Youth sports sponsorships are a win-win

ORGANISATIONS from across the skills and employability sectors, whether established or start-ups moreover are thinking more about impact and legacy.

More than ever before businesses whether they are for profit businesses or otherwise are now focused on profit for purpose. Most now agree that the work they do in the community says a lot about people, culture, and values.

Getting involved with local grass- roots sports team like Pathway Group’s newly formed relationship with Kingswinford Hockey Club, gives Pathway Group the chance to bring their values and culture to life, both for their team members and for the local community. 

Safaraz Ali, Founder and CEO of Pathway Group states: “Youth sports sponsorships are a win-win for community socially responsible organisation and our team fully recognise as business leaders, the value and responsibility we have with regards to our people and our planet. This is driven by the culture of Pathway Group to ensure we use our position for a positive impact in the communities we operate.

“Our strategy has been developed by our people, the executive team and our senior leaders. Our agreed focus is on the areas which we serve and operate. We align ourselves with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and we actively measure impact to ensure that whatever we do is has a purpose and is tangible.

“The Partnership with Kingswinford Hockey Club now brings our sponsorship of youth clubs to over five.  We believe that youth sports sponsorships are a win-win for brands and grassroots sports teams. The sports teams can attain the funding they need to operate and brands can engage in an effective marketing mechanism that reaches target consumers on a more unique and meaningful level.”

Formed in 1967, Kingswinford HC has rebranded and moved its home to Perry Barr in Birmingham. The sports club has surfaced with the support of Birmingham City University and Pathway Group.

Kingswinford Hockey Club voluntary committee stated: “We have several initiatives planned over the next year and all of them are about giving back to the community of Perry Barr. From providing local school children with free hockey equipment to helping the homeless to providing necessities for the less fortunate, we have many things planned and are very grateful for the support of both Birmingham City University and The Pathway Group. Whether you are a part of the local community, a local or a national business, we welcome any support to help us achieve our goal and give back to those that need it.”

Impact is the reason why companies should sponsor a youth sports team.  In a time where traditional forms of advertising are no longer generating the same return as they once did, brands from a variety of business verticals are beginning to shift their marketing and advertising spending towards youth sports sponsorships.

• Local sponsorships have always been valued by businesses for how memorable and localised they are. The added benefit now is that they are also scalable through digital platforms.
• Local sports sponsorships represent a community-oriented way for businesses to shift their local marketing budgets away from divisive social platforms and toward corporate responsibility initiatives that promote goodwill locally.