Sponsors at Matches

[Ewilson224]

Guys,
I wanted to make a post regarding vendors that support our matches, specifically major matches, and provide products for the prize table.
I shot in a couple majors in the last couple of weeks and both of those prize tables were pretty impressive. One with close to $25,000 on it. To get to my point, when you get something from a vendor from the prize table whether at a USPSA match or IDPA event, I always try to call them and let them know that their gracious assistance with whatever match it may be was greatly appreciated. If if wasn't for them, these matches would not be nearly as fun to shoot.

One thing that I and others seem to forget is that these folks, often very small companies in their infancy, don't have to provide anything. But they do. So I ask you guys the next time you win something off of the prize table. Take a minute from your day and call them up to let them know that you appreciate their help. They will be more likely to give the next time and they know that their donation didn't go in vain.

Be safe out there guys!

[shootsforfun]

And don't forget to pick something off the prize table you don't need or will ever use and turn around and out it up for sale for 10 bucks off sell price sponsors love to see that.( that was a joke) If I don't need something I don't get it. Even if the price if more. I get stuff I need remember we have new shooters that need gear too.

[Ewilson224]

Exactly shootsforfun!

[scottlep]

I am the sponsorship director for a major match up this way. At the matches we put out signature sheets for each Sponsor. We asked every shooter to autograph them, or at the very least sign the one for the sponsor from whom to got a prize, then we mailed those signed sheets out to the sponsors. We also asked the prize winners to send an email directly to the contact from the Sponsor for the prize they won. I have been amazed at the feedback from the sponsors about how they have never seen anything like it and how much it meant to them. Sponsorship is a losing battle for the companies, so we need to do everything and anything we can do to promote the companies that support our shooting sports. I jammed sponsorship announcements down the throats of our shooters on our Facebook page, announcements here on Enos and on our website.

[motosapiens]

If if wasn't for them, these matches would not be nearly as fun to shoot.

Really? I guess I shoot for the competition and challenge and to get better, not to get prizes.

I do however appreciate the sponsors for matches, and when I have a choice, I tend to patronize companies that support the sport.

Edited November 6, 2014 by motosapiens

[Ewilson224]

Scott, that is an excellent idea that I may try to implement here at our club where we host the VA State IDPA every year. I love the sheet idea and sending those to the sponsors. That right there is exactly what is needed to help secure sponsors in the future. I told a few folks the other day in conversation, that a lot of the companies don't have to do anything, but the fact that they choose to is a testament to their company and we need to let them know that it is greatly appreciated. Especially in these tough economic times for everyone, it speaks volumes about them and we the shooters and match staff need to do our part and let them know we appreciate them.

That's awesome stuff there Scott! Keep it up there bro and be safe out there!

EW

[Ewilson224]

I think we all shoot for the competition. I want to be at the top of the list. I believe you are missing the point. Prize tables are an added bonus that some take for granted. Possibly you haven't shot at a match that has 8-10 guns on the table. Yeah, I want to win one of those.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Ewilson224

[motosapiens]

I believe you are missing the point. Prize tables are an added bonus that some take for granted. Possibly you haven't shot at a match that has 8-10 guns on the table. Yeah, I want to win one of those.

I've shot at several big matches that have many guns on the prize table, but I don't really care too much about winning one. For what it costs me to go to a major match, I could just buy exactly the gun I wanted.

So yeah, it's a bonus, but I totally take it for granted because I just really don't care about prizes.

[Ewilson224]

To each his own. I believe the majority of folks don't mind picking up a certificate for a new Glock or 500 bullets, or a new range bag, or a new trigger for their AR, etc. etc. etc. I know I do. I do agree first and foremost that I am there to shoot. As I said, prize tables are an added bonus. I choose to support those that support us, the shooting sports. I would hope that other do too. And I think that most do.

[shootsforfun]

Yes you pay to get into a match and its always fun to get your money back in prizes. That helps when you need something and you don't want to pay for it. But use it as sponsors don't need to do anything for the sport but they do and that's great but let's help out the shooters that are just getting into the sport.

[MarkCO]

As a shooter, MD, RM, and sponsor, I feel compelled to provide my thoughts, mostly for the MDs and prize table co-coordinators.

First, the ROI from prize tables in 3Gun is such that it is really a poor marketing decision for the vast majority of companies. The title sponsors and the companies that put a few hundred dollars on the table garner the most benefit. The stage sponsors, for the most part, get lost in the mix. There are a lot of companies that put as much on the tables in a year as many stage sponsor levels are at one match, and for that they get to say they support "20 matches" when in reality, it is maybe $1K to $2K. For most shooters, that is enough to pass the stink test. At the top end, the Pro shooters are selling the vast majority of what they pick up, and they are already sponsored, so in essence, rifle company A is giving sponsored shooter B cash, and garners no good will sales as a result. Would they be better giving out 20 random $100 off coupons than a $2K rifle? Yes, but that is no longer an option because some sponsors jacked their prices and handed out $10K of cards that are not even worth the paper they are printed on, so accepting small percent off coupons is pretty much gone. Sure, Safariland, POF and a few others have still been giving out percent off cards, but in huge numbers, and they are actual good discounts.

When I get postcards and canned responses from matches, frankly they are worthless to me. Everyone is thankful for free stuff, so it is easy. What matters is when a person takes the time to actually post on facebook, or send us an email...that matters. We gave $12K of product to the women at the Brownells Lady 3Gun match, far and away the biggest chunk we have ever given, in fact that is more than many of the title sponsors at a lot of the majors. We have received tons of thanks, facebook posts, emails, etc, as well as a lot of pre and post match sales that we can conclusively connect to our sponsorship. Suffice it to say, that on a per dollar basis, if I wanted ROI, we would only sponsor women's matches and never put another prize on an normal major 3Gun match table. In addition, there are certain shooters who wear our logo and run our gear because they think it is the best. The direct sales we get from those people is far and away the best ROI we garner from giving product to shooters.

There has become a quickly growing percentage of shooters who have stopped appreciating the support of the sport from some companies because of the love of the sport and the desire to give back and only look at what they can get/sell/swap with absolutely no concept of reciprocal sales for the prizes they got. That is causing many sponsors to re-evaluate their donations and change their perspectives on how they market. And that does not even get into the issues of 3GunNation and how they have affected prize tables across the country. And I do think the majority of male shooters have come to take the prize table hauls for granted.

I have typically been a big supporter of order of finish prize tables, but due to the state of the industry and other factors, I am more and more starting to see the benefits of the Pro-Am style match where the Pros shoot for cash and the Amateurs shoot for random draw prizes.

[motosapiens]

To each his own. I believe the majority of folks don't mind picking up a certificate for a new Glock or 500 bullets, or a new range bag, or a new trigger for their AR, etc. etc. etc. I know I do. I do agree first and foremost that I am there to shoot. As I said, prize tables are an added bonus. I choose to support those that support us, the shooting sports. I would hope that other do too. And I think that most do.

I certainly don't mind winning something, but it has nothing to do with the reasons I go to big matches. It's purely a bonus.

I think it's good to support those who support us. That starts locally for me, by at least giving my local supportive shop the opportunity to compete for my business. I'll happily pay them a little more (but not a lot more, and they know that) than some big internet house.

To address MarkCo's last point, I became a big fan of of random draw prizes when the bike shop i managed was one of the sponsors of a local race series. I was also competing in the series (and winning a lot), but what I found is that the product giveaways didn't really have any marketing influence on the division/class winners. Those folks were already well-equipped serious competitors with some kind of shop or industry tie-in anyway (much like shooting). The people we wanted to reach were the average guys, to give them something to be excited about and try to get them in the door of our shop at some point. Based on what I have observed in shooting, I think the same thing holds. The top finishers just sell the stuff anyway, and it won't affect their equipment choices. Many of the average joes otoh will not only get more excited about free stuff, but they might actually use it, or shop at the store, or look at other products a mfr makes.

We also found that giving prizes based on order of finish provided a huge incentive for sandbagging lamers to stay in the lower classes so they could be proud about 'winning' their 'class'. Does that sound familiar?

[Ewilson224]

MarkCO, awesome post!

[rowdyb]

If I win a trophy or something at a match I will email various match sponsors the picture, showing them someone had fun, won and recognized they(the stage or match sponsor) were a part of the match as well. I especially like to do this if their banner or whatever is clearly seen in the picture.

[Ewilson224]

That's good stuff there Rowdy!

[Nimitz]

Moto: couldn't agree with you more ....

As I've said before, I'm a big fan of random draw prize tables so that all rank and file shooters who spend their time and money to shoot a match have an equal chance at winning a nice prize that they will probably actually use vice just sell for cash. And more importantly, it eliminates the sandbaggers ...

The Pro-Am held at Frostproof every year has got it mostly right ..... The pros compete for cash and the prize table is left for the ametuers. Unfortunately, they still do order of finish for walking the prize table with the top 3 in each class getting to go before anyone else so the guy who finished as 2nd C class gets to go 15th to the table even if he finished 50th overall ... Worse yet, there are only 2 divisions, open and limited so you get these guys who normally shoot Production or Limited who shoot the match twice, and who hold a lower classification in a division they don't shoot much and try to get a top 3 class finish so they can walk the table early

[Ewilson224]

A couple of matches I have been to lately did a system where they broke the competitors up into Gold, Silver, and a Bronze division. There is no A class or b class or c class. The gold, silver, bronze is strictly based on your finish. So if there are 100 competitors, 1-33 would be in gold, 34-66 would be in silver and so on.

The first gold goes up to table followed by first silver and then first bronze. Then second gold, second silver and second bronze and so on. I don't know if this system has a name, but for guys that don't finish in the top 5 still has a good chance of getting a good prize succh as a pistol.

I have shot 4 matches the last 2 years that did this kind of scoring and it is pretty effective. Is it the best, not at all. But it does give mid pack to lower end shooters the same opportunities as the top end shooters. Just some food for thought

Edited November 7, 2014 by Ewilson224

[MarkCO]

Called Lewis system and is used by GSSF.

[PatJones]

The Lewis system sounds great until the guy you finished in front of goes to the table well before you. The random draw is a better system.

[mlmiller1]

We hold a big little match in west texas & refuse to have sponsors. Their is so much to do getting a match put together & on the ground, we just didnt feel that we could do a good job of promoting sponsors. The competitors that shoot our match do it for the joy of shooting & the hope of winning. We have nice plaques for first 3 places. Sure simplifies everything.

[motosapiens]

We hold a big little match in west texas & refuse to have sponsors.

I have to say that by FAR the most important things to me when signing up for a match is that the stages are diverse and challenging and fun, the RO's are professional, and things run on time. If you can do that, I'll come to the match regardless of whether prizes are random draw, order-of-finish, or non-existent. And like the vast majority of shooters, I remember to say thanks to the RO's and staff for giving up their time so that I can have fun.

[JASracer]

I have helped to set up events of a different nature. It is hard to get sponsors to donate items. Especially if it is a small event. The number of companies that told me no was about 10 to every one that said yes. While that was in something different, I can see where it is the same for the shooting sports. It is not hard to find sponsors for an Area Championship or National Championship. The sponsors have a greater probability of getting their banner on TV. It might be in the background, but a lot more people are going to see it. A small match where there are a lot fewer participants and no national report will be harder to get sponsors. What I find frustrating is that they feel it is not worth their time to help the small matches. I had a small business tell me that all he wanted was to be able to get his product in the hands of a GM shooter that will go to a large match so his business would have a chance to get his name on TV. I felt like he didn't really care about my business since I am a new/D class shooter.

I am fairly new to competition shooting. Because of this, I am still trying to find the "right gear" for me. It was beneficial to attend a match and to walk away with a Safariland discount card and a few things that I could use. When I finally made the decision to get a new gun, I went to a small company that had sponsored a shoot somewhere else. If they are willing to sponsor the sport, then I will give them a chance at my business.

[Ewilson224]

Moto,

Thanking the RO's is something I always try to do. I know when I work matches, I appreciate it when people take the time to come up after they are done shooting and say "thank you". That is a good point Moto!! With exception for a few matches that I am aware of, all are volunteering their time.