How To Find An Amateur MMA Fighter To Sponsor or How Did They Find Me!?
PART 2 IN A YEAR LONG SERIES
So, I ask myself, why is this MMA Amateur Fighter quest soooooo difficult? Is it me?
Why are we experiencing a failure to communicate? Or is it a combination of perfect storm and kismet? Probably the latter for martial arts practitioners in search of the elusive title of Ultimate Fighter.
Here’s why:
When we started this “adventure”, no doubt the allure of sponsoring an Ammy for MMA was intoxicating. This could take us to the “Big UFC Show”. Through trial and error, lots of errors, we found out, maybe not exactly the “Big Show”, but surely venues that are big deals to their local MMA communities. Boy, did we get an eye opener! I quickly found out that:
Ammys change their minds about MMA as they complete or try to complete their bout.
Ammys no show- fights get cancelled- so who’s wearing my brand in the cage?? Public awareness of my brand? Somebody’s gotta wear them before a pair gets sold. Jeesh! Another lesson and another delay for the Marketing Department.
Ammys THOUGHT they might want to join the big league, pro circuit for MMA, but injuries, severe injuries, quickly weed out the serious and competent contenders from wannabes.
Trainers and Ammys quarrel and split up- who knew!? I now see the delicate balance of MMA training direction and why bruised egos alter the tentative relationship between Trainer and Fighter. Much like a nasty divorce, but, no lawyers, thank God!
Everybody wants something- freebies, swag, free MMA fight shorts, MMA rashguards,
MMA fight gloves, shinguards, but something!
So, after a couple of stalled starts, Omegazone came to the conclusion that we need more structure and creative standards for sponsorship of Amateur MMA contenders. No more verbals, no more smile and a handshake, sorry to say. Here’s what can be put in place to protect the company as much as possible if sponsorship of Ammys is as alluring to you as it was to Omegazone.
Have a direct line of communication with the fighter, themselves, period. Putting your complete trust in the trainer could derail your marketing intentions. Just remember that their goals aren‘t exactly the same as yours. Control your Sponsorship.
Put it in writing! Tried and true, can’t imagine why we didn’t do this to begin with.
A contract should state what action or benefit is to be provided by the Sponsor(Company) and what return is expected from the fighter.
Both parties should sign and date the agreement with a length of term listed. Start date and end date.
Weasel Clause- Also known as the get out of jail free clause. If you need to cancel the contract with the Amateur Fighter, this may be your only out. Specify exactly what would break the contractual agreement for you.
Have an Attorney who specializes in matters such as this draft a contract for you or search on-line for free contract drafts that would fulfill your needs.
Our mistake was that we had no idea what to expect. Due to our admitted lack of experience in these matters, we were somewhat disappointed in our results. So, I can share the pain of this particular learning curve of sponsorship with you. As intended, this information about Amateur MMA Sponsorship should benefit any other company considering the same marketing path to broaden the scope of customer awareness for their branded merchandise.
But, hey, we still have stars in our eyes and an Ammy coming up in August- with a current 3-0 record. He’ll be wearing our Omegazone Fight Shorts in the cage……………………I’m crossing my fingers on this one………………….
NOTE: Information in this article is not intended to provide legal expertise. Always consult a qualified expert for legal advice.
Author: C. JonesMarketing/Sales for OMEGAZONEwww.omegazone.comcjones@omegazone.comOmegazone features MMA clothing, gear & equipment- with wholesale opportunities for gym and martial arts studio owners.
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