It's been close to 9 years since we started this crazy thing that we call Wolf Pack Discs. We have seen so many companies, clubs and teams start up since then, and many have really crushed it. If you are thinking about expanding your current adventure or starting a new one maybe this blog will give you some advice. Taking on a team is a huge challenge, there are many great companies and clubs doing it out there. We were blessed to start our first team in 2010, consisting of RC Hunt, DJ Hunt, Richard, Brian and Amber. Better known as two really good players and the owners of the company. In fact the Hunt’s parents purchased our first official WPD gear. We were excited to be doing something new, there were not a lot of teams out there at the time outside of major manufacturers. Now we have a pretty good size team, with representation all across the great disc state (Michigan) and a few friends outside of the state. We are asked a lot about joining the team now (we have a blog about it check it out here). We’ve reached out to some friends in the industry to see what they had to say about teams/sponsorship.
Bob Julio, Team Discraft Manager had this to say; “Make sure you are looking for sponsorship for the right reasons. If it is just for personal worth, I would recommend you just focus on the game along with attitude on and off the course and sponsorship opportunities will come. I say this because I notice so many players these days looking for any random sponsorship, but not truly focusing on themselves only to be consumed by a status.” Check out more information about team Discraft at www.discraft.com.
Shea Abbgy, owner of Great Lakes Disc and a great TD in the sport had this to say; “Teams/sponsorship's are a fun way to advertise and hopefully grow your business. Before you begin recognizing people as official representatives of your business you should establish some qualifications you are looking for. Obtaining sponsorship or being apart of a team is a big goal for many players and there are a lot of players. You at some point are going to have to turn down players. You may even have to turn down a good customer at your business. Players can become angry or feel betrayed if you turn down their sponsorship request. Being able to have an honest conversation as to why you decided to not sponsor that individual is important to maintaining a positive relationship.”
Our friend Jacob Stahl, Owner of Disc Baron, who once bet Brian he wouldn’t wear a tutu at an event had this to say “I would have to say scope is a big thing I try to take into account more often that not while operating the company and team. Understanding what your goals are and trying to make decisions based on the scope of your goals is very important. You want to make sure your reaching to achieve those goals while also not overextending yourself to the point of an unfavorable outcome.”
Hope this helps, remember before you start a team or sponsorship, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. And as always make sure you are getting something back for your investment. It takes a lot of time to run a good team, and money for clothes, discs and more. It sure is a blast to have such a great group representing us!