Not unlike most motorsports teams, we are seeking sponsorship
We at Cougar Racing Team are excited to invite you to become a part of our team by way of sponsoring our racing in the Seattle Outboard Association (and American Power Boat Association) Stock Outboard C Hydroplane classes. We would like to carry the name of your company as our sponsor for the 2016 SOA season.
In the summer of 2014, we purchased our first hull, motor, propeller, trailer and boat dolly, and competed in the Lawrence Lake World Record Regatta in Yelm, and I’m proud to report that even with borrowed tools, propellers and equipment — and in our very first event as a team — we finished all nine heats we started over that inaugural race weekend, and qualified for the final (top five in each heat) in 20 Super Stock Hydro and in C-Stock Hydro. We made major strides in improving our performances throughout the weekend, and got faster with each run. During the winter, we upgraded hardware components on our hull, made changes to the hull to increase speed, and had our engine rebuilt to “like new” status — to the point that we even had to break it in during pre-season testing. As a result, we’ve been a contender in many of the heats we’ve run this season. The 157-R team finished all 37 heats we started in 2015, and finished second place in the Novice C class at the Mt. St. Helens Regatta in Castle Rock in early May. Just a few weeks later, we upgraded by purchasing a new hull, and repeated that second place performance in the Novice C class at the Roy Blackwell Memorial in Seaside on the same day we took delivery of the new hull. In late August, we collected our first race win by taking first place in Novice C at the Smilin’ George Henley Memorial in Eatonville. Finally, we closed out the 2015 season by winning Novice C again – and posted our first-ever C Stock Hydro race win – at Castle Rock in September. We’ll be direct, after investing personal funds in getting to this point, what we need to improve our level of competitiveness is money. As fans of high performance crafts, you clearly know the value of a sponsor’s involvement and help, and upwards of 100 entries in each Seattle Outboard Association race, there will be plenty of exposure for your company in the pits alone. We invite you to consider the information below, and if you're interested, please contact us. Thank you for your consideration! Best regards, Nelson Holmberg (Co-Owner/Driver) & Ron Hartley (Co-Owner/Crew Chief) |
Sponsor Benefits
- Sponsor name & logos on team apparel
- Owner/driver and team members will promote your company
- Decals on the boat and trailer
- Up to six boat displays at a location of your company’s choice at agreed upon times/dates
- Unlimited mentions on Cougar Racing Team Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CougarRacingTeam)
- One sponsor-provided banner (up to 8 feet long) will be displayed in pit area
- Hyperlink(s) from team website/Facebook page to your website(s), along with a sponsor profile and logo on our your company's owners and employees invited as special guests of the team at races
- You personally (or a designee of your company), are invited to be a member of the pit crew at up to three races per season
- Three team-provided framed photos of the boat for display at your company's facilities and digital presence (if desired)
- End-of-season recap of exposure, markets, and digital & print photograph album for you to keep
- Motorsports sponsorship can increase name awareness through visibility on the freeway, racecourse, on the internet, and even in the pits
- Displays will draw attention outside of your company and may draw people in for a visit for more information about your company
- Sponsorship can improve revenue and even employee morale
- Sponsorship opportunities, in some cases, may even qualify your business for tax breaks/advertising write-offs
- Photos of the boat inside will be conversation starters
- Racing sponsorship improves the loyalty of a company’s employees. Think of simple things such as a t-shirt with the race team name and your company’s logo on it. Racing events can be a very fun family outing —employees and their children would really appreciate a day at the race course
Boat Racing Myths vs. Facts
MYTH: All that you receive in return for sponsoring the team is your stickers on the boat. FACT: You know how valuable sponsors are to racing teams. We consider our partnership with sponsors as worth their weight in gold. As briefly stated in our cover letter and on the itemized list above, there are many other benefits you will receive.
MYTH: Outboard race boats won’t draw attention for sponsors. FACT: We have personally witnessed people in cars next to us taking photos of our boat as we drive down the freeway numerous times. Race boats definitely draw attention, whether they are on the water or on the trailer. You will find customers coming in and asking about the race boat. Motorsports racing fans — be it NASCAR or boat racing — are some of the most brand loyal consumers in the world. It’s not difficult to translate sponsorships into revenue as a result of motorsports sponsorships.
MYTH: Providing sponsorship is simply too expensive. FACT: As you can see below, our request is not unreasonable, but it would go a long way in helping us purchase propellers, jerseys, fuel, and service and maintenance to the boat and motor to keep the boat competitive and running up front. Additionally, there are many different ways to support our team and help us run an efficient program that don’t necessarily have to include direct financial support.
MYTH: Boat racing is a “dying sport”. FACT: That is a sadly-mistaken assumption that people make, especially in the outboard classes. Seattle Outboard Association has members from all over the Pacific Northwest regularly draws more than 100 entries at each event throughout the season. Members travel from as far away as Medford and Ontario, Oregon for races in Everett or Seattle. Spectators attend these races without even having any ties to the teams competing. But more importantly, both racing teams and racing fans are loyal to the businesses that sponsor the sport.
MYTH: Outboard race boats won’t draw attention for sponsors. FACT: We have personally witnessed people in cars next to us taking photos of our boat as we drive down the freeway numerous times. Race boats definitely draw attention, whether they are on the water or on the trailer. You will find customers coming in and asking about the race boat. Motorsports racing fans — be it NASCAR or boat racing — are some of the most brand loyal consumers in the world. It’s not difficult to translate sponsorships into revenue as a result of motorsports sponsorships.
MYTH: Providing sponsorship is simply too expensive. FACT: As you can see below, our request is not unreasonable, but it would go a long way in helping us purchase propellers, jerseys, fuel, and service and maintenance to the boat and motor to keep the boat competitive and running up front. Additionally, there are many different ways to support our team and help us run an efficient program that don’t necessarily have to include direct financial support.
MYTH: Boat racing is a “dying sport”. FACT: That is a sadly-mistaken assumption that people make, especially in the outboard classes. Seattle Outboard Association has members from all over the Pacific Northwest regularly draws more than 100 entries at each event throughout the season. Members travel from as far away as Medford and Ontario, Oregon for races in Everett or Seattle. Spectators attend these races without even having any ties to the teams competing. But more importantly, both racing teams and racing fans are loyal to the businesses that sponsor the sport.