What checks should be done before signing a new contract with sportsmen?
Sponsorships are a huge part of the sporting world and for many sportsmen and women, it can be a really great source of income and exposure to help boost their career. James and Jason both mentioned that it’s important that businesses are working with the right sports people, by double-checking their credibility and building a rapport with them to ensure you can fully understand who they are and make sure they are a good fit for your business, this is something that can be easily missed.
It isn’t uncommon that sportsmen and women sign contracts/sponsorships with businesses purely for financial gain and not because they genuinely like the company. It’s about finding the best of both worlds, where the sportsperson in question gets decent pay but, in return, they use their social media to effectively help promote the business (as an example).
Mental health was also a key part of the conversation, as Jason acknowledged that this is incredibly important and is very common specifically for cricket players to suffer from mental health issues. James stated that historically “there was very little guidance for players when the cricket season ended.” This left a lot of players unemployed or they went to countries such as Australia to continue playing cricket. Either way, it left a lot of players mentally unstable and exhausted.
Combining sport and business has proven to be very beneficial, it’s a great way of gaining exposure for both parties and is now one of the main sources of income for people in sport.