"I need a sponsor!" campaign dropped

[Laybourn]

Hi everybody, as you might have read on Badzine or on Facebook, i wasn´t alowed to play with my new campaign "I need a sponsor" on my T-shirt. I think the rules on this is totally ridicolous, and just because the referee thought it was unappropiate i missed the chance to notify interested sponsors that i´m "for Sale". What if i had a sponsor with a funny name, was that also not allowed, i just mean that the rules on this i way to loose.

What do you think about this, am i wrong?

Check my video interview here on Badzine:
http://www.badzine.info/index.php/fe...-creative.html

Thomas

[huangkwokhau]

Anne Rice used campaign" Right to play"...to me..it is same thing...

[druss]

I both agree and disagree.

I agree with you in that you should be allowed to wear whatever you want as long as it does not distract the opponent and is appropriate clothing (regardless of the print, logo or designs).

I disagree in that I don't think that on the court is the right venue for advertising your availability. I think that wearing a completely plain white shirt could have told everyone that you don't have a sponsor just as well.

I still remember all those years that andre agassi couldn't play at wimbledon because he refused to wear white.

[Laybourn]

Your right that maybe it is not the right place to advertise, or maybe it is JUST the right place, because i´m trying to make a point wich i cant do anywhere else.

I´m trying to reach out to sponsors via the TV media and "say" that it is actually possible to "buy" my T-shirt. In Tennis it is NOT possible for the players to wear advertising, so many maybe thinks it is not possible in badminton as well, becuase almost nobody wears anything on the shirt.

Thomas

[demolidor]

Unless as the rules say "if the content of the advertising would infringe local laws or be considered offensive" I really don't see a reason to not allow it. On the other hand I was just thinking, who will be the next to follow. Before you know it half the players will have the same

A little further up though:

23.4 Restrictions on the advertising

23.4.1 The advertisements in Regulations 23.2 and 23.3 may be the clothing manufacturer’s emblem or that of any sponsor.

23.4.2 Each advertisement shall only be of one organisation or product.

Had you started an organization you could've gotten away with it, as like the "Right to Play".

Made me think of all those football players that lift their shirt over their head to show their personal message underneath. That's what you pay €10 million+ a year for (as a shirtsponsor)

[kwun]

Thomas,

maybe a more subtle message like "Your Ad Here" might work better.

good luck with finding a sponsor.

[druss]

Your right that maybe it is not the right place to advertise, or maybe it is JUST the right place, because i´m trying to make a point wich i cant do anywhere else.

I´m trying to reach out to sponsors via the TV media and "say" that it is actually possible to "buy" my T-shirt. In Tennis it is NOT possible for the players to wear advertising, so many maybe thinks it is not possible in badminton as well, becuase almost nobody wears anything on the shirt.

Thomas

Actually, it is possible to wear advertising on their shirts in Tennis but I believe there is a restriction on the size of it. Many players have small patches of companies sewn on to their shirts on the shoulder sleeves.

Maybe it was the size of the print? Something smaller with wording such as Kwun used?

[ctjcad]

...
23.4.1 The advertisements in Regulations 23.2 and 23.3 may be the clothing manufacturer’s emblem or that of any sponsor.

23.4.2 Each advertisement shall only be of one organisation or product.[/I]

Had you started an organization you could've gotten away with it, as like the "Right to Play".
...

..i would think that's the main reason.
Whatever is put/sewn on the shirt must be of an organization or product or sponsor based. Other wise, other players would do the same or put all types of non-product slogans or personal messages.

Putting it in a more subtle or in different wordings or in smaller size might work, but will it be noticeable enough??..

One thing is for sure, though, this has caught some attention (indirectly) in this forum.

[demolidor]

'In other news a new organisation called "Forget the whales, Save Thomas" ...'

[b.leung]

Thomas, first of all, I wanna say you're an amazing player!
And yes, I think what you did was brilliant in a marketing stand point.
However, it does seem a bit distracting for opposing teams, so I do agree with a different form of execution.
Maybe entering the court with a training sweater with the same logo on the back, and taking that off during the match.
Or possibly do free campaigning over youtube... give short instructional videos on badminton (possibly mixed doubles tactics... not too many of those around)
Use the viewership as leverage to negotiate sponsorship
because if you can reach a stable group with decent exposure, any sponsor that knows good marketing will start to open up more

alternatively, you can look into opening workshops, and similar events
first have sponsors give products as "samples" or draw prizes in those workshop
to "get their name out there"
it is at no extra expense for the manufacturers but it works great to get their products out to the consumers, and it will definitely hit target markets
talk to manufacturers of sports-related products, such as health drinks, power bars, or equipment ie yonex, forza, head, etc...

once those settle and get a good drawing each event, you can use that as leverage again for training-related sponsorship, court time, equipment expense, travel expense
and eventually move up to bigger sponsorship deals

of course, all this is done in theory, and hope this helps
i actually have no idea of your actual situation whether you've thought of this or not, but really hope you can continue to train full-time instead of having to work on the side to maintain a living

best of luck
your fan =)
brian

[Thom_bad]

A European champion should have a sponsor !!
did you wear your "I need a sponsor" shirt this week in Manchester ?

[Randomlegend]

Could you be the first player to be sponsored by Dink

Panda Power!

[phaarix]

Whatever is put/sewn on the shirt must be of an organization or product or sponsor based. Other wise, other players would do the same or put all types of non-product slogans or personal messages.

Shouldn't that be up to the sponsor though? Not that I know anything about it really...

I do think it's pretty silly. If an organisation is allowed to advertise, why can't a player? The message isn't offensive, what's the problem...? I don't like this ruling at all...

Besides, I can't see silly messages being too much of a problem. Why would a player give up having a sponsor just to write a silly message on their shirt?

[b.leung]

any updates thomas??

[Drgn01]

I'm just as curious now too.. Have you been able to find a sponsor yet?

I honestly don't find anything wrong with it.. I don't see how it could distract the opponent, and it definitely isn't offensive to anyone.

Best of luck Thomas, hopefully this gets resolved and you end up with a sponsor.

[DinkAlot]

Could you be the first player to be sponsored by Dink

Panda Power!

Could be a possibility. Panda wonders how many rackets TL requires?

[ants]

Thomas need cash sponsorship...