VINTERS FOOTBALL CLUB
Vinters Green - Vinters Park - Vinters Valley
Vinters Football Club
Club Sponsorship Proposal
- Table of Contents
2. Scope of the Policy 3
3. Communication with Sponsors 3
4. The Vinters Brand 4
5. The Sponsorship Agreement 5
6. The Vinters Football Club Offer 5
7. The Sponsors Offer 5
7.1. Branding Exposure 5
7.2. Kit sponsorship 6
7.3. Training Kit Sponsorship 6
7.4. Equipment Sponsorship (Footballs, Water bottles, Training cones, etc) 6
7.5. Website Promotion 6
7.6. Team Portrait 6
7.7. Club Newsletter 7
7.8. Presentation Event 7
7.9. 5-a-Side Tournament 7
7.10. Tea Hut. 7
7.11. Vinters Park Playing Fields 7
7.12. Valley Park Community School / Invicta Grammar School 8
8. Levels of sponsorship available 9
8.1. Platinum Plus Full Club sponsorship. 9
8.2. Platinum – Individual Team Kit/Training Sponsorship. 11
8.3. Gold – Individual Team Kit Sponsorship. 12
8.4. Silver – Individual Team Training Kit Sponsorship 13
8.5. Bronze – Individual Item Sponsorship. 14
2. Scope of the Policy
Vinters Park Football Club is committed to providing the children and youth in the Maidstone area with the opportunity to play football at every level. As a self financed organisation, our mission is to provide quality coaching and player opportunities, expand player knowledge and skills and encourage all football players to seek the highest level of play. Sponsorship plays a key role in the income of the club, permitting the club to maintain a high standard and to make football affordable to all. We therefore seek support from local businesses to assist our teams which we hope will equally give businesses additional advertising exposure through the club’s website, teams and other activities.
3. Communication with Sponsors
All sponsorships should involve negotiation so that each party is satisfied that the arrangements will benefit both parties. First contact with potential Sponsors is usually through a Team Manager. If the Team Manager is happy to discuss sponsorship on behalf of Vinters Football Club, then this is acceptable to the Vinters Football Club Management Committee. If The Team Manager is not happy in this role then it must be handled by one of the Management Committee members. To keep communications clear between both parties, it is preferable that there is only one agreed contact with the potential Sponsor.
The person in contact with the potential Sponsor is responsible for ensuring the Management Committee are kept informed of discussions and agreements as they occur or change. The person in contact with the potential sponsor is also responsible for ensuring that discussions are conducted in a timely manner. Any commitment from Vinters Football Club must be made in agreement with the Management Committee.
4. The Vinters Brand
Vinters Football Club has been in existence since 1974 starting out with just 2 teams. Since then the club has grown in size and for the 2010/2011 season will have 23 teams playing competitively from under 8 through to adults with a further 3 teams at under 7 playing non-competitive football. We have 2 girls’ teams playing at under 13 and under 15 and are also looking to develop a disabled team inside the next 5 years.
The Vinters Development Squad also provides a platform for Year R, Year 1 & Year 2 children in the community to first and foremost enjoy football. Our coaches help the children develop their skills and understanding of the game enabling them to progress to be part of a competitive Vinters teams from the age of Under 9.
The club is affiliated to the K.C.F.A. and are members of the Invicta Primary League, Express Cabs Maidstone & District Boys Primary League, Maidstone Minor League, Maidstone & Mid Kent Sunday League and the Kent Girls/Ladies Football, League.
Furthermore, we are seeking to join the Kent Youth League (Highest level of youth football in Kent) for the 2011/12 season. This will allow the club to retain more players rather than losing them to other senior clubs and keep inline with the club development plan.
Vinters Football Club are one of the few youth football clubs within the Maidstone area to hold the FA Chartered Standard qualification which ensures that each manager holds a minimum Level 1 “FA Club Coach” coaching qualification and ensures all managers and coaches are fully CRB checked.
We have also just been awarded the FA Community Club status by the Kent FA. This scheme builds upon the foundations of the Chartered Standard scheme in placing clubs at the heart of their community.
The main aim of Vinters Football Club is to provide the opportunity for boys and girls in the Maidstone area to enjoy playing football in a safe environment. All our players, coaches and parent abide by the clubs code of conduct which promotes playing the game in a professional and sportsmanlike manner.
Current success stories so far for Vinters Football Club are Adam Birchall who currently plays for Dover having started his football education with Vinters Football Club. He was on Arsenal's books but was released in 2006 he then played for Wycombe Wanderers, Mansfield, Barnet & Northampton before joining Dover. He also played for Wales U21s.
Oliver Bartram was on the books of Gillingham and is now playing for Dover.
5. The Sponsorship Agreement
The purpose of sponsorship is to find a mutually beneficial arrangement between the Club and the Sponsor.
All arrangements are to be transparent and shall stand up to any scrutiny.
All kit, equipment and other goods supplied to the Club as part of the sponsorship agreement will remain the property of the Club.
A written agreement is to summarise all discussions so that each party is in no doubt as to their obligations. This should negate any potential disagreements over the honouring of any of these obligations.
6. The Vinters Football Club Offer
The aim of sponsorship is to provide exposure of the Sponsor’s name, products and/or service to the local community and beyond. Vinters Football Club offer potential sponsors the ability to achieve this in several ways;
7. The Sponsors Offer
100% of donations will be given directly to Vinters Football Club that has secured the sponsorship unless otherwise specified. Sponsorships are a three year commitment and priority will be given to the previous sponsors for the next three seasons.
Where sponsorship is offered to the club, and not necessarily to an individual team, it is at the discretion of the Management Committee as to where the sponsorship will be allocated.
7.1. Branding Exposure
As described above the name of the sponsor can appear on football kits, training clothing and equipment, providing exposure to all those attending league and cup matches played throughout the Maidstone and Kent area. Also events held by the football club through out the year opportunities to have company’s logos / names visible at the Vinters Park playing fields.
7.2. Kit sponsorship
All Vinters Football Club teams will play in the official colours and unique kit design, of green/white striped shirts, black shorts and black socks (Appendix A). Sponsors can pay for the provision of this kit and in return have the company logo and/or name on the chest of the shirts. All company names and logos must be approved by the Vinters Football Club Management Committee. Company names and logos will also need to meet the criteria set by English Football Association and the Kent Football Association.
7.3. Training Kit Sponsorship
The club endeavours to provide each team with appropriate clothing for use at matches and training throughout the season. The training kit comes in standard designs and club colours. Sponsors can pay for the provision of items of training kit for the squad and in return have the company logo and/or name appear on the garments. Upper body garments will carry the Vinters Football Club crest on the left side and the Sponsors logo/company name on the right. All company names and logos must be approved by the Vinters Football Club Management Committee.
7.4. Equipment Sponsorship (Footballs, Water bottles, Training cones, etc)
The club endeavours to provide each team with appropriate equipment for use at matches and training throughout the season. Sponsors can pay for the provision of items of training equipment for the squad and in some cases have their company logo and/or name appear on the equipment. All company names and logos will be approved by the Vinters Football Club Management Committee.
7.5. Website Promotion
The Vinters Football Club website is promoted throughout the club as the primary source of information for players and their families. Companies sponsoring the club will be promoted through the website. Space is provided for a short descriptive statement where their company name or logo is displayed. The website can also provide possible links to the Sponsor’s specific company website. In addition, the Sponsor’s of specific teams will have their logo (and link) also appear on the team page. This site is also used for all the visiting teams to find out information about the club and the location and contacts. (Please see Appendix B for sample screen shots)
7.6. Team Portrait
A team portrait (or other agreed media) can be provided involving the Sponsor’s representatives if required. This picture (or other agreed media) may be displayed at the Sponsors place of business to promote the Sponsor’s involvement with the Club. This media must not be used in any other way without the express permission of the Club’s Management Committee. This is another way in which the Sponsor can demonstrate their commitment to the community and youth football development. The use of such pictures must be approved beforehand by the Vinters Football Club Management Committee and should be specified in the written agreement.
7.7. Club Newsletter
A Vinters Football Club newsletter is distributed weekly via email and distributed to all registered players, families and officials of the club via e-mail. It may also be made available to the local community through a structured distribution network. Companies sponsoring the club will have their logo (and website link in online versions) included within the newsletter/s to help promote their business.
7.8. Presentation Event
The football season culminates in the Vinters Football Club Presentation Event. All of the clubs teams come together with players, parents and supporters to celebrate the achievements of the season. This event is another opportunity where Sponsors of the club are promoted and exhibited to all attendees. The Sponsor’s company is advertised at various points throughout the evening and included in the evening’s programme.
7.9. 5-a-Side Tournament
Every year Vinters Football Club holds their annual 5-A-Side tournament which is one of the biggest one day soccer tournaments in Kent. The first tournament was held in 1996 now regularly sees over 200+ teams competing from over 50 clubs on the first Saturday in July. Walking figures on the day totalled in excess of 5,000 people. Several promotional stalls would be made available for company’s to promote their businesses on the day. An event programme is published with all the details for the day’s events and with there being ample space for Companies sponsoring the club to have their logo included to help promote their business.
7.10. Tea Hut.
A central meeting point within the Vinters Park Playing fields. This Hut provides refreshments for all visitors to the playing fields from both Vinters Football Club and visiting playing teams. On an average playing day there it is expected that 250+ people would pass through this hut.
7.11. Vinters Park Playing Fields
With up to 26 Teams playing at Valley Park over the weekend period we estimate that some 550 people (players, parents and spectators) visit Valley Park each weekend. Additional during the lighter summer months many of our teams train at Valley Park during the week and as such advertising at the ground will be available going forward to all of our main sponsors.
7.12. Valley Park Community School / Invicta Grammar School
We also benefit from a very close association with the above 2 schools who share our playing facilities at Valley Park. We have recently funded the purchase of floodlights for the school Astro Turf which we share the use of with the school during the winter months.
8. Levels of sponsorship available
Platinum Plus – Full Club sponsorship
£20k for 3 seasons.
Platinum – Individual Team Kit/Training Sponsorship
Home Kit/Tracksuits £850 (U6 – U10) £1.25k (U11 – Adults) for 2 seasons
Home Kit/Raintops £750 (U6 – U10) £1.1k (U11 – Adults) for 2 seasons
Gold – Individual Home Team Kit Sponsorship
£500 (U6 – U10) £700 (U11 – Adults) for 2 Seasons.
Silver – Individual Team Training Kit Sponsorship.
Tracksuits £450 (U6 – U10) £700 (U11 – Adults) for 2 Seasons.
Raintops £350 (U6 – U10) £450 (U11 – Adults) for 2 Seasons
Bronze – Item Sponsorship for 1 Season (£200 for 1 season).
8.1. Platinum Plus Full Club sponsorship.
Compromises of:-
Playing Kit sponsorship.
All teams playing kit (home & away) will have the company logo and/or name on the chest of the shirts. Currently the Club is operating 23 teams.
Training Kit and merchandise sponsorship.
It is envisaged that all training kit and club merchandise will be sold as individual items via the club website, as the main sponsor of the club all kit and merchandise purchased will have the company logo and/or name displayed as appropriate on these items. (These items will be purchased by the individual parents / players).
Main Club Website sponsorship.
The Main Club sponsor company logo and/or name will be displayed on all pages within the website.
Club Newsletter / Official documents.
As the main club sponsor company’s logo and/or name will be displayed on all newsletters that are sent out to all club website registered users. Also the main club sponsor company’s logo and/or name will be displayed on the official Vinters Football Club headed paper.
Club Portrait.
A club portrait (or other agreed media) with all players in the team kit can be organised involving the Sponsor’s representatives if required. This picture (or other agreed media) may be displayed at the Sponsors place of business to promote the Sponsor’s involvement with the Club.