkett wrote somewhere that if you wan to to dip your feet in the water with the big guys, your shooting budget will need to be 20k+ minimum, and that was many years ago.

Hmm, now I need a sponsor.

Many that I see at matches consist of nothing more than a (sometimes free) shirt.

It's like "club" racing, the only way to make a small fortune is to have started out with a large one.

[Torogi]

To OP, i may have missed it but why do you want to get sponsored?