Sponsorship for Chess

[FPetrie]

After seeing some of the recent posts about sponsorship under the Ayr congress link I thought this might be the time to post something about sponsorship in chess.

I have recently taken on the role of Marketing Director for CS and while I have some ideas regarding where I would like to obtain sponsorship, raise profile of chess etc. I realise most of my ideas will be longer term goals.

I am therefore putting a request out here for anyone with an interest in marketing, or with contacts (personal or business) that they may think it would be worthwhile me contacting, please get in touch,my email address is available in CS contacts.

General discussion welcome, in fact actively encouraged, on here, however any details of any individuals/businesses that can be contacted regarding sponsorship should be emailed not put on forum ( data protection and all that)

After seeing some of the posts already regarding finance and sponsorship I am looking forward to a positive and no doubt sometimes heated discussion.

Please remember even the smallest amount of sponsorship can make a difference from a club level right through to sponsoring the Scottish- and the more we can get sponsorship for the more we can give back to you- the players.

[Andrew McHarg]

I think a standard document detailing the benefits of sponsoring Chess at various levels would be a good thing to have printed. It would give people trying to obtain sponsorship something to follow up with after phonecalls / emails etc.

[FPetrie]

Thanks for taking the time to reply I tthink you have made a great suggestion and I will try to get a suitable document available soon.

[hamish olson]

I have a feeling this has been done by someone already - once I've done my last exam on thursday I'll ask around a little.

Good luck with the new role.

[Craig Pritchett]

Congratulations on reviving the very long languishing marketing D post and good luck!

Few thoughts:

1. 'suitable' document - fine. But actual 'marketable' ideas are even more important

2. Review what may have been 'dropped'. E.g.

a. The annual Law Society Junior Rapidplay, replete with a mass of languishing trophies and perhaps even an old budget surplus (CS to check). OK was a schools' event, but why not widen to include junior team entrants? The event itself is obviously 100% attractive as an idea and marketable (I am sure an accommodation could be achieved with Law Society / local solicitors / new partner / sponsor ... the (very) old Scotsman trophy event for schools ran on for years after the paper stopped sponsoring it);

b. Scotland Street School Museum offered CS a superb venue free for a 2015 chess celebratory event (again calls for a schools /junior event of some sort) after the success of last year's celebratory Commonwealth Chess Champs exhibition / two day open junior training event at the museum ... I'm unaware of any serious interest in CS in taking this up ... yet a primary schools challenge of some sort (even just between two Glasgow primaries), a junior jamboree, rapidplay, junior talk / simul, or other ideas must surely catch the imagination and make a wider publicity / feel-good for chess in the community splash.

c. other ideas?

2. Richardson / Spens redesign! See also other threads at moment.

a. OK why not have a Richardson Cup that really attracts. 4 teams only in an 8 player/team all-play-all format over a three day weekend (Sat, Sun, Mon or maybe Fri) at a 'friendly' hotel (maybe best in May and to start 2016-17).

b. 2015-16 Richardson KO event finalists to qualify + two finalists of 2016-17 redesigned Spens I.e. Spens to remain on KO basis from 2016-17 but expanded to attract clubs who can no longer play in the KO 2016-17 Richardson (then scrapped). Bottom two in 2016-17 Richardson (May event) relegated to next year's Spens, with top two qualified again for the 2017-18 Richardson (May) 4 team event.

c. More 'top' chess /spectacle likely at the Richardson 4 team (May) event. Spens made much more interesting and attractive ... don't underestimate how much that elite Richardson (May) event will attract! Marketable. Could be done even at minimum cost of discounted hotel rates (likely as such things usually are for such events). Clearly also more sponsorship potential.

3. Finally no need for CS to try to do 'everything'. Privately run events confront these issues with varying success on their own all the time (keep it up!). Any document produced should point that out and show how CS / private events co-exist in partnership and signal at the very least moral support!

Hope helpful!

[Gary McPheator]

Good luck in your new post Fiona!

I don't know if this is what Hamish was thinking of, but I seem to remember the organisers of the Scottish Blitz producing a marketing report, detailing the attractions of chess to potential sponsors. They seemed to be quite sucessful in doing so, so are probably people that could help with ideas.

[FPetrie]

Thanks for all the feedback quite a few things to look at I am hoping to spend time over the weekend moving ideas forward so watch space for updates. And please keep posting or email me any further thoughts and comments

[Derek Howie]

Fiona, I approached both BoS and RBS a couple of years ago looking for sponsorship for junior chess but didn't get anywhere at that point. They look at these types of sponsorship centrally and you need to try and get on their "list" at the start of their sponsorship year as they don't tend to do ad-hoc projects.

The above suggestions in respect of a report are good and if that was submitted to their head- offices tasking for consideration for the following year and suggesting amounts, which should show that sponsorship of Scottish (junior?) chess would be relatively cheap then it may have a chance of success.

[Matthew Turner]

Approaching RBS or BOS is really never going to work unless you have relevant contacts within those businesses. It stands to reason that Chess Scotland will have players who are important in the business world, so the issue is bringing them on board and getting their help in securing funding. This will not happen over night, but you want to start identifying these contacts. To re-iterate my comments on a previous sponsorship thread.

"Invite the great and the good from Edinburgh Chess Club to a Black Tie Dinner at a local establishment. Get them schlossed, have a game of heads and tails if they can still stand and then have a charity auction. It's a tried and tested formula"

This would be a good start.

[FPetrie]

Hi

Think what you say is very true, I was hoping to maybe have some of those CS members with contacts get in touch here or by email to discuss further- cheaper than the alcohol bill that your suggestion would have. Although the idea of bring together people for a 'business meal' may not be a bad place to start.

The main thing is to generate discussion, get contacts and start moving ideas forward, For this to happen I am wiling to try anything and listen to everyone. Obviously some ideas will be too costly to try ( at least initially)
some may be just not feasible, but if even one is good enough to try and brings in even a few pounds it will have been worthwhile exercise
As I previously said I am hoping to do some work on things over weekend and will hopefully have update on here soon.

Always availbel by email as well