Football club sponsorship

Before you talk to anyone about money, list every asset the club could offer over a season. Clubs often underestimate how much they have, and a fuller list makes it easier to build packages at different price points.

• Shirt fronts, the most visible and usually the most valuable position, with back of shirt and sleeves as secondary placements.
• Training kit, tracksuits, warm-up tops and bags, which are worn far more often than matchday shirts.
• Pitch-side advertising boards, seen by every crowd and in many matchday photos.
• Matchday programmes, whether printed or digital, with adverts and sponsor features.
• Social media channels, including team announcements, results and player of the match posts.
• Junior sections, where a sponsor might support a single age group or the whole youth setup.
• The clubhouse, including branding, event hosting and hospitality on matchdays.
• Naming rights for a pitch, stand, end-of-season award or the clubhouse itself.

Not every club has all of these, and that is fine. A small club with a well-run social account and a committed junior section can still put together an attractive offer, as long as it describes what it has accurately.

Youth football club sponsors need particular care, because the audience includes children and their families. Many clubs choose not to accept sponsorship from businesses linked to alcohol, gambling or other age-restricted products for their junior teams, and kit worn by children should be suitable for them. Your league and county football association may have their own rules on sponsorship of youth kit, so check their current guidance before agreeing a deal.

It is also sensible to agree with any sponsor how photos and content involving young players will be used. Make sure parental consent is in place, follow your club's safeguarding policy and keep the sponsor's use of images within those limits. Being clear about these points from the start protects the children, the club and the sponsor, and responsible businesses will appreciate that you take it seriously.

Keeping a sponsor is far easier than finding a new one, so treat delivery as seriously as the sale. Make sure every promised board goes up, every social post goes out and every programme advert appears as agreed. Send occasional photos and updates through the season so the sponsor can see the partnership in action, and invite them to a match or a club event.

Towards the end of the season, send a short summary of what was delivered, with photos and links to the relevant posts, and thank them properly. Raise renewal well before the new kit order is due, since shirt sponsors in particular need time to plan. If a sponsor decides not to continue, ask why, as the answer will help you shape a better offer for the next business you approach.