Sponsorhouse....Luck?????

MtnbikeMike · Jan 30, 2008

If they tell you they're full, they've probably fill their sponsorship quota for the year. This time of year is a bit late to be applying for sponsorship.

DiRt DeViL · Jan 30, 2008

My son's request to 661 was declined for the same reason, wonder when is the right time to apply.

Frorider1 · Jan 30, 2008

You got turned down from e-13 becuase you are Canadian!? Is that what they actually told you or are you just interpreting it that way? Anyways sponsorhouse is a joke, create a resume with race results and photos and send it to companies you are interested in. You might not get the sponsorship but they will know who you are, and then from there keep them posted on your progress and such. Doing that will show loyalty and all that jazz and who knows maybe someday you will be a factory rider! Good luck, f*ck sponsorhouse.!

TheInedibleHulk · Jan 30, 2008

Sponsorhouse is a complete joke. Its up to the individual company, but for the most part you resume will not be read and you will be sent the same "sponsorship" proposal as everyone else from hacks who dont even race to pros. Usually the offer is some percentage off of retail, which allows the company to make more money off of you than they would have selling the prodeuct at wholesale to a dealer. They get more of your money, you get to pretend to be sponsored, and retailers and resale values get hosed.

demo 9 · Jan 30, 2008

as an expieriment my friend took a pic of him on an X factor ramp with no results. he picked up 11 "sponsors" they arent real but do give real discounts. its all marketing

jonnynails · Jan 30, 2008

Don't feel bad about the 661/royal/sunline sponsorship not coming through. I did the sponsorhouse thing last year(will never again for obvious reasons) and got sponsored by them. They never had any product available online on the website and that was the only place you could order it. Was a big joke. I was having to get gear from my so called sponsor from the bike shop.

Your best bet is to go through your local shop and/or get a race resume and send it to potential sponsors.

DirtEveryDay · Jan 30, 2008

What the **** do you think "sponsored" actually means anyway? I'm curious.
Sponsorhouse only sucks for egotistical asshats who think they should be handed everything.
Being sponsored means YOU basically work for THEM. You get a break on some things you'd supposedly be buying anyway to continue doing what you'd supposedly be doing anyway!
Companies get a LITTLE adverstisement(anyone actually read peoples jerseys at 30mph anyway? NO), and they are able to move product. Riders get a break on parts they need, which leaves a little extra cash in their pockets to get to more races.
I joined Sponsorhouse not more than 6 months ago, I now have 5 sponsors(two directly through the company, not sponsorhouse) and I'll be racing all year. I actually joined on my 35th birthday, and I was actually about to kinda fade out of racing as I didn't see the point. Feels like a fresh start.
If anything, having some sponsors is like having a few big buddies behind you, lets you roll a little harder...
And actually, the "people who've never even raced before"...or "hacks" as the last genius put it...are the ones who could use it the most, it's a great booster.
I'm pretty dissappointed in most of the people in this thread. And I bet all you guys talkin **** about it have a profile on there too. Maybe I'll check around and forward this link to your "crappy" sponsors...if you have any.

And I only sent in one sponsorship request, the rest came to me after friendship requests and a little chatting. Perhaps companies can tell who's in it for what...?

DirtyMike · Jan 30, 2008

Sponserhouse blows, best sponsershio your going to get is going to work part time for a bike shop, and buy everything EP. Keep doing that untill someone comes to you with an offer to ride for them exclusively for a paycheck.

DirtEveryDay · Jan 30, 2008

OH, it also probably helps to apply to companies with products you actually NEED, not ones with "cool stuff" that you have to come up with cash to buy to make the sponsorship useful.

DirtEveryDay · Jan 30, 2008

DirtyMike said:
Keep doing that untill someone comes to you with an offer to ride for them exclusively for a paycheck.

OK...so you are basically your own shops worst customer...and you watch too much Disney Channel.

altix · Jan 30, 2008

Sponsor House is way to big, your better off sending your stuff in by mail to there head courters... or driving to there head courters and shaking hands. even then you might have problems

bdamschen · Jan 30, 2008

Another good way to get sponsored is to just be really really fast and win a lot

surfinguru · Jan 30, 2008

Here's my take on it: mostly it's marketing and exposure for the company making the offer. I think it's also a really good way for someone to get into the racing side of things a bit more and it provides them a little more potential exposure. (Not everyone's going to do the WC circuit or spend the entire summer traveling all over the North American continent just to race.) Is it a perfect system? Not at all, but is a means to an end. Are there people sponsored that shouldn't be? Absolutely! But really, what are YOU going to do about it?

For me personally, it's been a great asset. My first year racing I had no sponsors at all. I got a few results and learned the ins and outs of how it all goes down and gained some confidence. The following year, I saw the Sponsorhouse booth at the Sea Otter went over, introduced myself, talked to the guys a bit and thought "why not?" I spent some time to put together what I thought was a decent page and spent some time putting together a real resume to submit to potential sponsors. In the mean time, I was starting to get some decent race results.

I ended up getting a few offers and was stoked. Definitely saved me a few dollars on things I really needed. FWIW, I keep my sponsors updated after every event or happening. Now I have both sponsors inside AND outside of Sponsorhouse. (Maxxis and Smith are both examples of working outside the Sponsorhouse system - so yeah it works both ways.)

Personally, I don't get the animosity people have towards the whole Sponsorhouse thing. If you don't like it great, move on. If you think it's bunk, then by all means, work it outside their system - go grovel at the bike shop and send out those resumes and good luck to you!

As to the guys talking about not getting sponsorship outside the US, here's a recent email I received from Hayes regarding the exact issue:

"...One last note. We will no longer be accepting orders outside of North America (US & Canada). Our Sponsorhouse program is not set-up to handle teams and riders in foreign countries."

So to me it sounds like it could be a Sponsorhouse thing and how they set their site up.

Oh and one last thing, to the guys that said all you get is % of MSRP is totally full of crap. Guess you didn't "stoke" your sponsor all that well after all.

Transcend · Jan 30, 2008

davet said:
Some American companies won't sponsor Canadian racers directly, but make you go through their Canadian distributor. When that distributor is Norco (who distributes just about everything that comes across the border) you find out they only support their Norco sponsored riders.

Is that about right Darryl?

So I'd say he's getting the shaft along with every other Canadian racer.

e.thirteen sponsors canadians all the time.

muddy beast · Jan 30, 2008

DirtyMike said:
Sponserhouse blows, best sponsershio your going to get is going to work part time for a bike shop, and buy everything EP. Keep doing that untill someone comes to you with an offer to ride for them exclusively for a paycheck.

Amen.

That's what I did. Sad part is, I got 8 sponsors last season from resumes and sponsor house/email stuff and used it for the discounts...but I have never raced before and still haven't. Now working at a shop I get better deals then the "sponsors" could have ever given me, get a paycheck, and get help working on my bike for free. In my opinion, working at a shop is the best way to feed the habit.

CRoss · Jan 30, 2008

I tried Sponsorhouse in the past. I was not that impressed. I still have a profile because it is one place to keep all of my stuff. I no longer have sponsorships through them. I have a good relationship with a local shop and they are giving me better discounts(that I never even asked for) than what I was getting direct from companies. The shop supports me because I send people to them and help bring other business to them. I will even help out at the shop when I am there.

My other sponsors I will continue to just deal directly with the companies and not go through a service like Sponsorhouse.

I actually might have one or two sponsor on Sponsorhouse because they automatically keep renewing my sponsorship every year. I really do nothing for them though, I log onto my account a couple times a year to update results.

TheInedibleHulk · Jan 30, 2008

Thrillseeka,

Since most of your little rant seems to be directed at my post, allow me to retort. First of all, you seem to be arguing different points to those that I made, so I should clarify. You say that sponsorship means you are "working for" the company. This is absolutely right, and in no way contradicts what I said. Real sponsorship is a business agreement in which a company offers you salary, product or a discount in exchange for your promotion of their product. Great, but this is not what sponsorhouse does. Through most sponsorhouse deals, the company is making MORE money than they otherwise would selling the same item through the proper channels, IE a dealer. Essentially it is a way for companies to sell direct, without actually having to admit they they are doing it. Believe me, they dont give a crap if joe sport racer is running thier logo or not, it is purely an issue of margin and total sales. By offering a rider a deal a sponsorhouse, they are greatly increasing the chances that rider will buy their product, and they will make more money off of it than if that same rider walked into a bike shop and bought the same product based on its merits. So instead of being a give-and-take situation for the company, it is a take-and-take. Sure it seems better on your end than paying retail, and I dont blame the riders at all. However, if a company is claiming to sell their products through a dealer network in order to provide customer support and service, they should not then go behind the dealers backs and sell direct. This is just poor business practice. If it seems more lucrative for your company to sell direct, then by all means do it, but be candid about it.

You make the arguement that low level racers and "hacks", as I said, need support more than others. Maybe true in some cases, but irrellevant. My broke ass may need a high paying job more than some other guy, but if he is more qualified, he should get the job. For shops to survive and prices to be protected, which is neccesary for the survival of any industry, the non-racers and low level racers are the people who need to be paying retail. Instead we have a system where everyone from a 14 year old beginner on up is getting cost or close to it, but many companies still give out little to no product to pros, who in reality are those who need it most, and who spend the most time dedicated to racing, and are the most effective promoters of their sponsors. This system also kills resale values, a big part of a pro's season in a sport where salary and prize money is almost nonexistant.

Youre welcome to go find my old sponsorhouse profile from 2005, if its still there. I now manage a race team for the fix bike shop which I also race for in the pro class. This is not a vindictive rant from someone who thought they deserved more out of sponsorhouse, this is the opinion of someone who has been on all sides of the arguement, from amateur racer to pro racer to member of the bike industry. Sponsorhouse is bad for shops and bad for pro racers. Its not your responsibility to care, but it is the responsibility of the companies involved not to hamstring their dealers. To a lesser degree, it is also their responsibilty to support racing for real if that is something they claim to do, which means making a sacrifice to help racers. The deals offered through sponsorhouse do no represent any sort of sacrifice, in fact they are a way to get more money. I want to see racing succeed on all levels, which includes a greater level of amateur participation and a resurgence of support and success for high level pros (particularly americans). Sponsorhouse may be helping in a tiny way on the amateur side, but I think that would be halped much more greatly if more amateurs realized that you dont need to be riding a tricked out high end bike and saved that money for racing. In my observation, many riders actually spend more money due to their sponsohouse deals, as they now feel obligated to buy new stuff and run one particular company. You can keep equipment costs very low if you are willing to run whats available and cheap.

DirtEveryDay · Jan 30, 2008

Well...I certainly won't argue with you about companies caring more about themselves than they do the racers.... nor will I deny that there's a HUUUUUGE void between the full-on factory riders, and the independant guy in 4th place. Just to clarify my positioning in this...I'm the guy comin in 8th-9th...
I guess, if I really think about it..I'd say that Sponsorhouse is great for people like myself(having too much fun to get dissappointed over not winning?) and beginners. Maybe that's why I'm not dissappointed with it, I don't feel I deserve any free poduct. I'm more than happy to take my 50% break, get what I need, have a little cash left to get to a race and have a good time.
So it's your own damn fault for being fast! And fast people SHOULD have to pay more...maybe they'll think twice about beating me in the next race! lol!
But seriously...I hear what you're saying.

muddy beast · Jan 30, 2008

The real questions to thrillseeka, is who makes that chick-on-a-handle-bar and where can I get one?

SPINTECK · Jan 30, 2008

I'm not a fan of the sponsorhouse business model because racers fall for the "sponsored" theme when they are just getting discounted parts, which ultimately hurts shops. Most shops are the soul of a local racing scene.

COmpanies want your stuff around INTERBIKE/ Vegas bike show in order to line up budgets. Companies also offer sponsorship for videographers- anything that you can show provides them with value.

kev211 · Jan 30, 2008

THRILLSEEKA said:
What the **** do you think "sponsored" actually means anyway? I'm curious.
Sponsorhouse only sucks for egotistical asshats who think they should be handed everything.
Being sponsored means YOU basically work for THEM. You get a break on some things you'd supposedly be buying anyway to continue doing what you'd supposedly be doing anyway!
Companies get a LITTLE adverstisement(anyone actually read peoples jerseys at 30mph anyway? NO), and they are able to move product. Riders get a break on parts they need, which leaves a little extra cash in their pockets to get to more races.
I joined Sponsorhouse not more than 6 months ago, I now have 5 sponsors(two directly through the company, not sponsorhouse) and I'll be racing all year. I actually joined on my 35th birthday, and I was actually about to kinda fade out of racing as I didn't see the point. Feels like a fresh start.
If anything, having some sponsors is like having a few big buddies behind you, lets you roll a little harder...
And actually, the "people who've never even raced before"...or "hacks" as the last genius put it...are the ones who could use it the most, it's a great booster.
I'm pretty dissappointed in most of the people in this thread. And I bet all you guys talkin **** about it have a profile on there too. Maybe I'll check around and forward this link to your "crappy" sponsors...if you have any.

And I only sent in one sponsorship request, the rest came to me after friendship requests and a little chatting. Perhaps companies can tell who's in it for what...?

i totally agree with you. I would like to be sponsored, but I thought mountain biking was supposed to be for fun? I know im pretty new to RM,and probably shouldnt be griping just yet, but seriously... Just do the sport, compete, do whatever, but sponsorships really dont get you that big of a break. I think the big reason people get sponsored is for bragging rights. Because if they actually wanted good deals on everything, they would work at a bike shop and get pro deals or at least bro deals on everything that they EP

DirtyMike · Jan 31, 2008

DarrylB said:
Unfortunately, I can't exactly give up my career as an Electrician(that I love) just to get discounts.

I was too late to apply directly to companies, so this is my last option to get some deals on stuff I need to race a whole season.

I just don't like how they tell me they are full, yet the number of sponsored athletes increases every hour. Including alot of recreational riders.

Just as I cannot give up as An Automotive Technition, just work parttime at teh bike shop. I only work every other weekend.

surfinguru · Jan 31, 2008

kev211 said:
...Because if they actually wanted good deals on everything, they would work at a bike shop and get pro deals or at least bro deals on everything that they EP

Bro, bro, bro. That HAS to be one of the most ignorant statements in a good long while. I hate to jump on you quick like, but you gotta be realistic. Let's see, I'm 39, married, have a soon to be 7 year old and a mortgage payment. So how am I supposed to support my family, buy bike parts, pay entry fees and get myself to races all while working on a bike shop salary? Oh wait, I'll cover all that on what I save on parts because I got the "bro deal." Right......

MinorThreat · Jan 31, 2008

The most effective method I have found is to hone your communications skills and don't expect things to be handed to you on a platter.
Marketing products is communication; marketers are communicators. They want to have people represent them who can effectively communicate the value of their product(s) to other people, who are enthusiatic about the product and who go into a sponsorship relationship with an attitude of "what can I do to help the company?"

Everyday amateurs with better-than-every day skills at communicating do get sponsored; I am proof of that. Find a back issue of the Nov. '05 Mountain Bike Action that has the article "How to Get Sponsored." It has step-by-step what has worked for me and continues to.

Good luck.

DirtyMike · Jan 31, 2008

THRILLSEEKA said:
OK...so you are basically your own shops worst customer...and you watch too much Disney Channel.

Actually no, I basically work for parts, and usually end spending a little more than I make from the bike shop, at the bike shop, remember its my weekend job. But at the same time, Cycelry USA is My Biggest Sponser, I get a BIG discount, not so much they dont make anything, but they make a little, I get to EP My big stuff, and I promote my shop to other people. Youll see me at FOntana in the Pits wearing My Shop uniform and helping to fix people bikes, and handing out business cards for Cycelry USA.

P.S. I hate Disney Channel, I stick to Scfi and History channel

Metal Dude · Jan 31, 2008

Funny Post, back to the subject though...
661 has a sponsorship application online at their website.
I filled it out about 2 weeks ago and got hooked up for 1/2 retail. I work at a shop part time and could get it there cheaper, if we were a dealer.
It's funny how Joe smo that works at the bike shop and rides his bike once a month can get better deals than most sponsorships I can get after being Pro for 8yrs.
Obviously I am not on the podium for world cups but, I have a pretty solid resume. I will tell sponsors this when they offer me a few bucks off retail, in a nice way of course. (Works some of the time)
Most deadlines are November though dude, mail yo stuff in like October
Find out who handles sponsorship, then call them after you send it in. Make an intro get the message across without taking too much of their time.
Then follow up in Jan. - Feb. if you haven't heard anything yet. Keep following up til they hook you up! Let them know how you are going to help them!

Don't start out with I'm 9th in expert, what are you gonna do for me.

kev211 · Jan 31, 2008

surfinguru said:
Bro, bro, bro. That HAS to be one of the most ignorant statements in a good long while. I hate to jump on you quick like, but you gotta be realistic. Let's see, I'm 39, married, have a soon to be 7 year old and a mortgage payment. So how am I supposed to support my family, buy bike parts, pay entry fees and get myself to races all while working on a bike shop salary? Oh wait, I'll cover all that on what I save on parts because I got the "bro deal." Right......

not necessary really. Some bike shops (with decent managers) only require someone to work 4 hours a week to get ep's. And i guess i should have specified that it would be better for a younger teenager/college/early 20s than someone who is in the work force, so i do apologize

surfinguru · Jan 31, 2008

Ah, it's all good man. :thumb:

Just good conversation, but I do appreciate the follow up. It's definitely a double edged sword. It obviously works for me given my situation. However, if I were younger without the commitments, I'd certainly be looking at the alternatives.

kev211 · Jan 31, 2008

ya, im smellin what youre steppin in. If i was your age with a job and kids i would def go your route. But, for me now Im 19 and i know that the majority of riders are under 30 or somethin like that it would probably better to get bro and pro deals from a bike shop. But I totally understand what you mean

Metal Dude · Jan 31, 2008

Yeah, don't know what it's like to live in Canada and all, but, it's a hard
game to get much out of bro. I do have a few companies that give me product.
Very thankful for them. Let's you spend more of your money on racing.
Don't worry so much about being "sponsored" like someone else said,
half the people go to a bunch of trouble to save a few bucks and say they are "sponsored"
Hell, I work at a bike shop part-time and I'd say E-bay is one of my biggest sponsors I put time in to find deals!
Put your time into to researching good prices and next year put out resumes to companies direct!
Fudge em a little if yah need to "didn't say that" But, mainly go on their websites to see when they except them.

dexter · Jan 31, 2008

sponsorhouse is a complete joke, they offer everyone the same deal and the companies and sponsorhouse make BANK off of it. When i started doing my own thing after failed team attempts i looked at the house but realized it was completely worthless and a waste of money. Putting together a good resume with results, goals, future plans, pics and vids will get you much further than some stupid internet site.

DBR X6 RIDER · Jan 31, 2008

I take Sponsorhouse with a grain of salt. I'm not using it to get a factory ride by any means. More or less, I use it to endorse the products/brands that I believe in. I work full-time at a shop and can get better deals thru there, so I do. It still comes in handy for me since we can't get Utopia thru the shop, so it's not like I'm "wasting" a spot for someone else.

The one thing I really like about Sponsorhouse is the fact that I am able to network with other riders/racers from all over the place, as well as keep up with their results. From that standpoint, I think it's a great idea.

Ultimately, nothing will get you sponsors faster than consistently good results.

kev211 · Jan 31, 2008

DBR X6 RIDER said:
I take Sponsorhouse with a grain of salt. I'm not using it to get a factory ride by any means. More or less, I use it to endorse the products/brands that I believe in. I work full-time at a shop and can get better deals thru there, so I do. It still comes in handy for me since we can't get Utopia thru the shop, so it's not like I'm "wasting" a spot for someone else.

The one thing I really like about Sponsorhouse is the fact that I am able to network with other riders/racers from all over the place, as well as keep up with their results. From that standpoint, I think it's a great idea.

Ultimately, nothing will get you sponsors faster than consistently good results.

smartest thing said in this thread. so true!! ride fast and hard, and the companies will ultimately find you! :clapping:

Zutroy · Jan 31, 2008

Sponsorhouse is what you make of it, just like any other method of trying to get sponsorship. The deals you get from them are no different that what you get dealing with the companies direct. Unless you're a really fast Jr X or Pro, you're not going to get anything more than a discount from any method you use, unless you put the work in it.

Example, i have a sponsor who i know gave everyone that applied to them the same deal, beginner/pro...even one of there own employees. the deal was so-so, but it was a decent. I got to know the people at the company, the owner. I ended up helping them out at a race, giving advice to people that were asking questions, and helped pack up the trailer at the end of the day. The next race there was a box there with my name on it, it was had about $500 worth of product in it that they gave me for helping out. To this day, I've hardly spend any of my money, all my bikes are factory'd out with the product, i have spares in my garage. All of this from a "C" level deal on Sponsorhouse.

I have a couple other sponsors that i have had similar experiences with.

It is what you make of it.................just like anything else in life.

Jim Mac · Jan 31, 2008

...As banned Vicsoudher would say - Sponsorhouse is a good place to start, but you should take it higher from there - use it to build personal relationships with companies. Like others here, I started out with sponsorhouse, but then lucked into a DH race team/shop (Elevate Cycles) that has some good sponsors. As well, I applied for others independently.

Use Vicious's son Geoff as an example - the kid started this way and now is being offered excellent opportunities by the virtue of not only his skill but also the relationships he and his dad kindled over time, starting with the ones they met through Sponsorhouse. The difference is that they went beyond what people usually do - rely on electronic correspondence. They called companies monthly to report results and at the same time got to personally know their connections there.

Sponsorhouse....Luck?????

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Fluffer

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

My Nuts Are Flat

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Fluffer

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Fluffer

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN