There is a growing body of knowledge that investigates sport sponsorship from the point of view of sponsoring organizations. What has not received a great deal of attention, however, is the process by which sport properties identify, contact, and “pitch” proposals to prospective sport sponsors. The major purpose of this study was to focus on a major women's tennis event to describe the steps and strategies used in the sponsorship acquisition process. The study identified five major steps used by the Pilot Pen sponsorship sales team and found that what Morris and Irwin (1996) referred to as a “data driven approach to sponsorship acquisition” was integrated into every step. This study also found that gender played a major role in identifying potential sponsors and developing promotional strategies to meet their needs.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ArthurD., ScottD., & WoodsT. (1997). A conceptual model of the corporate decision-making process of sport sponsorship acquisition. Journal of Sport Management, 11(3), 223–233.
2.
ArthurD., ScottD., WoodsT., & BookerR. (1998). Sport sponsorship should … A process model for the effective implementation and management of sport sponsorship programs. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 7(4), 49–61.
3.
BhonslayM. (1999, November 22-28). Victory Tour was SFX's chance to team its areas of expertise. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal, 2(31), 31.
4.
BlaiseD. (2000). The dynamics of sport sponsorship: Understanding the sponsorship exchange process. Unpublished Ph. Dissertation D., University of Connecticut.
CopelandR., FrisbyW., & McCarvilleR. (1996). Understanding the sport sponsorship process from a corporate perspective. Journal of Sport Management, 10(1), 32–48.
7.
CousensL., & SlackT. (1996). Using sport sponsorship to penetrate local markets: The case of the fast food industry. Journal of Sport Management, 10(2), 169–187.
8.
CromptonJ. (1993). Understanding a business organization's approach to entering a sponsorship partnership. Festival Management and Event Tourism, 1, 98–109.
9.
FriedmanA. (1999, November 15-21). Research-resistant team execs need numbers they can count on. Street and Smith's Sport Business Journal, 2(30), 17.
10.
HansenF., & ScotwinL. (1995, August). An experiential inquiry into sponsoring: What effects can be measured?Marketing and Research Today, 173–181.
11.
HofacreS., & BurmanT. (1994). Demographic changes in the U.S. into the twenty-first century: Their impact on sport marketing. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 1(1), 31–36.
12.
IrwinR., AsimakopoulosM., & SuttonW. (1994). A model for screening sport sponsorship opportunities. Journal of Promotion Management, 2(3/4), 53–69.
13.
IrwinR., & SuttonW. (1994). Sport sponsorship objectives: An analysis of their relative importance for major corporate sponsors. European Journal of Sport Management, 1(2), 93–101.
14.
KaplanD. (1999a, August 30-September 5). USTA series serves up its cash cow; The Open. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal, 2(19), 1,45.
15.
KaplanD. (1999b, November 22-28). Persistence pays for WTA tour. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal, 2(31), 8.
16.
KuzmaJ., ShanklinW., & McCallyJ. (1993). Number one principle for sports events seeking corporate sponsors: Meeting benefactor's objectives. Sports Marketing Quarterly, 2(3), 27–32.
17.
LopianoD. (1999a, November 15-21) The next century will be golden years for women's sports. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal, 2(30), 54.
18.
LopianoD. (1999b, December 13-19). WNBA remarkable 1999 blows the vultures out of the sky. Street and Smiths Sports Business Journal, 2(34), 62.
19.
LoughN. (1996). Factors affecting corporate sponsorship of women's sport. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 5(2), 11–19.
20.
MarshallC., & CookG. (1992). The corporate sport sponsor. International Journal of Advertising, 11(4), 307–324.
21.
McCookK., TurcoD., & RileyR. (1997). A look at the corporate sponsorship decision-making process. Cyber Journal of Sport Marketing, 9(2), 50–65.
22.
MorrisD. & IrwinR. (1996). The data driven approach to sponsorship acquisition. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 5(2), 7–10.
23.
MullinB, HardyS., & SuttonW. (2000). Sport marketing. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
24.
PonturoT. (1999, November 12). Miche-lob Light renews sponsorship of Pilot Pen Tennis [press release]. St. Louis: Anheuser Busch.
25.
SackA., $ FriedG. (2000, January 10). 1999 Pilot Pen Fan Survey. University of New Haven School of Business.
26.
SeaverR. (1999, December 13-19). Memo to sports properties: The ‘Big Red Bank” is closing. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal. 2(34), 54.
27.
StotlarD., & KadlecekJ. (1993, April). What's in it for me?Athletic Business, 32–36.
28.
SuttonW., & WattingtonR. (1994). Communicating with women in the 1990s: The role of sport marketing. Sports Marketing Quarterly, 3, 9–14.
29.
WintersM. (1999, November 18). Sponsorship 101: How the Pilot Pen and Ericsson Open are on their way to becoming household names. Tennis World, 18–19, 28.
