By Erin Sue
Hamilton, Ontario – Friday the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosted the annual Sponsorship Summit at McMaster University.
Once a year the Ticats invite current team sponsors to Training Camp which gives them an inside look at the team’s operations and progress through the pre-season. This is an opportunity to learn more about the Ticats organization and team, anything that is new from a marketing or promotional standpoint. Here sponsors will also learn how to properly brand their logo with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, as well as team slogans and terminology to better incorporate it into their businesses.
“We really want to stress that it is a partnership and not sponsorship,” explains Debbie Slingerland the Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorships with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “This is an opportunity to see some practice and the purpose here is to engage them and make them feel part of the team.”
Communication is an integral part in this aspect of the organizations. The Ticats pride themselves on producing valuable relationship through these partnerships by executing beyond the specific contractual agreement. Working with such a wide range of partners on a variety of levels, all with different marketing objectives, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats provides flexible and successful solutions for each.
In respect to exclusivity, partner packages offer options to remain the only provider in specific categories such as beverage or snack manufacturers that the Ticats will affiliate themselves with.
“It’s important to have their support in our community because it’s something to all the fans as well as supporting our football team,” states General Manager Bob O’Billovich. “We need these kinds of organizations to help our organization grow.”
Businesses who participate in this mutually beneficial relationship get the chance to work one on one within the Hamilton community alongside the Tiger-Cats. Included in this team partnership is HSR (Hamilton Street Railway) who as a company and an integral part of Hamilton joins with the team to offer free transportation on game days to those who can produce a ticket to the game. Additionally, HSR helps to transport players on weather restricting days to practice at local business Soccer World.
Soccer World is the official indoor training facility for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “If it rains heavily or storms we make out facilities completely available for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats,” explains Carina Fatu of Soccer World. The team partners with Soccer World yearlong and has been for the past five years. Throughout the off season players and Stripes may attend Soccer World camps for appearances and motivation for kids. Additionally, the field is provided to team members who are local, and has an open door policy for them to take advantage of working out and practicing at the Soccer World location.
Sponsors who partner with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are both local and national businesses who benefit in collaboration with the organization year round.
