Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

[Joshua Guo]

After reading the Cdn Closed thread below, I did a quick calculation how much it would take to run the event. Basically after the entry fee, the organizer would need approx. $10,000 of corporate sponsorship (see below). My calculation might be a bit off but that's not the main point.

I went to the 2009 Toronto Open at 1 King West, I remember Brian Fiedler was able to get pretty impressive lineup of sponsors - PWC, RBC, Deloitte, etc. In turn he was able to get players like Nakamura and a great location. In fact, I don't know ANY chess tournament that was held at a location like that in the heart of a major city.

During the tournament I walked by the RBC stand, there was a guy and a girl there wearing RBC t-shirts. They looked extremely bored, probably from sitting there all day with nobody approaching them. Do you think when they went back to work on Monday they'll recommend to their boss sponsoring another chess tournament again?

Remember companies like PWC and RBC are the businesses THAT CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE 10k of sponsorship for a single event, even during April, 2009 - at the bottom of the crash.

My point to all the chess players - lets try to socialize a little bit with the people who give us money. Ask them about banking or loans, even if you don't know much about the company. I know it sounds vain, but that's reality. It happens everywhere and everyday subtly, be nice to the people who give you $$$.

This way we don't need to worry not having proper national tournaments. We can make the job of finding sponsorships a lot easier for our organizers, and Jean Hebert can finally stop complaining.



*** Calculation ***

Requirement: http://www.chess.ca/section_8.shtml

- $200 entry fee.
- Players must be 2250+ CFC.
- the Canadian Champion and Runner-Up shall have their entry fee, accommodation and meal expenses paid by the tournament organizers;
- free entry shall be given to IM’s and GM’s;
- free accommodation should be provided for GM’s;

Lets say Hal picks up this tournament:

hebert, mark:
(($100 hotel x 9 nights) + ($40 meal x 9 days)) x 2 = $2700
bator, thomas:
($100 hotel x 9 nights) x 2 = 1800
TD Fee, rent, and mis. expense for 9-day tournament = $3000
= $7500

Entry fee for 25 players (non-GM/IMs) = $5000

The TD is already $2500 in the hole, to get a decent prize fund of $7500, he needs 10k of sponsorship.

This is what it takes to run a "proper" national tournament with 3-4 GMs, 8-10 IMs, and 25 2250+CFC players playing.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Hi Josh:

Excellent post - thanks for modelling the tournament budget for us all. It shows that the organizer does face a substantial challenge in organizing an " optimal " Closed. We can understand a bit, why we do not yet have any bids.

Bob

[Gordon Gooding]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Hello there,

It is very interesting to see your take on the organizing of tourneys. It is not easy that is for sure. I have tried getting some additional sponsoring for the ON Open from some of the banks. So far, zip. I may not be savvy enough. I dont know what I am doing wrong. Any tips on how to get sponsorships? Anyone? It sure is easier to play in a tourney than to get sponsorships for one :(

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Hello there,

It is very interesting to see your take on the organizing of tourneys. It is not easy that is for sure. I have tried getting some additional sponsoring for the ON Open from some of the banks. So far, zip. I may not be savvy enough. I dont know what I am doing wrong. Any tips on how to get sponsorships? Anyone? It sure is easier to play in a tourney than to get sponsorships for one :(

one tip is go at least a year in advance, they set their donation and sponsorship annual budgets for the year at the beginning of the year at the latest and have already decided who to support at that point

[Fred McKim]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

*** Calculation ***

Requirement: http://www.chess.ca/section_8.shtml

- $200 entry fee.
- Players must be 2250+ CFC.
- the Canadian Champion and Runner-Up shall have their entry fee, accommodation and meal expenses paid by the tournament organizers;
- free entry shall be given to IM’s and GM’s;
- free accommodation should be provided for GM’s;

Lets say Hal picks up this tournament:

hebert, mark:
(($100 hotel x 9 nights) + ($40 meal x 9 days)) x 2 = $2700
bator, thomas:
($100 hotel x 9 nights) x 2 = 1800
TD Fee, rent, and mis. expense for 9-day tournament = $3000
= $7500

Entry fee for 25 players (non-GM/IMs) = $5000

The TD is already $2500 in the hole, to get a decent prize fund of $7500, he needs 10k of sponsorship.

This is what it takes to run a "proper" national tournament with 3-4 GMs, 8-10 IMs, and 25 2250+CFC players playing.

Great post, Josh !! We'll see how close we can come to this. We know somebody will eventually make a bid.

[Josh Guo]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Hello there,

It is very interesting to see your take on the organizing of tourneys. It is not easy that is for sure. I have tried getting some additional sponsoring for the ON Open from some of the banks. So far, zip. I may not be savvy enough. I dont know what I am doing wrong. Any tips on how to get sponsorships? Anyone? It sure is easier to play in a tourney than to get sponsorships for one :(

Well I dont have a marketing background, but there are lots of resources out there for corporate sponsorships.

- For starters, it always helps if know people who are high level managers/directors/VPs in these corporations, professional contacts.
- When you approach, I hope you're approaching as an organization (for example, OCA) instead of an organizer for a single event. Think about how someone like RBC can benefit from sponsorship, sell your points.
- Know the demographic of people who will be exposed to your chess tournament, this is not just the players will actually come play, but all the potential people who sees your flyer.
- Be as professional as possible when meeting with them. Make them think you're serious. A lot of this is just having experience in Marketing and Sales
- Promote the sponsors during the event. Ever seen how Nascar is plastered with corporate logos all over the car? do the same. One idea is make a t-shirt with the sponsor logos, and make the players wear it during tournament.
- Everything can be marketed. Almost all professional sports teams re-name their stadiumn these days. Do we have a trophy for the Cdn Closed Champion? Sell the naming rights to that, "RBC Canadian Chess Cup", put a logo on that trophy - I'm ok with that if it means we'll have a great event.
- There are many more ideas, talk to Brian, I thought he did a good job of attracting sponsors in some of the past events.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Great post, Josh !! We'll see how close we can come to this. We know somebody will eventually make a bid.

I notice Kevin's blog covers the event. Funny content.

My comment is, with the onus placed on an organizer if you don't get a bid, award the title to the top Canadian in the Canadian Open.

[Bob Gillanders]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Thanks Josh! Your post illustrates very well the difficulty in organizing the Canadian Closed. It is not your typical weekend swiss that can be financed by entry fees alone. Some sponsorship money is needed and that is always a challenge.

We are still hopeful that an organizer will step forward. The executive is reviewing the budget to see what support is available from CFC coffers. We all know those pockets are not deep.:(

This maybe one of those times when the chess community needs to come together to make it happen. It really would be a shame if we couldn't. We all realize that many chess clubs struggle to just pay the rent. But perhaps there are a few chess clubs, provincial affiliates, leagues, or individuals that would be willing to make a pledge of say $100 to $500 to help. :)

[Eric Hansen]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

I notice Kevin's blog covers the event. Funny content.

My comment is, with the onus placed on an organizer if you don't get a bid, award the title to the top Canadian in the Canadian Open.

Yeah, the coverage made me ROFL. One of the best I've seen.

The CAN Open idea would maybe work except this year the World Cup got bumped up and it starts in August. I think FIDE requires the slot to be figured out by then so they can arrange stuff and pairings etc. Anyways, if it's the WC slot that is the main issue(we don't need to technically run the zonal otherwise?) then maybe just run a barebones round robin in Toronto in May or June with the top players who wish to fight for the spot .Don't need to call it the Can Closed ; could be the Canadian World Cup Qualifier.

Just a selfish suggestion since I'd like a chance to play for the WC opportunity instead of whatever other random option occurs in case no Zonal takes place which seems to be likely.

[Craig Sadler]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

...
This maybe one of those times when the chess community needs to come together to make it happen. It really would be a shame if we couldn't. We all realize that many chess clubs struggle to just pay the rent. But perhaps there are a few chess clubs, provincial affiliates, leagues, or individuals that would be willing to make a pledge of say $100 to $500 to help. :)

how much money was raised from the "waive tournaments" last year? i think that was a great promotion...

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

I have no idea what they will end up doing. It seems the organizers don't want any part of the great event the CFC brain trust envisioned when they drafted and passed the motion governing the event.

A barebones RR seems completely opposite of what they envisioned and maybe that corner Kevin mentions is appropriate. It's in a church yard beside a major hospital so the players bodiy and spiritual needs would likely be satisfied. The financial needs would be another matter.

Maybe the CFC should dip into the foundation and sponsor the first event under those rules to see exacly how much money it would cost an organizer.

[Brad Thomson]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Back in my CFC days we worked hard for a while trying to convince corporations to sponsor the Zonal year Canadian Closed Championships. I did a fair bit of leg work and came across two or three corporations, one of them a major bank, and was told that $20,000 would not be difficult at all. But there was one catch- the players would have to be wearing suits. I reported this to the executive and governors, and the decision was that they were unwilling to enact and enforce a dress code.

Sponsors step up to the plate when they want their name associated with your event. Chess has an intellectual reputation, and is perfect for many prospective sponsors, but not when most of the apparel is provided by the Salvation Army.

[Jean Hébert]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Sponsors step up to the plate when they want their name associated with your event. Chess has an intellectual reputation, and is perfect for many prospective sponsors, but not when most of the apparel is provided by the Salvation Army.

Chess players can dress when needed. But so far it has not happened too often in Canada. Very often TDs, organizers and even chess federation executives show the way by dressing casually at all times.
I remember Stephen Boyd who was TD at the 1978 Closed at Hart House. Worn out T-Shirt, shorts and sneakers. When I saw him arbitrating in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2009 and later in Cannes, the story was different. Suit and tie. Find the sponsors. People and players will dress up if it is worth it. This is not the problem.

[John Brown]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

HI Brad;
So if the sponsors said if you wear T-shirts we give trophies but Shirts and Ties give cash. Don't you think the CFC Governors would not wake up and vote for cash.
That cements by opinion that the Governors live in the past.Bring in some updated Geeks.

[Fred McKim]

Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

Back in my CFC days we worked hard for a while trying to convince corporations to sponsor the Zonal year Canadian Closed Championships. I did a fair bit of leg work and came across two or three corporations, one of them a major bank, and was told that $20,000 would not be difficult at all. But there was one catch- the players would have to be wearing suits. I reported this to the executive and governors, and the decision was that they were unwilling to enact and enforce a dress code.

Brad: I certainly don't remember this, and I don't think it would be the case today. I believe we (the Executive and Governors) would be receptive to any reasonable corporate sponsorship offer, with such a stipulation.