I spent the last year looking into Sponsorships but actually applied to very few. What I found was that Sponsorships for athletes like you and I are not what you might think they are or want them to be. Although we are passionate about our sport, we are not the best ambassadors per dollar figure for other companies for a variety of reasons. So the "handouts" ususally are few and more often than not come in the form of discounts. If you or I were Pro or elite or at least closer to sub-elite, we'd attract better Sponsorships, but even those are not what they may seem. At the next level, the Sponsorships are indeed very good, and many of them include paying race fees, gear, and even appearance fees.<br><br>
This is not to say that there are not some decent Sponsorships for the common athlete. Polar has a decent program. Rudy Project has one too. But they are fairly selective (but not always selective in the "speed" of the athlete). The common theme is that these companies want something back from you -- and that is an energy and excitement about sport and company.<br><br>
I have applied for a few sponsorships. I applied last year for Polar but did not get accepted. This year I chose not to apply for them because, to be honest, the handouts and discounts weren't worth my time. I'm just not at that level yet. I turned down a few companies because when I finally saw the contract I realized that it was mostly fluff, and I don't need to wear a logo on my chest just so that I can get a 10% off coupon for something I would only ever need once. And I have accepted a few companies because I like the product and liked the steep discount they were willing to give me. In that case it was a win-win. I get steep discount on kickass products I would eventually purchase anyway, and I am sure to wear those products when racing and on the podium.
