Women Rules for Sponsors

[CameraShy]

Does your gym allow you to have a business sponsor your gymnast? What are the rules on this sort of thing? I tried to do a search on this and couldn't find anything but I may have not searched using the right words so forgive me if this has been discussed before.

 

[Becauseisaid]

We have businesses sponsor the teams (boys, girls, cheer), but not individual gymnasts. The business basically buys a large banner ad to hang on the gym wall and ad in our meet programs (we host 3 meets a year).


The ads are sold by the parents and a portion of the sale goes to their gymnasts team account.

 

[ascarter1]

We have businesses sponsor the teams (boys, girls, cheer), but not individual gymnasts. The business basically buys a large banner ad to hang on the gym wall and ad in our meet programs (we host 3 meets a year).


The ads are sold by the parents and a portion of the sale goes to their gymnasts team account.

Same at our gym!

 

[CameraShy]

We have businesses sponsor the teams (boys, girls, cheer), but not individual gymnasts. The business basically buys a large banner ad to hang on the gym wall and ad in our meet programs (we host 3 meets a year).


The ads are sold by the parents and a portion of the sale goes to their gymnasts team account.

Yes, we can do the same, but for our individual gymnast, not the entire team. The only part pulled out of the $$ given is for the banner and for a plaque the company can hang on their wall - the rest goes to that gymnast to cover team/meet fees (not tuition). One of our coaches just mentioned getting a sponsor not using the gym (and that seemed like a gray area to me), so I thought I'd ask regarding that specifically instead of them buying a sponsor package through the gym.

 

[Becauseisaid]

Yes, we can do the same, but for our individual gymnast, not the entire team. The only part pulled out of the $$ given is for the banner and for a plaque the company can hang on their wall - the rest goes to that gymnast to cover team/meet fees (not tuition). One of our coaches just mentioned getting a sponsor not using the gym (and that seemed like a gray area to me), so I thought I'd ask regarding that specifically instead of them buying a sponsor package through the gym.

The ads sold benefit only the gymnast who sold it. It doesn't go to a group team account. The gymnast gets a preset % of the sale into their personal account and the dollars can be used to pay for anything from classes to meet fees - pretty much anything that is billed to the gymnast.

Regarding businesses sponsoring a gymnast rather than the gym, I would guess that is a big no-no as it can be seen as a marketing ploy by the business. NCAA rules are pretty strict regarding this type of thing since it can take an athlete out of "amateur" status. Personally, I wouldn't take a chance on it. It would be much better for the business to sponsor the gym with an ad sale rather than a specific gymnast.

Now - if Aunt Suzy feels like paying little Flipper Jr.'s fees for the year - have at it. Just not on Aunt Suzy's Quilting Bonanza's checkbook.

Am I the only one who suddenly got visions of gymnasts looking like race car drivers with all the corporate sponsor logos all over their leotards?!

 

[CameraShy]

Yes, this is why I thought it seemed a little "off"... not amateur at all and I was envisioning logos all over the leos as well!

The NCAA thing popped into my mind when I heard this and why I decided to ask to make sure I understood that correctly. My husband also brought up that in order to prove the "donation" as a tax write-off for the business, they would need a receipt of some sort and we were fairly certain that a hand written note from us and the gymmie just wouldn't quite do.

Thanks, you confirmed exactly what I was thinking...

 

[sce]

Yes, we can do the same, but for our individual gymnast, not the entire team. The only part pulled out of the $$ given is for the banner and for a plaque the company can hang on their wall - the rest goes to that gymnast to cover team/meet fees (not tuition). One of our coaches just mentioned getting a sponsor not using the gym (and that seemed like a gray area to me), so I thought I'd ask regarding that specifically instead of them buying a sponsor package through the gym.

It could end your Dd's NCAA eligibility. So consider if that is something you want to do at only 7yo.

 

[CameraShy]

It could end your Dd's NCAA eligibility. So consider if that is something you want to do at only 7yo.

Exactly why I decided to ask rather than take something said in passing as fact.

 

[Seeker]

We have businesses sponsor the teams (boys, girls, cheer), but not individual gymnasts. The business basically buys a large banner ad to hang on the gym wall and ad in our meet programs (we host 3 meets a year).


The ads are sold by the parents and a portion of the sale goes to their gymnasts team account.

I'm pretty sure that is illegal if your booster club is a 503c.

 

[ladybird]

I'm pretty sure that is illegal if your booster club is a 503c.

Yes, this is the main issue. The booster club as a whole is fine but there can be no private benefit/inurement to an individual gymnast.

 

[Seeker]

Yes, this is the main issue. The booster club as a whole is fine but there can be no private benefit/inurement to an individual gymnast.

Correct -- funds raised by a 501(c)(3) booster club must be distributed evenly across the team, regardless of what that gymnasts' parent contributed. "A parent run booster club must be organized so that it benefits the entire class of athletes or participants and does not benefit certain individuals over others."

You can read more on the rules here: Link Removed

 

[Becauseisaid]

I'm pretty sure that is illegal if your booster club is a 503c.

It would be if we had a booster club. These are fundraisers organized by the gym itself.