The Ebb and Flow of Sponsorships
Editor’s Note: The writer's opinions and observations expressed here are her own, and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, policies or positions of FLW.
Many of the readers who follow FLW know me as one of the pros who fishes the Walmart FLW Tour. What many of you don’t know is that I also work in the industry. I get to see what happens behind the scenes more than the average fisherman or fellow fan does. I get to see the sponsor contracts, and the ins and outs of how business works.
A Fishing Background
First, something about me. I’m preparing for my fourth year fishing the FLW Tour, and I absolutely love it. It’s my dream job, and I’m truly blessed and lucky to get to do what I love from day to day. In 2011 I graduated with a degree in marketing (emphasis in sports marketing) from Stephen F. Austin State University in the beautiful town of Nacogdoches, Texas. I had great professors that really helped mold me into the businessman/fisherman I am today. The two professors who pushed me the hardest were Dr. Marlene Kahla and Dr. Charlotte Allen. Both of these academics believed in my dream and helped push me in the right direction.
In 2013 I took a job working for Dollahon Public Relations in Tulsa, Okla. Gary Dollahon has been in the fishing industry for around 30 years, working in PR and marketing departments for various iconic companies. Gary is a truly gifted outdoorsman and understands the industry better than just about anyone I’ve ever met. I work full-time, helping out our fishing clients such as The Bass Federation/Student Angler Federation, High School Fishing, Lew’s Fishing, Gene Larew Lures and Bobby Garland Crappie Baits. Over the last two years I’ve managed the social media sites for Lew’s, Gene Larew and Bobby Garland, which allows me to keep up with the industry practically minute by minute. Gary is a great mentor and has really helped me understand the term “sponsorship” and all its nuances.
Sponsorship Season
During the last few months we’ve seen a big shake-up in sponsorships for pros and for fishing as a whole. We, as FLW fishermen, have felt and tried to adjust to this shake-up in some form or fashion. This is also the time of year that contracts are ending, and negotiations are starting for the coming year. Sometimes negotiations go well, and sometimes sponsors part ways with their pro-staffers.
I felt the effects of the annual sponsor turnover in early December when deposits for the 2015 Walmart FLW Tour came due. That day, I received a call from my title sponsor, PEAK Antifreeze, and a spokesperson informed me that the company had decided to go in a different direction with its marketing plan. The news was unexpected, but I also know that even such bad surprises are a part of a pro’s life. A professional fisherman must always be ready for change, and must try to be prepared as best he can be for when it happens. Sometimes it happens unexpectedly, and sometimes you just know you need to go a different direction.
PEAK was one of the best sponsors I ever had, and I would welcome it back with open arms if I had the opportunity. Although PEAK let me know the status of my sponsorship on the day that deposits were due, I still have to step back – with no regrets or animosity – and accept the fact that it’s just business.
A New Course
Most annual budget meetings have just wrapped up, budgets are set and news is currently being delivered to the people involved, whether it’s good or bad news. This is all part of business, the part that many people don’t understand and hate the worst. We see a sponsor go, and it might seem like the end of the road, as if our career is over, but that’s seldom the case unless you let it be.
For me, it’s the beginning of the next chapter in my life. No doubt it’s the same for other pros as well. I’m busting my butt trying to get a new title sponsor for next year. We all have to remember that sponsors come and go because that’s just the nature of their involvement in our sport. Marketing plans change year by year, and if a company leaves you and wants to go another direction, that’s exactly what it needs to do.
Always remember, though, that when one door closes, three more open up. You just have to have your eyes open to see it when it happens. Good luck with your fishing, good luck to my fellow FLW pros in the coming season and a Merry Christmas to all.
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