British Sailing Team Launches New Sponsorship Program

By Daniel Anwar

The British Sailing Team launched a new sponsorship programme at the Royal Thames Yacht Club today, treatment which includes the naming rights to the successful team.

Speaking exclusively to iSportconnect, Stephen Park, the Royal Yachting Association Olympic Manager, said: “The title sponsorship is an attractive opportunity to brands to get directly involved with one of Britain’s top Olympic sports that not only has a history of success at delivering medals, but also a fantastic talent pool and good forecast for success in the future.”

Park also spoke of the potential audience that a new sponsor could reach. He said: “This is one of the great commercial opportunities within sport. We have a great, affluent audience largely in the ABC1 demographic.”

Double Olympic Gold medallist Sarah Ayton told iSportconnect how sponsorship can positively affect athlete performance at the highest levels. She said: “We are well funded by UK Sport but when you’re going into an Olympic Games you need to do everything you possibly can.

“Hopefully the new [title] partner that comes on board will work closely developing various aspects of our sport and that’s what we’re looking for – someone that will help make a difference to our performance.”

Peter Thomas, Marketing and Communications Director of Accenture UK and Ireland, spoke from his own experience of the benefits arising from the brand’s eight year association with the British Sailing Team, especially with regards to hospitality. He said: “We have very specific clients and need to develop deep and meaningful relationships with them. They get offers to go to other events all the time, but you just can’t buy a day on a boat with an Olympic Gold medallist on the open market.”

Thomas added: “It also helps that they’re the best in the world at what they do.”