How to Attract and Retain Sponsors for Your Grassroots Club
Sponsorship can transform a grassroots sports club. New kit instead of faded hand-me-downs. Proper equipment instead of making do. Pitch improvements that seemed impossible are suddenly becoming a reality.
But here's what many clubs find: getting sponsors is hard. Keeping them beyond one season is even harder. You see other clubs with smart sponsor logos on their shirts and wonder how they managed it. The truth? It's not about luck or having the right connections. It's about approach, professionalism, and building genuine relationships.
This guide will show you how to attract sponsors who want to support your club—and more importantly, how to keep them coming back year after year.
Think Local First (And Know What You're Offering)
Forget chasing big national brands. Your sweet spot is local businesses: the café near your ground, the plumbing firm whose owner's kids are in the Junior section, the accountancy practice that's been in town for 20 years.
These businesses aren't looking for national exposure. They want visibility in their community, positive associations, and goodwill with local families. Your club can offer exactly that.
But you need to understand your value. You're not a charity case asking for handouts—you're offering something worthwhile. Think about it: you've got access to dozens or hundreds of local families. You've got a social media presence. You've got match-day spectators. That's advertising that a local business can't get elsewhere.
Get your numbers straight before you approach anyone. How many members do you have? What's your social media reach? How many people attend your matches? These aren't vanity metrics—they're evidence of the exposure you can offer.
Consider different sponsor tiers too. Not every business can afford to be your main shirt sponsor, but they might be interested in sponsoring a specific team, matchday balls, or your end-of-season presentation. Multiple smaller sponsors often work better than chasing one big fish.
Make Your Club Look Professional
Here's a harsh truth: if you don't look professional, businesses won't take you seriously. Would you invest in a company that had no online presence and communicated entirely through WhatsApp? Probably not.
Your club needs a proper digital front door. A website where potential sponsors can see what you do, who you are, and why you matter. Photos of match days, news updates, member testimonials—content that shows you're active, organised, and legitimate.
This matters more than you might think. When a business owner googles your club (and they will), what do they find? If the answer is "not much" or "a Facebook page that hasn't been updated in six months," you've lost credibility before you've even pitched.
You don't need anything fancy—just something that demonstrates you're a real, functioning club that will represent their brand well. Because that's what they're worried about: if they put their name on your shirts, will it reflect well on them?
Creating a simple sponsorship pack helps too. One or two pages outlining who you are, what you're looking for, and what sponsors get in return. Clear benefits, clear pricing, clear contact details. Make it easy for businesses to understand what you're offering.
Pitch Like You Mean It (But Keep It Personal)
Now comes the scary bit: actually asking for sponsorship. Here's what doesn't work: a generic email blast to 50 businesses saying "We need money for new kit, can you help?"
What does work? Research. Personalisation. And leading with value.
Before you approach a business, spend ten minutes learning about them. What do they do? Who are their customers? Are they already involved in community activities? Then craft your pitch specifically for them.
Start with what they'll gain, not what you need. "We'd love to offer your business visibility to 200 local families through our club" sounds better than "we desperately need £500 for new kit."
Be specific about benefits. Where will their logo appear? How many times will you mention them on social media? Will they get matchday boards? Can they have a stall at your summer tournament? Paint a clear picture of what their investment buys.
Face-to-face conversations work best when possible. Pop into the business, introduce yourself, and ask if they'd be interested in supporting local sport. People do business with people they like, and you're far more convincing in person than in an email.
Make it easy for them to say yes. Have clear next steps. "If you're interested, I can send over our sponsorship pack and we can arrange a quick meeting to discuss details." Don't leave them wondering what happens next.
Deliver on Your Promises
Right, you've done it. You've secured a sponsor. Celebration time, yes? Absolutely. But this is where many clubs fall down: they get the money and then fail to deliver what they promised.
If you said their logo would be on your kit, make sure it is—and that it's visible and looks good. If you promised social media mentions, do them consistently throughout the season, not just once in September and then nothing.
Invite sponsors to matches and events. Send them photos of their logo in action. Keep them updated on how the season's going. Make them feel like they're part of your club, not just someone who transferred money once.
This isn't just about being decent (though it is that). It's about renewal. A sponsor who feels valued and sees evidence of their support will come back next year. A sponsor who's ignored after they've paid won't.
Poor delivery is why so many clubs have one-year sponsors who disappear. They're not necessarily unhappy with the exposure—they're dissatisfied with being forgotten about until renewal time comes around.
Build Relationships, Not Just Transactions
The best sponsorships aren't transactions. They're partnerships. And partnerships require ongoing communication and genuine relationships.
Don't just contact sponsors when you want money. Send them updates throughout the year. Share club achievements. Tell them how their support has made a difference. Ask for their advice occasionally—make them feel genuinely involved.
Remember that many local business owners have real community pride. They're not just calculating ROI on their sponsorship; they're often personally invested in seeing local organisations thrive. Tap into that.
When sponsors feel connected to your club, something magical happens. They renew without you even asking. They recommend you to other businesses. They increase their support. They become advocates, not just funders.
Long-term sponsors are worth their weight in gold. They provide stability, they understand your club, and they're invested in your success. Building these relationships takes time, but it's infinitely more valuable than constantly chasing new sponsors every season.
Show Your Impact and Say Thank You
At the end of the season, create a simple report for your sponsors. Nothing fancy—just evidence of what their support achieved.
How many times was their logo visible? What was your social media reach? What did the club accomplish this year? How many young people benefited from their support? Give them something concrete they can point to.
Public recognition matters enormously. Thank sponsors at presentation evenings. Feature them in newsletters. Shout about them on social media. Make it clear to your whole community that these businesses are supporting local sport.
And here's something that costs nothing but means everything: personal thank-you notes. Not generic emails—actual handwritten thank-yous from club officials or even from the young people who benefited. Business owners are people too, and this stuff matters to them.
Make sponsors feel that their investment mattered. Because it did. Your new kit, your improved facilities, your ability to keep subs affordable—none of that happens without them. Show genuine gratitude, and they'll remember it when renewal time comes.
Building Partnerships That Last
Attracting sponsors isn't about luck, and it isn't about who you know. It's about presenting your club professionally, offering clear value, and building genuine relationships with local businesses that care about their community.
When you treat sponsors as partners rather than cash machines, everything changes. They stick around. They become ambassadors for your club. They refer other businesses. And suddenly, sponsorship isn't a yearly scramble—it's a stable foundation your club can build on.
The clubs that excel at sponsorship are those that look professional, deliver on promises, communicate consistently, and build real relationships. That's not complicated. It just requires thought, effort, and the right systems to support it.
Want to make your club more attractive to sponsors? Discover how Pitchero helps clubs present themselves professionally and manage sponsor relationships effectively.