What are the most effective ways to increase diversity in sports sponsorships?

1 Identify your goals and values

Before you seek or offer a sponsorship, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and what you stand for. What are your core values and how do they align with the values of your potential sponsor or partner? What are your specific goals and objectives for the sponsorship and how do they support the diversity and inclusion of your sport and audience? Having a clear and consistent message will help you attract and retain sponsors that share your vision and values.

2 Do your research and outreach

To increase diversity in sports sponsorships, you need to know who your audience is, what they care about, and how they perceive your sport and your sponsor. You also need to know who your potential sponsors are, what they offer, and how they promote diversity and inclusion in their own organization and industry. Doing your research and outreach will help you identify the gaps and opportunities for creating more diverse and inclusive sponsorships that resonate with your audience and your sponsor.

3 Be creative and flexible

Diversity and inclusion are not one-size-fits-all concepts. They require creativity and flexibility to adapt to different contexts, cultures, and needs. To increase diversity in sports sponsorships, you need to be open to new ideas and approaches that can enhance your sport and your sponsor's value proposition. For example, you can explore different types of sponsorships, such as cause-related, experiential, or digital, that can appeal to different segments of your audience and your sponsor. You can also experiment with different formats, channels, and activations that can showcase your sport and your sponsor's diversity and inclusion efforts.

4 Measure and communicate your impact

To increase diversity in sports sponsorships, you need to be able to measure and communicate your impact. How do you know if your sponsorship is achieving your goals and objectives? How do you know if your sponsorship is making a positive difference for your sport, your sponsor, and your society? You need to have a system of evaluation and feedback that can help you track and report your results and outcomes. You also need to have a strategy of communication that can help you share your stories and successes with your audience and your sponsor.

5 Learn and improve

To increase diversity in sports sponsorships, you need to be willing to learn and improve. Diversity and inclusion are not static or fixed. They are dynamic and evolving. You need to be aware of the trends and challenges that affect your sport and your sponsor, and how they impact your audience and your society. You need to be responsive and proactive to the changes and opportunities that arise, and how you can leverage them to create more diverse and inclusive sponsorships that benefit everyone.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?