Bass tournament

I went to a committee meeting for the Our Lady of the Lake Children's
Miracle Network Bass Tournament. We averaged about 150 boats each year and
we are looking to increase this to 200 boats. We also looking to increase
of sponsorship.

My question to the tournament fisherman is what makes you chose one
tournament over another? There are several big tournaments around the same
time of the year and we want to do something that my draw fisherman from
fishing another tournament over ours.

Any ideas to increase sponsorship. We already have Stratus donating a boat
and a local marine company donates the trailer and motor.

Sarge

"Licker" wrote in message
...
I went to a committee meeting for the Our Lady of the Lake Children's
Miracle Network Bass Tournament. We averaged about 150 boats each year
and
we are looking to increase this to 200 boats. We also looking to increase
of sponsorship.

My question to the tournament fisherman is what makes you chose one
tournament over another? There are several big tournaments around the
same
time of the year and we want to do something that my draw fisherman from
fishing another tournament over ours.

Any ideas to increase sponsorship. We already have Stratus donating a
boat
and a local marine company donates the trailer and motor.

Sarge

Tournament anglers are motivated by many things as are any group of people,
but as a small club tournament director I can tell you that the number one
motivator is winnings. Cash first, and then other prizes. being a
charitable organization that can be limited. It sounds like you already
have a decent turnout for yours so your next thing might be to find a way to
get the word out to more anglers.

As to sponsors... they are motivated by return on their investment. Some
may be motivated by altruism and other things, but most are motivated by
return on investment... which brings me to a pet peeve of my own.
Recognition. Lots of organizations are good at getting donations for
events, but fail dismally in my opinion to recognize those who donated in a
proper manner. I have seen raffles with hundreds of prizes, and not a
single donator mentioned as they give stuff away.

One thing you might do is investigate other companies that support
Children's Miracle Network and solicit them to support your bass tourney.
Be careful though. You do not want to increase your support and have a
negative impact on the net gain to Children's Miracle Network. AND... if
the actual organizers are a legally chartered 501C3 charitable non-profit
corporation you can submit a grant request locally to each Wal-Mart store in
your area. Please note how that was phrased. It means EXACTLY what it
says.

Best of luck.

"Bob La Londe" you mention local Wal-Mart. The one of the local Wal-Mart
actually is a sponsor to the tournament. They actual raise about $35,000.00
last year for CMN.

One issue we have is we are on the fringe of the dividing line from one CMN
area to another. We already have to thread carefully as not to take away
from the other area. This hurts a little on sponsorship since many
potential donors will not donate if to us since we are not in there CMN
area.

The tournament has continue to grow every year but we feel that by the
turnout last year we have reached a plateau. Although we try not to
schedule the tournament the same weekend of other tournaments in the area,
that not what happen last year. We still drew 155 boats and the other
tournament drew 110 boats. The other tournament had larger prize money for
the same entry fee but they chose ours instead. The big difference between
the two tournaments is we allow fisherman to fish anywhere they want but
must check in a one or 5 locations by a certain time and must be back at the
weigh in for a certain time. The other tournament everyone is fishing out
of the same marina and from what we heard many fisherman did not like that
due to the amount of boat traffic around the same time.

We are going to get some free advertisement from one of our master of
ceremony. He is a local outdoor radio and TV personality and volunteers his
services every year for the tournament. He plans on doing the morning show
live from the tournament and take the tournament director and his assistant
on a fishing trip on TV and talk about the tournament. The other MC is a
local outdoors columnist and will do his usually and mention it in his
articles.

As far as thanking the sponsors, depending on how large of a sponsorship
they get their name on the tournament brochure and a banner by the weigh in.
The bigger their sponsorship the larger their name is printed.

Our goal this year is to raise over a $100,000 grand and have over 200
boats.

Thanks for your insight.