Sponsorships - Your Thoughts?

[The Saint]

Recently whilst watching sport I have noticed that there are some sponsors which really dominate the sport in terms of equipment offered to participants. For example

 

 

 

Specialized seem to sponsor any team that ride a bicycle, Nike any athlete who competes in the IAAF, Monster any thing with an engine in it, GM anyone who can hold a cricket bat.

 

 

 

The fact that I can remember these names off hand probably means that the company has done its job. However I also wonder if the fact that any athlete good or bad can make use of a companies product does not prostitute the brand or weaken the brand and put the quality of their equipment to question.

 

 

 

MRF's exclusivity comes to mind. They only sponsored a few select cricketers in the world which almost made their product exclusive. They also only sponsored the best and nobody else. This in my mind made me perceive that their equipment had to be the best because it was only used by the best.

 

 

 

Two sides to the coin here - what do you think?

[AndreZA]

I'm all for exclusivity. Why follow the herd. If you are good enough to notice the difference between the brands then you are good enough to be sponsored and don't have a say anyway.

[Trubie]

Just remember that the top players/riders/athletes etc gets to use the best or personalised equipment, thus the Nike spikes you and I can buy isnt nearly the same quality , weight etc as the one's that the world's best run in. So although it might seem as if the mass market appeal downgrades the brand name, the opposite is actually true. The GM bats that you can buy and the one's the top batsmen use is worlds appart. They dont necessarily sell those as it really is exclusive (read, not affordable), and the co probably only makes a few of them anyway.

Saw an article today where Reebok is offering a $10000 reward for anyone that can return the hockey stick and gloves the Canadian,  who shot the winning goal in Vancouver against the US at the winter games, used. He tossed it away after scoring to celebrate and never got it back.

 

 

 

[messenger]

sorry what was the question?

 

why would you not want to associate your brand with the best?

appeal to the masses with the buying power....

['Dale]

Money talks!

 

Athletes go for the sponsors with the biggest bottom line in their favour.

 

It is not more complex than that.

 

 

 

The question of monopoly and fair trade is another tricky discussion.

 

 

 

[appycyclist]

Sponsorship....you mean that is where the athlete milks someone for a year and finds someone new next year to milk. 40 AND 50 year old over the hill athletes with sponsors...... acting like real pro's......eish

[Robo]

About the GM cricket equipment, not all the players actually use GM, the bats is custom made to their need and sometimes by local bat makers. The player just sticks his sponsor sticker on the piece of equipment. And remember the company only seeks the exposure...