Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Fez on February 04, 2014, 10:59:45 AM
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Hi,
Said to my mate I'd have an ask on here as I was a member and see if there was any info or opinion out there on sponsorship. For the record, this is a genuine mate, not a "mate", I'm no where near good enough for anything of this sort.....free coaching out of pity maybe! :)
A guy I play with was near top of the pile for league runs scored nationally last year (amateur), can be seen on play-cricket. His bat is on its last legs and due to the poor/lucky guy getting engaged last year, new bat fund is now wedding fund.
My question is, does sponsorship still go on or discount deals for players like this? We don't play in top flight leagues (although we're hopeful of promotion this year) so I believe this could be his sticking point.
Any opinion or info offered will be gratefully passed on.
Fez
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There are definitely brands out there that will offer bulk deal discounts, if they do not offer sponsorships anyway.
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I don't think full sponsorship is as easily got as it once was.
I think you'll find if you also ask for sponsorship, most will ignore you to.
But some companies offer discout a on kit, as sponsorship. An u17(not even a good one) managed to wangle 40% of Woodstock as "sponsorship"
Issue was he had to buy a bat, pads, gloves and bag minimum. Which still adds up. And won't be cheap.
So my advice for you mate is.
A) second hand market, this is cbf, bats of great magnitude never get used, so a second hand gun can be had for a bargain! Search the classifieds.
B) aldred, red ink, rk! Three customer makers who are ridiculously cheap.
180 will get you a g1 red ink and rk made to your specs! I have a red ink and rk on the way. Highly recommended,
Or aldred do a butterfly bat for 135, ugly as sin, but go like a cannon, and the latter is all that matters for run scoring.
C) come play for my club, I've got 18 bats, so happy to lend him one, haha, 3 of our first team have my bats on loan. Cheeky gits
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haha! Cheers Smilley, we shall be holding on to him that's for sure.
I had my Red Ink arrive last week and took it for a test run at nets last night. Feels like a bit of a gun, can't wait to get it out in the summer...so to speak.
Thanks everyone, I'll pass the info onto him.
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Near enough all of the brands (apart from the big brands like GN, Puma, Kooks etc) will do you a bundle deal if you buy a full kit. A kid at my club went up to b3 and says he is now kind of sponsored by them, what that means is he bought the full kit line and was offered a discount. I dont know the relevant details of that deal but have heard discounts of 30% being offered from some companies in similar scenarios.
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Most 'sponsorship' deals are a discount off RRP, which equates to the same as paying retail prices most of the time anyway. Obviously this appeals to the player being 'sponsored' as they can claim to be 'sponsored' - despite paying about the same as any buyer from me would.
The difference being the after sales. If your bat breaks, YOU have to arrange to get it back to your manufacturer for a replacement/repair. Whereas if you bring a bat into us we will arrange all of that for you, hassle free. In cases where it is obvious that a bat will need to be replaced we will even offer you one of our bats from the shelf and claim back the replacement for our stock from the manufacturer as and when.
Very few players are on a true sponsorship (ie free gear) especially from a big brand.
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Near enough all of the brands (apart from the big brands like GN, Puma, Kooks etc) will do you a bundle deal if you buy a full kit. A kid at my club went up to b3 and says he is now kind of sponsored by them, what that means is he bought the full kit line and was offered a discount. I dont know the relevant details of that deal but have heard discounts of 30% being offered from some companies in similar scenarios.
I got a very generous discount deal from my kit supplier, despite being a very average player! Brand New gloves, pads and g1++++ bat for I think £220. RRP was £540 I think! Whilst being cheap, it also guarantees repeat business as I know they will look after me, and haven't failed!
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Interesting. I figured true sponsorship didn't really exist often outside of professional cricket.
Didn't know that 'sponsorship'/discount deals were generally off RRP. Like you say Vitas, this makes it much less of a deal and it would always be preferably to deal with a local shop. I suppose it depends on the company/shop owner the sort of discount you'll get and looks like its fairly varied.
Cheers for the input guys.
Now, about those coaching sessions? :D
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If you have to go round asking for sponsorship you can safely say you won't get it or deserve it
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There will always be brands (generally new/smaller brands) who will do a very good deal, this works for them as it gets their gear out there (as well as making a sale, although the profit made here won't be big, if any at all) into the marketplace, the thinking being that it is good advertising to be in the hands of a good player.
The clever brands will attach terms to this kind of thing. Ie you can have this stuff at this price on the condition that you sell X amount to friends/team mates etc. Some will even offer free gear if you sell enough. This is a good model as i find very few people actually look at a bat a good player is using and then go 'oh i must get myself one.'
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I got a very generous discount deal from my kit supplier, despite being a very average player! Brand New gloves, pads and g1++++ bat for I think £220. RRP was £540 I think! Whilst being cheap, it also guarantees repeat business as I know they will look after me, and haven't failed!
Thats a very good deal. Do you mind sharing what company?
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Hi,
Said to my mate I'd have an ask on here as I was a member and see if there was any info or opinion out there on sponsorship. For the record, this is a genuine mate, not a "mate", I'm no where near good enough for anything of this sort.....free coaching out of pity maybe! :)
A guy I play with was near top of the pile for league runs scored nationally last year (amateur), can be seen on play-cricket. His bat is on its last legs and due to the poor/lucky guy getting engaged last year, new bat fund is now wedding fund.
My question is, does sponsorship still go on or discount deals for players like this? We don't play in top flight leagues (although we're hopeful of promotion this year) so I believe this could be his sticking point.
Any opinion or info offered will be gratefully passed on.
Fez
I'm at 4th on the list and still waiting for the offers to come flooding in :( :( :(
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There will always be brands (generally new/smaller brands) who will do a very good deal, this works for them as it gets their gear out there (as well as making a sale, although the profit made here won't be big, if any at all) into the marketplace, the thinking being that it is good advertising to be in the hands of a good player.
The clever brands will attach terms to this kind of thing. Ie you can have this stuff at this price on the condition that you sell X amount to friends/team mates etc. Some will even offer free gear if you sell enough. This is a good model as i find very few people actually look at a bat a good player is using and then go 'oh i must get myself one.'
I've seen a similar thing with coaches (who are also good players) who then recommend said brand to all of the players they coach
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I'm at 4th on the list and still waiting for the offers to come flooding in :( :( :(
You need to ask, rather than wait.
There are deals out there, but to be honest, if it just the odd bat you are after, there is much better avenues to buy from.
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Do our sponsors offer any sponsorship?
there could be a tread saying sponsorship available. and state there criteria. then close it when found.
it doesn't have to be free gear, can be discounts and such.
its a very good forum for both users and sponsors. and they could help each other out on those front.
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If you have to go round asking for sponsorship you can safely say you won't get it or deserve it
Too many people want something for nothing agree 100 per cent John.
Only time I have had a offer of sponsorship was when I was younger my parents couldn't afford decent kit for me and I had some really old pads and I played my first ever game at 1st eleven level and a small brand owner gave me a set of pads at he end for making my debut. Sent me a bat as well later.
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If you have to go round asking for sponsorship you can safely say you won't get it or deserve it
I will counter this and say that it would be very narrow minded of a company to say that just because they asked, does not automatically say they are not deserving.
If you are a company, it would be better to highlight your stance and expectations. For instance, I know some companies openly ask for players to put themselves forward for potential sponsorship and some clearly state 'do not ask'.
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I know almost every brand in the mid to small range offer "discounts" but as previously stated most say I can get cheaper at x y and z yet forgetting that the smaller brand prices are already vastly discounted.
Like I said if somebody wants to give me free kit crack on but I would never ask for it.
The man with lots of connections is more valuable than some snotty nosed kid playing 3rd eleven cricket
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gecko cricket scouting for players to sponsor on twitter
info@geckocricket.com
with you cv.
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You need to ask, rather than wait.
There are deals out there, but to be honest, if it just the odd bat you are after, there is much better avenues to buy from.
I'm not asking for free kit! I'm an amateur player who plays for fun for gods sake. Who is really going to take the blinds notice what some average joe batsmen is using, they'll still trust GN, GM, kook more as that's what the big names use. Ok you can sell a few stuff of course but nothing to warrant free kit.
Tbh, although it'd be nice as it's free/cheap why on earth anyone would 'sponsor' any amateur is beyond me. Let alone 'county' kids who get a big enough ego as it is !
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i think you sponsor a county kid hoping that he makes it big and sticks with you.
even if he doesn't, everytime sky does a career monologue, the pics of his youth will have your kit.
having said that, without looking who can name ashton agars original kit sponsor?
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i think you sponsor a county kid hoping that he makes it big and sticks with you.
even if he doesn't, everytime sky does a career monologue, the pics of his youth will have your kit.
having said that, without looking who can name ashton agars original kit sponsor?
But those kids IF they make it will just change to a big.boy, so the smaller guys basically give cheap/free kit out while they train then lose them when it might just finally come of some use. Just look at all the decent youngsters ... Bairstow, butler, root, ballance, chopra, Taylor etc etc.. All big brands. Ok, agar was with a small brand but not once he got the call, suddenly kook get him
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having said that, without looking who can name ashton agars original kit sponsor?
Tails never fails
He used the mahogany (which is a strange name for a willow bat).
An I promise I didn't google that, in genuinely that sad :D
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I'm not asking for free kit! I'm an amateur player who plays for fun for gods sake. Who is really going to take the blinds notice what some average joe batsmen is using, they'll still trust GN, GM, kook more as that's what the big names use. Ok you can sell a few stuff of course but nothing to warrant free kit.
Tbh, although it'd be nice as it's free/cheap why on earth anyone would 'sponsor' any amateur is beyond me. Let alone 'county' kids who get a big enough ego as it is !
Sponsorship is not necessarily free stuff, just discounted rates.
For example, as stated in a bat thread, Nixon is stretching through York by having a number of well placed bats. I know a number who have bought them on the back of others using them.
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B and s have just asked for sponsorship in there section. To read the criteria and apply if suitable.
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i'll give you a grade 1+++++++++++++++++ for £175.
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i'll give you a grade 1+++++++++++++++++ for £175.
Pads, gloves and bag included? Your not sponsored IMO unless you wear all the kit.
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its reduced from £425 RRP so a greater than 50% sponsorship ;)
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its reduced from £425 RRP so a greater than 50% sponsorship ;)
You don't believe in bats that expensive! So I don't believe you.
No snake pads and gloves then?
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i put my stickers on in a foreign country so the RRP is £425
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i put my stickers on in a foreign country so the RRP is £425
i take you deflection of the later question as a no.
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I was jsut messign around.
I dont have gloves or pads and the hassle it has been trying to sort out a simple sample im tempted to not bother.
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I was jsut messign around.
I dont have gloves or pads and the hassle it has been trying to sort out a simple sample im tempted to not bother.
I know, but you told me to ignore your hammer rants so I am.
I've heard the softs world is a real pain to get into? Is it really that bad? I wanted to do something on a small scale, but just keep hearing horror stories,
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Put it this way, I could get some made very quickly but im dubious about the companies who keep spamming me and more so the quality.
I chose a top manufacturer ... the MH and B3 one .... and they seem to take a very very long time to reply to emails. Then it takes them an age to do a sample. Im waiting for a response from December on whether he can send me the sample gloves and pads that they made so i can look at them, obviously paying for them. Nothing back.
small scale is a minimum order in the thousands not hundreds of £'s
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Yes I know a little of the pitfalls to softs and unfortunately if your small you tend to get overlooked for the big boys.
I also know a few good sources myself for softs and other items.
I also know one that are quite quick and good and speedy