Snowboarding Sponsorship

Do you want to attain Snowboarding Sponsorship and Recognition? Are you looking for support that allows for travel around the country and the world to ride and compete while you work to develop you athletic snowboarding career?

It can be an incredible adventure, and an even better way to make a living....

Feed that dream. Using motivation, determination, equipment, terrain to ride, growing skill sets, personality, physical training, mental training and access to the information you will plan your season around. You can do it!

Take control of your direction and use every talent, tool, contact and opportunity you have to actively create your own unique athletic path, image and persona.

- On this page -
Sponsorship Example 5 R's Companies How-To get Sponsored Post Your Resume

Terje Haakonson - Mt Hood 2103 - Method

Terje Haakonsen, The Legend, Sending a Method at Mt Hood. July 2013

Do you want to be a famous snowboarder?

The most important thing to question as a ripping rider with rising skills and sponsorship dreams is:
What are you really trying to achieve?

I mean map it out, where does your dream lead YOU?

Regardless of the style and venue you want to pursue, I would suggest that your ultimate goal may be:

To become a valuable marketing asset and a productive representative
for the companies that you would like to ride for and work within a snowboarding sponsorship relationship.

What?

There are many levels of sponsorship and the basic, entry level or "roots" level sponsorship is much more simple than this. Early sponsorships should help the rider learn and progress their approach to the business of the sport and promoting themselves in it. Progression from there, for long term progression and successful marketing of oneself as a sponsored rider, you must learn and execute the Five R's.

Before that though let me give you an example of how and why sponsorship works in its most primitive form.

Imagine this:

Eddie Marovich

Lil Johnny is riding up the chairlift at his home mountain in Minnesota. He's been having a super fun day. Riding all over the mountain, working on his tricks. Riding Switch is challenging and he's having a hard time with cleaning the down rail or getting much pop with his ollies off the little jumps. He is riding equipment that he received from his unkle for Christmas 2 years ago. It works, but he is excited to get new gear soon and he's anxious to progress his riding, and learn more tricks.

The sound of a rider on the mountain up above him grabs his attention. He looks up and sees a rider that he recognizes (but doesn't really know), ripping down his home turf. The rider hits the biggest jump in the park and does a perfect Front-Side 360 Tail Grab. "Damn" Johnny thinks to himself. "That was sick!!" He watches as the rider makes a couple turns and then cleans the down rail with a perfect backside lipslide. "Wow" he thinks to himself.

Impressed, he focuses in on the guy as he rides under the lift, heading for the line to come back up. As he passes, he sees that he has a sticker for The House, a local shop and that he is riding a GobleSplat Snowboard. "Thats a weird board brand name, but Dang" he can't help but think, "that must be a good snowboard."

On his way home to St. Paul, he talks his parents into dropping by The House Snowboard Shop. Once there, he goes in and asks an employee about the Goblesplat boards. "Right over here buddy, check them out.", says the shop guy. "Just curious how you've come to be interested in Goblesplat. They're handmade by this funky little troll up under the 3rd street bridge".

Johnny is amazed and excitedly spits out, "No way, I saw this guy on one on the hill today that was killing it". The shop employee proudly boasts, "Ohhh! Yeah, that must have been Bobbie Trey. He is amazing and lives right downtown. He's riden for us for 2 years now".


That is how snowboarding sponsorship works. The House just received a new customer and now, Johnny (new customer) is excited about The House and the new weird boards he learned about, which is good for the shop and the board company. He also has been introduced to Bobbie Trey, the rippin rider to watch for on the hill. This is good for Bobbie Try, as it will help to grow his reputation and further his value as a rider representative to the GobleSplat Snowboards name.

Sponsorship is all about give and take like this. It is about professional relationships where everyone benefits. If for whatever reason the rider or the sponsor are not getting support and representation from the other, the snowboarding sponsorship will break down. 

The 5 R's
of Snowboarding Sponsorship

Below I have listed and described the keys to getting and maintaining a snowboarding sponsorship. It takes work, desire, focus and an idea of the desired outcome. What are you willing for the company to expect from you?

  1. Riding -Of coarse the riding must come first. Develop your abilities and find your favorite style of riding. You may want to be a BackCountry Filmer, a Park Rat, a Competitor, an Urban Rail Assassin or maybe a bit of each. Find a direction that you want to progress in and push. What ever riding style suits you, you must develop skills and a unique style all your own. Ride, ride, ride. Set riding goals daily and progress. Always

  2. Reputation -You must build yourself a reputation. It may be a combination of many things. Your ability, your style, your friendliness or approachability, your helpfulness, etc. You want people talking about you. Talking about yourself is kind of a turn-off, so if your approach is talking about yourself, and how good you are, you may be shooting yourself in the foot. It is possible to be a bad-boy and get recognition, but I would suggest you stay on the positive side of things. That way when people talk about you it is all good. Hearing things like, "Yeh, Seth is an awesome rider, but he is a Jerk and gets in trouble a lot." That is the kind of reputation that can work against you. You must share your accomplishments and demonstrate ability with a prospective sponsor, but it is a good idea to do it with a humble approach, not "oh man, I am so sick." That is not a big seller.

  3. Resume -Having a Resume is not only vital in your Snowboarding Sponsorship search, it is also a great tool to help the rider refine and hone their direction and goals. In snowboarding it has become common for people to put together video resumes. This is valuable, but a video piece should always be accompanied by a professional looking resume on paper, digitally or both, complete with photos. This demonstrates versatility and professionalism. If done well, of course. Your written resume should include a brief rundown of your personal, athletic and educational background, along with your snowboarding accomplishments. Also, a resume needs to include a brief reference to your aspirations and goals. This way you will help to align your goals with the expectations of the Potential Snowboarding Sponsorship from the very start. In the process of putting this info on paper, you will really help to build your own concept of personal image and worthiness to a sponsor.

    Need a Resume Writing Guide?
    goto:     Resume Templates for Athletes and Sports Competitors                                                                                                                                       Get a good Still Camera and Video Camera and practice Shooting Photos and Filming Snowboarding. You should work towards having experience on both ends of the lens or camera. Practice shooting and being shot. Shoot your friends, then have them shoot you. Learn what works and what does not. Get some good footy and start building those skills and resume stock.