Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

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  • #16
    Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

    Has anybody noticed the TV and location ads during all the curling championships for "World Financial Group", an AEGON company? AEGON, of course, has chess connections; they used to sponsor chess tournaments in the Netherlands. It looks like at the moment, AEGON has moved on to curling and tennis, but at least chess is in their blood. I am not a shareholder, nor a customer. AEGON should not be confused with AGON, which has something to do with the Candidates Matches in 2013.

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    • #17
      Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

      Originally posted by Josh Guo View Post
      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.
      Jonathan Berry brought up this old thread and I think this list is interesting.

      The best success in getting big sponsors locally has been professional connections. I think of those chess players who have became accountants, programmers and brokers, and those who teach chess in well-off schools, where parents get involved in their children's chess world.

      Chessplayers are a small market, and chess doesn't get the press attention to a broader coverage like this weekend's Masters golf. But the pwc Toronto Open still has legs in the tournament name being in game headers in databases like chessgames.com and the sponsors on chessboards still being used in schools. The number of hits to the tournament website was higher than to their local business page.

      There has rarely been small sponsorship such as free drinks or the sponsor paid for a trophy in their name. There are many small companies, perhaps energy drinks and healthy candy bars or tutoring, who can't offer much money but products and services. Also can get student volunteers looking to practice their PR, website, and conference-planning learning for their resume.

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      • #18
        Re: Corporate Sponsorship & Chess

        In 1984 with a Eurail pass, I had the ultimate freedom to choose my route across Europe to Thessaloniki. One place I chose to stop was San Sebastian, because of the 1911 tournament. No 1911 event, and I would have missed a charming spot. An investment in chess, and 73 years later, a tourist-night of income. Who knows, in 2061, somebody will wonder whether to check out the Dali or the site of the World Chess Festival--and eventually decide to see both!

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